NRA prepares lawsuits in wake of Chicago verdict
The National Rifle Association is preparing legal challenge to restrictive gun laws in the wake of today's Supreme Court verdict that states — like the federal government — must allow their citizens to carry guns.
Gun control groups are minimizing the verdict, arguing that it doesn't necessarily conflict with carefully written, stringent laws (other than Chicago's). But NRA chief lobbyist Chris Cox said the association sees an opportunity to dramatically expand the rights of citizens in liberal jurisdictions to carry guns, naming New York in particular as a target for change.
"The NRA is preparing [our] next round of legal challenges," Cox told me, declining to specify targets. "What [the Supreme Court] said is what we’ve said all along. Every law-abiding American has a right to a gun regardless of where they live."
"We’re going to be in coutrtooms making sure these aren't just words on a piece of paper," he said, adding that the NRA would also continue to work on loosening gun regulations in federal and state legislatures.
He turned to New York, though, as an example of restrictive laws.
"If you’re a Wall Street buddy of Bloomberg, if you’re a political buddy, if you’re a celebrity, you can carry a gun," he said. "If you're a regular working person in the Bronx who has to walk across parking lots late at night, absolutely not."
So much for all the people that I constantly hear say that the NRA does not do anything to help gun owners.
1 comment:
So much for all the people that I constantly hear say that the NRA does not do anything to help gun owners.
I'm not one of those people, but to be fair, it could be argued that the NRA is riding the coat-tails of Alan Gura and the SAF on this one.
They initially tried to derail Heller because they were afraid of taking the chance of the ruling going the wrong way, then they (successfully) tried to horn in on McDonald so they could share in the glory that they were initially too timid to pursue.
Now they're trying to take the lead in the vain hopes of regaining some of the limelight that they've lost to the SAF and Mr. Gura.
Good luck with that. I just hope they don't end up screwing the pooch and poisoning the water for future endeavors by Mr. Gura et al.
Full Disclosure: I'm an NRA Life Member and certified instructor. I fully support the NRA, but am not so blinded by loyalty that I can't admit their screw-ups and incompetencies.
The NRA is an organization of people, after all. The perfect one of those has yet to be created.
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