And, in the Paxton way, he is threatening litigation.
"The State Fair of Texas’s recent policy that infringes on [license to carry] holders’ Second Amendment rights is unlawful. Dallas has fifteen days to fix the issue, otherwise I will see them in court," Paxton said in a statement.
Paxton also informed the city that after the 15-day window in which this situation can be remedied, a daily fine of up to $1,500 will be implemented until the State Fair reverses course.
The Attorney General is the latest in a line of politicians freaking out over the State Fair's new policy, which was put into place in response to last year's shooting that wounded three people on a busy Saturday night. Before this year, the State Fair allowed licensed gun holders and law enforcement to carry firearms on the grounds. Now, only active and retired police officers will be permitted to carry firearms onto the property.
In response to the rule change, over 70 Texas lawmakers signed a letter urging the fair to rethink the policy.
As of yesterday, Karissa Condoianis, the fair's senior vice president of public relations, told the Observer that the fair "disagrees" with the suggestion that creating a "gun-free zone" will make the fair less safe.The State Fair of Texas is a proud tradition that reflects the spirit of our great state. However, their recent move to ban firearms undermines one of our most cherished rights. I’ve joined 70 fellow lawmakers in urging the Fair to reconsider this misguided policy. Statistics… pic.twitter.com/AL66jpLhMB
— Drew Springer (@DrewSpringer) August 12, 2024
"The State Fair has adopted a similar policy to that of most mass community gathering events like athletic competitions, concerts, and other Fairs throughout the state and across the nation. The State Fair of Texas spends millions of dollars per year on safety and security measures," Condoianis said. "Furthermore, the Dallas Police Department has a substation at Fair Park. A combined total of more than 200 uniformed and armed DPD officers and State Fair Safety Team members are patrolling the fairgrounds whenever the gates are open. We take the safety of the State Fair very seriously and will continue to do so."
This won't be the State Fair's first tangle with Paxton.
Earlier this year, the fair was one of five fun places named in lawsuits filed by Paxton over alleged restrictions to peace officers attempting to enter the establishments with a firearm. At the time, the fair seemed committed to complying with state law in allowing officers to carry their weapons on the grounds.
We'll have to wait and see whether the policy will buckle under the Paxton Pressure this time.
