Howdy, folks
Days before the State Fair of Texas is set to begin, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is again seeking to block enforcement of the fair’s new policy banning most people from bringing guns to the fair this year.
Paxton on Friday filed a motion in the Court of Appeals for the 15th Judicial District seeking to block enforcement of the policy pending his appeal of Dallas County District Court Judge Emily Tobolowsky’s ruling Thursday allowing the State Fair of Texas to proceed with its policy.
The court requested a response to Paxton’s motion seeking to block the policy by noon Tuesday. The State Fair of Texas begins Friday, Sept. 27 and runs until Oct. 20.
“The City of Dallas and the Texas State Fair are not above the law, and we are seeking emergency relief to uphold Texans’ Constitutionally-protected Second Amendment rights,” Paxton said in a statement. “The State Fair’s policy—by which law-abiding citizens could not defend themselves—does not make the environment safer, it merely gives an advantage to criminals looking for victims.”
Paxton had sought a court order against the State Fair of Texas and the city of Dallas to block the enforcement of the gun ban. Dallas County District Court Judge Emily Tobolowsky denied Paxton’s request for an injunction Thursday. Following this denial, Paxton filed a notice of accelerated appeal.
In response to Paxton’s court filing giving notice of his intent to appeal, the State Fair of Texas in a statement said they maintain the policy is the “right decision.”
“We anticipated an appeal, but continue to maintain this policy is the right decision moving forward to ensure a safe environment and family-friendly atmosphere. The State Fair of Texas will continue to prioritize safety,” the statement read.
See here for the previous update. As noted elsewhere, this will be the first real case for the new 15th Court of Appeals and its three Abbott-appointed justices. Feel free to speculate about how politics might possibly be a factor in their deliberations. They will have to move fast, so expect a ruling probably by tomorrow. CBS News has more.
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