Yesterday, Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib of Washington singled himself out as the only WA elected official who was absent from the state’s annual State of State ceremony. That means he wasn’t there to hear his fellow Democrat Governor Jay Inslee deliver the 2019 State of the State address. Again, every other statewide elected official was in attendance.
What, you ask, is the justification for this faux pas? Firearms, of course. Lt. Gov. Habib was protesting the fact that in the House gallery, where all of two-and-a-half rows of seats were open to the public, lawful concealed carry is allowed.
Initially, the lieutenant governor’s staff asked if both galleries could be closed. When that was rejected, they sought unsuccessfully to have some type of metal detection equipment deployed outside the entry doors.
The chief clerk’s office did increase security though it was clear no specific threat existed.
A statement issued Tuesday afternoon from the chief clerk’s office expressed regret at Habib’s decision not to preside. It noted that state clearly allows properly licensed individuals to carry concealed weapons on the state capitol campus, including the House galleries.
“Absent any specific security issue, and in accordance with the law, the House kept the galleries open so that the public could see its government in action,” the statement read. “Safety is always a concern, but so is the transparency of the Legislature’s work on behalf of the people.”
Mr. Habib has had a gripe with concealed carriers in his state for a while now. In November of 2017, he signed an order to ban all firearms from the Senate’s public gallery. (For the record, open carry had already been banned in both chambers in 2015). At the time, house Rep. John Lovick, a supporter of Habib and former state trooper, said of the order: “When it comes to safety, we not only want to be safe, we want to feel safe.”
So, yesterday, since Habib’s order applied to the Senate only and not to the House gallery, and since the State of State ceremony took place in the House chamber, Habib didn’t feel safe attending.
According to the Herald, “Habib, who is blind, said he is concerned the House policy leaves him and every other elected official in attendance more vulnerable.”
If this looks like sheer political theater to you, your vision is 20-20. Not only is it political theater; it’s bad political theater, political theater in which a high-ranking state elected official is underhandedly using all the tools at his disposal, including a legitimate disability, to try to infringe on people’s Second Amendment rights.
After signing the order banning concealed guns in the Senate, Haibib said: “The message to members of the public is that — as in the case in countless government buildings around the country, including most statehouses, courthouses all over the place — this is a particular setting where it’s not deemed safe to have weapons. This is in no way a statement about those individuals’ lawful ability to bear arms.”
On the other hand, Dave Workman, spokesman for the Bellevue-based Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, called Habib’s statement “disingenuous at best, because this absolutely is a statement about those individuals’ lawful ability to bear arms.”
While Habib was absent, Washington’s fully Democrat-controlled state legislature heard the following from its Democrat governor:
While too many in D.C. remain in the grips of the NRA, we’re the state that stands up for common-sense gun-safety reforms. We’ve closed background check loopholes, banned bump stocks and approved protective orders that keep guns away from people in crisis.
By attempting to bar law-abiding, licensed concealed carriers from attending such proceedings at the Capitol, Habib is working to louden the loudly resounding echo chamber that is the Washington state legislature.
We stand with gun owners in the Evergreen State against this ridiculous behavior and hope concealed carriers in particular will attend congressional sessions and voice their opinions to prevent further encroachment on their rights.
He may be right.
Been my observation that if a government official lives in fear of concealed carriers, who tend to be more law abiding than just about any other group of people outside of Nuns from St Augistine’s School for girls, that the government official has a good reason to fear the same aforementioned concealed carriers.
WA state is on track to become CA. Seattle and Olympia control the entire state. If you’re a conservative your vote doesn’t count.
What a grand standing IDIOT. Poor little snowflake, gray suited government thug. Sadly, the folks that support such trash will eat his poo with glee.
Just like all progressive democrats, he is a coward who is blind to the truth and willing to take rights away from average, law abiding American citizens. Just another progressive democrat campaign to usher in totalitarian tyrannical form of government.
Darn. You beat me to the poor snowflake comment.
Yeah.
Cyrus and Beto should go to the gym and pump each other.
“This is in no way a statement about those individuals’ lawful ability to bear arms.”
Absolutely it is. You hate the idea of an armed citizenry, you just did a lousy job of masking your hatred.
“on track”? Sorry guy, it already has. As the commie kalifornia infection spreads.
WAKE THE HELL UP AMERICA. Our country is under internal attack and we are loosing.
We are losing indeed. I am a Legal Investigator and former US Marine who practiced Counter Insurgency and I know political Insurgency when I see it. O, how our conservatives love to talk about the enemies of America, but they NEVER act to suppress and /or destroy their center of gravity. We have never been so vulnerable in America as we are today due to the lack of man-hood and the lack of critical thinking skills that have been driven out of our people by Information Dominance schemes stemming from the Cold War, which we lost by the way.
I work with many professionals who love this nation and its people. We have a plan that would set things right, but Americans today just aren’t willing to get out of their comfort zones to act against the threats. Our legislatures have failed and thus has our entire political system. Its way past time to organize and counter this insurgency, because our window of opportunity is ending very quickly.
Habib is a Sharia-loving mole.
He may be a Sharia-loving mole, but he’s Roman Catholic.
I gotta say, I’d be outta there so fast, even if it was warmer.
Politician afraid of the people? If sincere it’s all working as intended. Of course he is not sincere so it’s just political points grandstanding.
He is afraid his tyranny might be opposed.
Bingo! If he is afraid of lawful citizens practicing the 2nd amendment, then he is afraid that We The People have the means to rise up to resist tyranny. Given the kind of government he wants to force upon us, I guess he should be afraid.
A blind politician rigidly adhering to dogma.
Irony so thick and rich you could drizzle it on your pancakes.
The only thing I want on my waffles and flapjacks is pure maple syrup (and butter!), not his tired, sniveling dogma prattle…
Can any TTAG member confirm, but hasn’t Habib pulled this same stunt in previous years? I may be wrong, but I believe this guy has done this before at the start of the WA State legislative session. It’s just part of the WA’s governor, LG and AGs propaganda campaign to bolster their anti-2A initiatives they have going through this session at the State level.
By the way, the WA legislators are considering multiple anti-2A initiatives this year. Having already redefined ALL semiautomatics, regardless of capacity, caliber or features as “semiautomatic assault rifles” with the passing of WA I-1639 in November 2018, they are now seeking to ban these newly defined rifles.
That’s right, semiautomatic .22 rimfire rifles with tubular fixed magazines of any capacity with straight wood stocks are now “assault rifles” in WA.
Last Monday the 21st there was a pro-gun rally in Olympia.
There were only 100 people who showed up.
This according to GOAL. Gun Owners Action League.
Pretty damn poor showing.
I wasn’t there either
Because the NRA didn’t send me an email to let me know until FRIDAY.
Why the hell couldn’t they tell us early enough that we could actually make plans to be there.
According to GOAL the Office’s were closed to anyone who didn’t have an appointment, because of the gun rally.
Apparently they were all scared of gun owners.
Since I cannot read minds, I cannot quite understand exactly where his inordinate fear of guns comes from. I cannot forgive his ignorance of facts however, and that is CCW holders are about the least likely group to commit violent crimes outside of 80 year old women. Alas, John Lovick is one of my representatives, in my suburban district they all run as conservatives and, as soon as they get to Olympia, vote like socialists. It is a great scam. Mr. Lovick had some, er, ethical problems when he was Snohomish County Executive, and had to downgrade to state house rep., and wins because of his name recognition. i had to be nice to his grandson who came by knocking doors on John’s behalf, my bit tongue was sore for days. Sigh.
They are not afraid of guns, only those in the hands of the morons they rule who are not smart enough to deal with guns. They want a disarmed public for easier control. Remember we are all to dumb to be trusted with things like guns and pointed sticks
Who know that the Lt Governor of WA was a Soy boy?
To use thier reasoning against them…
If he is not being tyrannical, acting in an unconstitutional way or does not have aspirations of being a dictator, why should he have any fear of a legally armed populace?
Coward is best description for his POS. Since it’s Washington, he will be a hero to all the leftist cowards.
I don’t know what to say about this kind of idiot!! Maybe he should the stats that demonstrate that concealed carriers are the most law-abiding people around. Why does he go out in public if he’s so “scared”?
When the people fear the government, there is tyranny
When the government fears the people, there is freedom
What a douchy greasy hair style….
Òòoooh boooooooo hoooo. Poo poo Mr Habib. A feared of guns. Grow up.
I had no idea that Joe Bonamassa was the WA Lt.Gov.
Absolutely, because criminal acts are common place among people who go to great lengths to obtain permits and abide by the law. (Dripping with sarcasm, for the impaired)
Dickhead looks like an pily personal injury lawyer from Philly.
You idiots that voted for this Muslim, especially you women, you got a whole lot of shit coming down on you from Sadam there.
Actually a Roman Catholic, but still an a-hole.
They passed a background check to qualify for the permit. So what’s the difference in any lawful citizen and an armed trooper, many of which must surely also be present in and around the House? Is it because the troopers get paid?
That is exactly it. Habib can tell the state police what to do, but ordinary armed citizens are entirely beyond his reach, and he can’t stand it.
The difference is that the police commit crime at a higher rate than CCW holders.
LtGov Habib = Lefty virtue-signalling gun controller
He’s blind, so how would he know if someone was carrying? Besides, concealed means CONCEALED. This is the USA Haidid, not some Muzzie shit hole.
Meant Habib, not Haidid. But what’s the difference.
Looks and sounds like something out of a movie with that hair.
“Habib, who is blind . . .”
And stupid. What a parlay.
Lt gov Cyrus Habib. of Washington State. Yup
John Lott published stats years ago. The percent of licensed concealed carriers who commit crimes with those guns, was some tiny fraction of 1%. I.e., these are the absolute SAFEST people to be with.
Habib may be physically blind. He’s also intellectually blind. As most on the left are. They literally cannot see facts that contradict their story, their beliefs.
maybe he had info that one of his diaper-heads was going to shoot the place up ???
Just an other chicken hearted liberal.
Its time to call this white politician what he is. Anti civil rights.
the esteemed one needs to compare crime/jail rates per capita for:
.goober-ment officials – appointed & elected
.police (and i support them, mostly)
.dhimmi-crats
.concealed weapon carriers
then tell me which group makes him “feel” safest
He isn’t martyr worthy at all.
“When it comes to safety, we not only want to be safe, we want to feel safe.”
That pretty much sums up what its all about with the left these days— its all about feelings.
I not only ‘feel’ safer, I AM safer when I am around a bunch of guys and gals who are legally carrying.
Only if we assume evil intent on the part of licensed gun carriers — which he obviously does — would one ‘feel’ unsafe.
We ‘feel’ safer around armed policemen. I feel safer, as well, around lots of good, law-abiding folks who are carrying. We’re all ACTUALLY safer.
he’d still be a better driver than helen keller.
… and Ted Kennedy. Ba-dump tiss. Tip your waitresses!
Hey, Habib! Remember when you were campaigning for your office and you came down and spoke at Washington Carpenters’ Local 41? I was carrying concealed and so was my buddy who rode down with me. Who knows, there might have been others. Guess what, you lived through it! Quit being a pansy!
Today I was walking past an establishment I frequent, which had a no firearm placard posted. I found myself wondering why in the world people want to create a target for a mass shooter given known statistics that 98% of said events occur in gun-free zones…
Then I read Habib’s quote and it finally clicked, “When it comes to safety, we not only want to be safe, we want to feel safe.”
People ‘feel safe’ when weapons are absent. Combine that with a few rabble-rousers making a stink, and it is just easier for the business to avoid conflict and put up the damn sign regardless of the odds of an admitted rare event.
We need to argue with facts against the hoplophobes and protest/boycott establishments with anti-weapon placards. The facts are on our side if we are willing to make a scene.
Link for data reference: https://crimeresearch.org/2018/06/more-misleading-information-from-bloombergs-everytown-for-gun-safety-on-guns-analysis-of-recent-mass-shootings/
Does that level of mental defect rise to the level of impeachment in WA State?
It would anywhere sane, but…