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| Today I'm speaking with Commissioner Mike Freeman of Weld County, Colorado. | |
| Right now they're talking about, not a secession exactly, but creating a new state, North Colorado. | |
| And they are also being considered by Nebraska. | |
| Yes, parts of Nebraska want to come to Colorado. | |
| So we're going to talk to Commissioner Mike Freeman about that. | |
| And they also passed an ordinance to protect their people, to make sure that they don't lose any of their Second Amendment rights. | |
| That's right. | |
| It's an ordinance that actually limits themselves. | |
| On gun control. | |
| So let's talk to Mike. | |
| Mike, thank you so much for joining us today. | |
| Yes, it's great to be here. | |
| So your county is experiencing a lot of new things. | |
| Yeah, you know, it's it's always interesting in Weld County. | |
| So, yeah, we're looking at we're looking at several things along. | |
| You know, we're looking at maybe forming a new state as well as I know you were interested a little bit in some of the gun ordinances and things that we're doing here in Weld County. | |
| Yes, actually let's start with the gun situation and your new ordinance so that we can clarify. | |
| I know there's been a lot of things out in the news media that might not be reading right, so I wanted to give you an opportunity to actually clarify your ordinance. | |
| I have it here in front of me. | |
| It looks like the main thing here is that you want to make sure people have their Second Amendment rights, that they have that available to them and that that's not stripped from them. | |
| Is that correct? | |
| Yes, that is correct. | |
| Actually, what this is, it was really a citizen-driven thing. | |
| We had a lot of citizens come to us that were upset about The new gun laws that were signed into law, you know, here in the state of Colorado, and wanting to know if there was anything that we could do about that. | |
| And, you know, we explained to them that, obviously, we can't do anything to supersede state law. | |
| We're an arm of the, Weld County is an arm of the state government, so we couldn't pass anything or do anything that would supersede state law. | |
| So what we did do was that we actually passed an ordinance that said that the Weld County commissioners Today and future commissioners would not pass any laws or any ordinances that would restrict their Second Amendment rights. | |
| But that being said, we are still having to completely enforce state laws. | |
| Right. | |
| And how is that being received in your area? | |
| I think it's very well received. | |
| I think probably there's some disappointment that we couldn't actually do more than what we did, but I think they're happy that it's a first step and we're at least willing to stand up for what our citizens believe and do at least whatever it is that we can do to protect their Second Amendment rights. | |
| What are you hearing from them regarding this particular ordinance? | |
| If they could have more, what would it be exactly? | |
| Well, obviously, they would like us to say that we are going to disregard state law. | |
| They would like the law to be different in Weld County. | |
| Obviously, that's something we can't do. | |
| So, I think they're satisfied that we've done as much as we can do, even though they're disappointed that we can't do more. | |
| Now is there a possibility that somewhere down the road the law that the governor actually put in might be repealed or something might change? | |
| Is that a possibility? | |
| I think it's a very good possibility. | |
| We actually have 54 sheriffs that have filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Colorado challenging the constitutionality of this new law. | |
| And when do you think that might happen? | |
| part of the lawsuit in Weld County because we would essentially be suing ourselves. | |
| But what we can do and what we will do and I think a number of other counties will do | |
| is file an amicus brief in support of the sheriff's lawsuit. | |
| And when do you think that might happen? | |
| Do you have anything planned out? | |
| You know, it just depends on the court system. | |
| We can't do anything as far as actually filing something like that until it actually gets into the courts and they come to the conclusion that they're going to accept the lawsuit and go forward. | |
| So, we can't, I have no time frame, I have no time frame as far as how long it'll take the courts to get to the spot where we are eligible to do that. | |
| Do you guys see yourselves as a leader? | |
| In your area, as far as being around other counties that might want to do the same thing, are you involved with anything like that? | |
| You mean as far as the ordinance that we passed? | |
| Yes, sir. | |
| You know what, I really don't know what other counties are doing. | |
| I know that we've had some inquiries as to what we've actually passed. | |
| We're in a little bit different situation in Willow County on those kind of ordinances because we're a home rule county. | |
| We're one of only two home rule counties in the state. | |
| And so, I'm not sure with statutory counties, you know, what their actual abilities are to do things like this. | |
| And what does that mean for the people who might not know? | |
| The fact that we're a home rule county? | |
| Yes. | |
| Well, essentially what it is, is you went to the vote of the people to write a home rule charter, as well as the ordinances that go into that, and so we operate just a little bit differently than than a statutory county. So it gives us some, it gives us | |
| some leeway and some variance from the state laws that other counties don't have. | |
| Now do you think that actually helps when it comes to the possibility, and I | |
| don't want to say the word secession because I know that's not the right word | |
| technically, but you guys are looking at forming another state, North Colorado | |
| perhaps. Is this, because of this rule, is that something that's helping? No, I don't, | |
| I don't think it is. | |
| I don't think that gives us any more power as far as doing this. | |
| This would be something that is also completely citizen initiated. | |
| It's a conversation that we've had with a number of other counties. | |
| There's a lot of issues that come into this as to the reasons why we're considering doing this, but we would be doing this along with other counties, and it has nothing to do with whether we're home rule or statutory. | |
| What started this? | |
| Well, I think there's a number of things that started it. | |
| I think probably it's been coming for, you know, maybe even for several years. | |
| But, you know, I think last summer when we actually went to the governor before, this was before I was a county commissioner, just so we're clear on that. | |
| I just started in January. | |
| But the commissioners went to the governor and asked for if they could get a 30-day stay | |
| on the wells, on all these wells that have been shut down in the South Platte, to not | |
| turn them back on permanently, but turn them back on for 30 days to allow farmers to be | |
| able to save their crops. | |
| And they were turned down by that. | |
| These are water wells, you know, irrigation wells along the South Platte. | |
| And so that kind of started it, and then as we got into this legislative session, I think | |
| that it started probably with the gun laws that were passed. | |
| I think it went on from there with the, you know, the attack on oil and gas, and that's | |
| extremely important to what's going on in Weld County. | |
| And I think the thing that culminated it was Senate Bill 252, which was passed by the legislature | |
| and signed by the governor, which is an alternative energy bill, which essentially increases the | |
| amount of alternative energy that is required to be produced by... | |
| Within the state, they increased that number from 10% of all energy by 2020 to 20% by 2020. | |
| But what they did in that is they exempted all of the municipal electric associations and put the entire thing on rural Colorado, whether it's Poudre Valley REA or a whole bunch of other rural electric associations to foot the bill. | |
| Do you know why that is? | |
| So we believe that was a direct attack from the legislature on rural Colorado and agriculture, not just in Weld County, but throughout northeastern Colorado. | |
| Well, let's start with the water thing and then move into the energy. | |
| So what ended up happening with the water wells? | |
| Is that a situation that has now changed or is that on the table for a permanent change? | |
| It's still in the same position. | |
| Those wells are shut down. | |
| They're still shut down. | |
| There's actually a study that was ordered by the legislature last year that is being conducted right now by CSU. | |
| The results of that study are supposed to be out by the end of this year, and then from there I would hope that they have enough information to have the courts go back in and take a look at the situation. | |
| That's also completely out of our hands. | |
| What was the reasoning behind shutting them down in the first place? | |
| During the drought there was some thought that maybe it was impacting the flow of the South Platte and so with some junior water right users and so forth and so it was a court decision but I think it was a court decision that was based on some erroneous facts and I think that's the reason for the study and that's the reason why we're trying to get this in place so that it can be re-looked at. | |
| As far as the oil and gas in the area, what was their reasoning for having to raise the standards on the new energy laws that they have there? | |
| Was there something, a particular company, or something that caused that to happen, or is it just the new administration? | |
| No, I think really what it is, I think it's an environmental push that doesn't like oil and gas, that is opposed to fracking. | |
| And our concern with that is that Colorado already has the strictest oil and gas regulations in the nation, and we think that we do a very good job with the safety and so forth with oil and gas. | |
| We actually have in the county, we have a program set up through our health department that has, if you would like to have your water wells tested, you can come in and ask the county to do that, and they'll do it for free. | |
| This program was started Late last summer, and I think that we've tested somewhere between 130 and 150 water wells, and every single one of those have come out with no damage to the wells, absolutely in perfect shape, no injury from oil and gas. | |
| And so we think that we're doing a good job, and we think that we don't need any more regulations. | |
| Well, it sounds like you should actually be the example for the way for it to be done across the United States instead of being punished for it. | |
| I would agree with that. | |
| Wow. | |
| All right, well, let's talk about the non-secession but the new state. | |
| Okay. | |
| What are the benefits to the people in your county? | |
| And are there benefits for them to actually allow it to happen in Colorado? | |
| What would allow that to happen? | |
| Well, yeah, I mean, it's happened five times in the past in this country, albeit it's been 150 years since the last time. | |
| Approximately, but yeah, the process essentially is, if a number of counties decide that that's something that they would like to do, we would take that. | |
| We would actually put it, we wouldn't make that decision ourselves as county commissioners. | |
| We would put that on the ballot this November and ask our citizens in Willow County if they think it's something that they would like for us to proceed with. | |
| I think a number of the other counties would do the same thing, and if that would happen, and they would say, yes, this is something we want you to | |
| proceed with, and the next steps would be we would present that to the legislature next January. | |
| We would actually take that to the Speaker of the House and ask them to file a petition with the United States Congress | |
| to allow us new spaces. | |
| And what is, I know you don't have exact dates or anything, but how long would that process really take? | |
| I have absolutely no idea. | |
| I truly don't know. | |
| Hopefully not 150 years, right? | |
| No. | |
| Alright. | |
| And also, how willing is the Governor of Colorado willing to let go of you guys? | |
| Well, you know, interestingly enough, the Governor has no say in this. | |
| It is essentially the House and the Senate, and that's also true at the United States Congress. | |
| It's the House of Representatives and the Senate that would have a say in this. | |
| The President has no say. | |
| I'm sure that probably the governor isn't going to be that thrilled about it, but I can't speak for John Hickenlooper. | |
| I understand that parts of Nebraska are interested. | |
| We actually have had some inquiries from some counties in western Kansas and western Nebraska. | |
| So redistricting, is that a possibility between you and Nebraska maybe? | |
| Or is that way out there? | |
| I think that's kind of way out there. | |
| I mean, I think we'll just see where it goes. | |
| You know, I think the other thing that's a little bit concerning to us in this entire process is, you know, the amount the amount that Well County contributes to the economy in the state of Colorado, and we think we're not receiving back what we deserve on that. | |
| When you look at the fact that Well County is the largest ag producing county in the state and sixth or seventh largest ag producing county in the nation, As well as the second largest oil and gas producing county in the nation behind Bakersfield County, and we produce about 80% of the oil and gas in the state of Colorado. | |
| So, there's a huge financial impact coming out of Weld County that is being transferred to the state that we don't feel we are getting our fair share back from the state. | |
| What would you say to the people in the United States who might be in the same condition? | |
| Being in a rural area versus obviously the city is a big difference and it sounds like you're carrying more of the weight in all those areas. | |
| Do you have something to tell the people that they can do? | |
| I know people are frustrated right now. | |
| Is there something that they can do in their community to make things better? | |
| Well, I think that, you know, I think it all starts with a conversation with your citizens and I think that's what You know, it's one thing that the Wall County Commissioners have always done, I believe, a very good job of, and that is watching out for their citizens, listening to their citizens, and trying to do whatever they can to, you know, improve the lives of their citizens, whether it's fiscally or whatever else that is. | |
| So, you know, I think they need to tell the story. | |
| Obviously have those conversations and I do agree. | |
| I think it's very true across this nation that rural communities, I think the importance of agriculture, excuse me, and the raising of their food. | |
| I think there's too many people in cities that truly believe that their groceries come from QSupers and Safeway and they really don't understand what it is and what it takes and the hard work and the financial contribution that agriculture has on this country. | |
| Well, Mike, thank you so much for spending time with us today. | |
| I'm looking forward to seeing what happens on your ballot, actually, this fall. | |
| It'll be interesting. | |
| All right. | |
| Well, hopefully we'll get to do this again as things progress. | |
| OK, thank you. | |
| All right. | |
| The beautiful thing about this country is that the people can govern themselves, and they need to have their voices heard, and it sounds like Weld County has it down. | |
| They're leading the way, and you too can lead the way. | |
| Go to InfoWars store and check out the Second Amendment t-shirts. | |
| They're great. | |
| Actually, the pink one's great for the ladies there. | |
| It's a white and pink shirt. | |
| I'm Gigi Ornette for the InfoWars Nightly News. | |
| Be sure to join us tomorrow at 7 p.m. | |
| Central. |
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