MANCHESTER, N.H.― In a surprise action today, a cadre of anti-liberty lawmakers in Concord acted behind closed doors to ban guns at the State House, the Legislative Office Building, the Upham Walker House, legislative parking garages and lots, and any other facility that the Legislature controls.

In a partisan, 8-3 vote, progressive Democrats sitting on the Joint Committee on Legislative Facilities today used a policy-making authority for legislative buildings to impose their out-of-touch and unconstitutional agenda on citizens, lawmakers and state office workers who would want to protect themselves from criminals who might try to harm them in these buildings. Section 2(a) of the New Hampshire constitution clearly protects the right to bear arms.

"The Democratic legislators on the Joint Facilities Committee are a rouges gallery of the strongest opponents of personal and economic liberty in New Hampshire," said Andrew Demers, chairman of Citizens for Sensible Legislation. "These are extremists who have failed in their attempts at restricting liberty through the legislative process, so they've now turned to an unprincipled and underhanded tactic. Clearly, these legislators are out of touch with average citizens on this important issue.”

"The citizens of New Hampshire are undoubtedly less safe and less free because of the Joint Committee's actions today," Demers added.

Democratic committee members Sylvia Larsen, Terie Norelli, Margaret Hassan, Mary Jane Wallner, Lou D'Allesandro, Marjorie Smith, Daniel Eaton and Martha Fuller Clark were behind today’s vote against liberty and safety, while Republicans voted to honor citizens’ right to defend themselves.

Republican leadership condemned the scheme by progressive Democrats. “It won’t allow people working in the buildings to protect themselves from someone just walking in with a weapon,” said Gene Chandler, senior assistant House Republican leader. “Once again, we are favoring the criminals.”

According to Chandler, state Rep. Mary Jane Wallner slipped in the measure at the last minute. It wasn’t on the agenda and no one from the public had the chance to comment. He said a law to ban guns in state buildings failed measurably a few years ago, so the anti-gun extremists turned to dirty tricks to impose their will on the people. A similar law has come up again for the 2010 session, which will likely be defeated.

“Senate President Larsen and House Speaker Norelli are the architects of the Democratic Party's progressive anti-freedom policies. This underhanded deal, done four days before Christmas, shows the utter contempt that they have for New Hampshire citizens", said Andrew Demers, chairman of Citizens for Sensible Legislation.

About Citizens for Sensible Legislation
Citizens For Sensible Legislation is a volunteer coalition of residents committed to educating the people of New
Hampshire about candidates, legislation and issues that affect individual and economic liberties.

Citizens For Sensible Legislation – P.O. Box 5114 Manchester NH 03108 – info@cslnh.org – http://cslnh.org