Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has threatened to sue the city of Dallas over a new policy banning concealed carry of guns at the highly anticipated State Fair of Texas.
The state fair announced last week that it would ban guns on its grounds unless they were carried by retired or active police officers.
In response to the decision, the Republican attorneys general sent a letter to Dallas Interim Mayor Kim Tolbert.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said he would file a lawsuit if Dallas does not order the State Fair of Texas to repeal the new gun restrictions within 15 days. (FOX32)
in X PostPaxton argues that the new policy violates current Texas law.
“Texas law clearly provides that a handgun licensee cannot be prevented from possessing a firearm on government-owned or leased property unless prohibited by state law,” Paxton wrote. “The State Fair of Texas’ recent policy violates the Second Amendment rights of LTC holders and is unlawful.”
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“Dallas has 15 days to resolve the issue or we’ll face them in court,” he said.
The attorney general’s impending legal action comes after 70 state officials wrote a letter to the state fairgrounds reiterating their disappointment with Paxton’s new ban.
The State Fair argues that because it is a private, nonprofit organization, it can ban guns.
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The fair is sticking to its policy changes and says it will have sufficient police and security personnel for the 24-day event.
“We are aware that the Texas Attorney General’s Office has sent a letter to the City of Dallas regarding the recent announcement regarding firearms at the annual State Fair. From the letter, it appears the Attorney General’s Office is seeking clarification regarding the city’s relationship with the State Fair of Texas, a private, non-profit organization, and the use of Fair Park under a long-term lease agreement between the two parties. We have not yet spoken with the city, but we stand ready to work with them as needed,” the State Fair said in a statement. To FOX 7.
Big Tex. State Fair of Texas. Dallas, Texas (Getty Images)
The policy change came after a gunman shot and injured three people inside the fair’s food court.
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Cameron Turner is a suspect and is scheduled to go on trial in late October.
Tuner did not have a gun licence and police are investigating how he managed to get the gun through security despite metal detectors.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Fair of Texas for comment.
