New Mexico Attorney General says he will not defend governor's gun ban stance

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez announced Tuesday that he will not defend Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a fellow Democrat, in multiple filed lawsuits opposing her gun ban.

“I do not believe that the Emergency Order will have any meaningful impact on public safety," Torrez's letter reads. "I do not believe it passes constitutional muster.

Last week, Grisham issued an executive order declaring a public health emergency over gun violence. She suspended open and concealed carry of firearms in the city of Albuquerque for a 30-day period.

“The tragic deaths of 5-year-old Galilea Samaniego in a recent drive-by shooting and 11-year-old Froylan Villegas in a road rage incident should serve as a wakeup call to everyone,” Torrez wrote in the letter.

“I encourage you to engage in a more thoughtful and deliberative process with members of the New Mexico Legislature rather than taking unilateral action that infringes on the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens while having little if any discernible impact on the underlying dynamics driving gun violence in our community," the letter continued. 

Grisham is currently facing protests, federal lawsuits and calls for her impeachment after her declared public health emergency.