Republicans at congressional district and multi-county assemblies Friday lauded their GOP colleagues for lifting a ban on concealed weapons at the Coors Events Center, a move one state senator called a “victory for freedom.”
But University of Colorado officials said there never was such a ban at the arena for the Colorado Republican State Assembly and Convention, which is being held there Saturday.
During a morning congressional district assembly at the Omni Interlocken Resort in Broomfield, attendees said they heard an announcement that the weekend assembly and convention would be a gun-free event.
Later in the day, however, two CU regents clarified the earlier announcement, saying that concealed weapons would indeed be allowed.
Some party members, such as state Sen. Greg Brophy, a gubernatorial candidate, took the announcement to mean that the regents had lifted the ban on concealed weapons.
Brophy, who did not respond to a Camera interview request, tweeted, “Big victory for freedom. CCW ban lifted for tomorrow great work by Regents Bosley and Sharkey #2A.”
Contract explained
The Colorado Supreme Court in 2012 overturned a longtime ban on concealed weapons on CU campuses, which led the Board of Regents to revise its weapons policy to reflect the ruling.
Current university policy states that people with the proper permit may carry a concealed handgun on campus, except at ticketed events such as basketball or football games or concerts, and in most university dormitories.
The university designated certain housing buildings for people with concealed weapons.
Because the GOP assembly and convention is not a ticketed event, and because there is no mention of concealed weapons in the party’s contract with the university, there was never a ban on concealed guns at the Coors Events Center for the assembly, said CU spokesman Ryan Huff.
“It is not specified in the contract whether or not concealed weapons are allowed, therefore, since it’s not a CU-ticketed event, those concealed weapons are allowed,” he said. “There was never a change in position on this. That was the position from day one.”
A group supporting gun control measures is collecting the roughly 86,000 signatures needed for a November ballot measure that would ban concealed weapons on public campuses in Colorado.
Regent Sue Sharkey, R-Castle Rock, who attended Friday’s events in Broomfield, said GOP assembly organizers were told that concealed weapons would not be allowed at the arena today.
“The state party had been told that concealed carry would not be allowed in the assembly, and that’s what we challenged,” she said.
Huff said he didn’t know where that information came from, adding that the contract was signed by all parties March 28.
Possible misunderstanding
When she heard that the party had been told concealed weapons were not permitted, Sharkey said she called Patrick O’Rourke, the university’s most senior legal counsel, and asked him to read through the contract.
Sharkey said O’Rourke confirmed what she knew to be accurate — that concealed weapons are, in fact, permitted.
Sharkey and GOP chairman Ryan Call, along with Regent Steve Bosley, R-Longmont, told attendees about their ability to carry concealed weapons.
Applause ensued.
“It’s the Second Amendment,” Sharkey said. “Certainly, we don’t want our Second Amendment rights taken away from us. When someone has a concealed carry permit, they have the right to be carrying a weapon, and on our university campuses, concealed carry is allowed.”
Bosley said it’s possible there was a misunderstanding between the assembly organizers and someone on the Boulder campus. He added that contracts to use CU facilities are very long.
He said he didn’t think the announcement would mean any more or fewer concealed weapons at the Coors Events Center today.
“These types of meetings have been held at fairgrounds and other large venues, where it would never even come into thought or play,” he said. “I know some people who have carried a gun since concealed carry was permitted, for I don’t know how many years, and nobody would ever know. So I think it’s a non-event.”
Contact Camera Staff Writer Sarah Kuta at 303-473-1106 or kutas@dailycamera.com.
