Ken Salazar as Secretary of Interior

[BlackPR]

This is tangentially related to the national park carry issue. Denver media is reporting that Freshman Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado will be named to replace Kempthorne as DOI secretary.

This may provide SOME insight as to the future of the National Park issue. Salazar is a gun owner and is "mildly pro-gun" in the sense that he tends to vote FOR gun owners more than against them. He is in favor of stupid trigger-lock legislation, and has opposed Students for conceal carry in their efforts in Boulder (currently suing CU over the issue) -- Salazar offered a formal opinion that the CU restriction "eclipsed" Colorado law.

He does state he supports peoples right to own and carry guns for "defensive purposes," which is a nice change. He's voted against taxes on gun owners. He was one of the 50 senators to write to Kempthorne asking for a change to the National Park rules -- so that's fairly positive.

Interested in what others might know or be able to dig up about him.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[spooter66]

To be honest it doesn't really matter what his views on the subject are. What does matter is he will be working for the dark side and will do what his master commands or he'll be looking for a new job.

[MP45Man]

To be honest it doesn't really matter what his views on the subject are. What does matter is he will be working for the dark side and will do what his master commands or he'll be looking for a new job.

Good point!

[GWRedDragon]

Wow! Dare I hope that Obama takes a 'let the states decide' position on carry?

[dukalmighty]

Lets hope obama is so overwhelmed with other issues the gun thing doesn't come up for a long time if ever,and if it does doesn't get enough votes

[ChiWeiSz]

Also, keep in mind, he was in Colorado. My guess would be a western, more rural state such as Colorado would have a more pro-gun attitude, that the more urbanized East coast - therefore, it could be that Salazar was just doing what most of his constituents wanted for political expediency.

Case in point. The woman from AZ - AZ has a pretty nice CC law from what my friends tell me - yet, most conservatives don't like the idea that this AZ Gov will be heading up Homeland security.

I'm afraid that the "federation" will be "plotting" an overthrow and the acting "meek, and humble" Ambassador from heaven will have to take "temporary" tyranical control to stop the "advancing" menace (just to keep the Star Wars theme rolling).

[BlackPR]

Salazar was a ranch kid... grew up on a ranch in Western Colorado. He claims he grew up sleeping with his .22. Which is lonely and sad and slightly perverted, but still positive.

I will say that being from Rural Colorado and intimately familiar with Land/Water rights issues, he's probably very qualified for most areas of the job at DOI. I guess I'm going to write him a letter about the National Parks issue and see if he responds.

[libertarian5]

Ken Salazar is as good a choice as gun owners could ever hope for from the new administration. A pick from a certain disarmed eastern city or California would be far less reassuring. He was not under any heavy pressure to sign the Kempthorne letter and he did it. At that time I sent him a letter and he responded in a positive manner.

I think this is good news. The bad news is that Colorado is losing a good, centrist senator and there is no telling who the governor will appoint to replace him.

[AllAmerican]

Interesting... so did he lie on his job app? Or was the BHO job app another attempt to just piss us off?

So BHO is gonna have someone on his staff that owns guns? Yeah, interesting.

[BlackPR]

I don't know where the presumption came from that because Obama asked about guns, that a gun owner would not be appointed. It was simply vetting. Vetting means that they don't appoint someone with a history of wife-beating to a duty such as "domestic abuse czar". The questions were just so that there were no surprises.

The fact that Salazar had to answer in the affirmative to owning guns, supported Kempthorne's new rules and was appointed to the DOI anyway is all mildly encouraging. I think his job is really going to focus more on water rights and resource management issues (where Salazar is a legal expert)... I would not be surprised in the least to see the gun issue completely ignored.

[libertarian5]

So BHO is gonna have someone on his staff that owns guns? Yeah, interesting.

Already did that. Bill Richardson has a NM CHL and he's on the staff.

[waynesan]

He was one of the 50 senators to write to Kempthorne asking for a change to the National Park rules -- so that's fairly positive.

I have heard that statement made about Mr. Salazar but I am having trouble finding any documentation to that effect. The original letter of 47 Senators to Mr. Kempthorne does not appear to have Mr. Salazar's signiture with all the other Senators.
http://www.npca.org/keep_parks_safe/...rne_121407.pdf

Another letter that was sent a couple of months after the first one included 4 more Senators, and Mr. Salazar's name does not appear in this letter as well.
http://www.npca.org/keep_parks_safe/...ker_021108.pdf

If someone can point me to evidence that Mr. Salazar actually came out publicly in favor of the National Parks rule change on concealed weapons I would greatly appreciate it.

[libertarian5]

Ken Salazar on guns:

My philosophy and views regarding guns is based in large part on my upbringing, as well as on the law. I believe that the individual right to use firearms for protection, hunting, and recreation should be protected. I learned to use and respect firearms growing up on a ranch in the San Luis Valley, 5 miles from the nearest town, and often slept alone with a .22 rifle next to my bed for protection.

[SGeringer]

I have heard that statement made about Mr. Salazar but I am having trouble finding any documentation to that effect. The original letter of 47 Senators to Mr. Kempthorne does not appear to have Mr. Salazar's signiture with all the other Senators.
http://www.npca.org/keep_parks_safe/...rne_121407.pdf

Another letter that was sent a couple of months after the first one included 4 more Senators, and Mr. Salazar's name does not appear in this letter as well.
http://www.npca.org/keep_parks_safe/...ker_021108.pdf

If someone can point me to evidence that Mr. Salazar actually came out publicly in favor of the National Parks rule change on concealed weapons I would greatly appreciate it.

I'm in the same quandary there......

[BlackPR]

Wow... you guys may be on to something here. Good catch on checking the actual documents.

I can find one article indicating he did not sign the original 47 senator letter. I found several indicating he supported the rule change and was one of the "50 senators"... I found one article indicating that he individually sent a letter to Kempthorne.

More digging is definitely required, as it seems this may be a widespread myth. I'm on it... and I will write to Salazar and call his office in an attempt to get answers.