Last week we covered the entrance of prominent Colorado Springs political operative Laura Carno and her conservative women’s group, I Am Created Equal, into the John Morse recall campaign.

Carno has been appearing in news reports and gathering support in the Springs to oust the Senate President who attempted to make gun owners, sellers and manufacturers legally liable for all gun violence by guns connected to them, even if the guns had been stolen or sold.

We caught up with her yesterday for a quick interview.

Peak: Why did you start I Am Created Equal?

Carno: I started I Am Created Equal last July as a way to communicate with people who don’t like or pay much attention to politics. 

Peak: Why did you decide to back the Morse recall effort?

Carno: I have been weighing in on the gun bills being offered in the state legislature this year since March, with my radio ad called “Don’t You Dare“. Senator Morse was the architect of this legislative agenda. He also orchestrated how these bills went through committee: 7 bills when through 2 committees in one day, stifling the public process. Thousands of people were there to testify who were not able to be heard. That is not acceptable behavior from an elected official.

Peak: Can the Morse recall effort succeed?

Carno: Recall efforts are clearly an uphill battle, but they can succeed. Just because something is hard doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. When elected officials forget that they represent their constituents, they need to face the consequences. This is a David vs. Goliath effort, but we can win.

Peak: One of the notable things about the gun debate this year is that women’s safety really came to the fore — from courageous victims of rape and assault coming forward to testify to the insulting statements made by Rep. Joe Salazar and Senator Evie Hudak. Why have gender issues loomed so large in the gun debate?

Carno: The Democrats like to say there is a Republican war on women. They were so disrespectful of our right to choose our own method of self-defense. It’s funny that in my mother’s generation, feminists said “I don’t need a man telling me what to do”, but now some of these same people think it’s ok for the government to tell us what to do. Few decisions are more personal than how I choose to protect myself and my family. 

Peak: If you were having a beer with Hick, what would you say to him about his decision to go all Mike Bloomberg?

Carno: I would remind the Governor that he answers to his constituents, and not to anyone out of state. In addition to Bloomberg, we also had Vice President Joe Biden calling Democrat legislators who were on the fence on the gun bills, encouraging their support. It is appropriate for legislators to listen to their constituents, the people in their districts, when considering legislation. Is is not appropriate for them to listen to out of state interests.

Peak: Are you worried Bloomberg will just give a couple million bucks to a liberal group to defend Morse and other recall targets?

Carno: Sure, that’s a possibility. But that is why local groups like mine, in the county, are weighing in. If the voters feel strongly enough about not being properly represented, no amount of money will matter. Again, just because something seems hard, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done. 

Peak: The liberal blogs have tried to marginalize the supporters of the recall as right wing cranks. That’s their playbook. No surprise. But they’re going to have a tough time with you. You’re sort of an establishment type in the Springs. Have you ever been called a RINO and if so what’s a RINO doing getting involved in a recall?

Carno: I wouldn’t consider myself part of the establishment or a RINO. I have taken on Republicans when they don’t behave in a manner consistent with the Constitution. I am a liberty minded activist, very concerned about Senator Morse thinking that he is “created more equal” than the citizens he is sworn to serve. As my last radio ad starts out: Politicians are not kings. When they behave that way, they need to be held accountable.

Peak: What are your thoughts on the robocall the pro-Morse group has been sending to voters in Colorado Springs?

Carno: These are distractions and don’t serve the issue. If Senator Morse’s side thinks these gun laws are great for our state, then they should be talking about that. We are talking about why they are bad for our state. Since they don’t seem to be interested in that conversation, they are throwing out distractions to confuse voters. Is Senator Morse afraid of debating the real issues? It seems so, as he is talking about everything but the issues. If he changes his mind and would like to debate these gun laws, there are many people who would be happy to do so.