Free Republic

Sacramento, California – A federal appeals court on Thursday struck down California’s voter-approved requirement that ammunition buyers undergo background checks, ruling the measure violates the Second Amendment. The decision delivers a significant blow to California’s efforts to strengthen its already strict gun control laws.In a 2–1 decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s 2024 ruling that the ammunition law is unconstitutional. Originally passed by voters in 2016 as Proposition 63, the law took effect in 2019 and required individuals to pass a background check—costing either $1 or $19—each time they purchased ammunition.The court concluded that...

District of Columbia v. Heller (2008, majority opinion by Justice Scalia): “[t]his is not a right granted by the Constitution. Neither is it in any manner dependent upon that instrument for its existence. The Second Amendment declares that it shall not be infringed. NYSRPA v. Bruen (2022, majority opinion by Justice Thomas): The Second Amendment guaranteed to ‘all Americans’ the right to bear commonly used arms in public subject to certain reasonable, well-defined restrictions. For rational Americans, Heller and Bruen make clear that the Second Amendment is a natural, unalienable right that encompasses keeping and bearing—wherever one might be—“commonly used...

Shotgun pellets and bullets that contain lead are to be banned for almost all uses, ministers have said, in a long-awaited announcement welcomed by wildlife groups. < snip > The change to the law, announced by the environment minister Emma Hardy, will outlaw shotgun pellets containing more than 1% lead, and bullets that have more than 3%.

America’s oldest gun control law is once again in peril... President Donald Trump’s big, beautiful bill has brought a big, beautiful opportunity to Second Amendment advocates. By zeroing out the tax on certain guns and accessories mandated by the National Firearms Act, this controversial legislation raises a crucial constitutional question: Since a $0 tax generates no revenue, is it even a tax? Many argue it is not – and, therefore, the NFA is no longer a tax law. That’s precisely the approach taken by a new lawsuit from Gun Owners of America and several other enthusiasts of the right to...

CWBChicago has obtained surveillance footage of a shooting that left one teenager dead and another gravely wounded near the Douglass Park swimming pool on Thursday evening. Marjay Dotson, 15, died from a gunshot wound to his back, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. A 14-year-old boy, identified to the media by family members as Jeremy Herred, has undergone surgery for a gunshot wound to his neck. On Saturday evening, Chicago police announced that murder charges had been filed against 55-year-old Charles Leto of Lakeview. CPD and fire department personnel responded to the park at 1401 South Sacramento at...

It’s been an interesting week for the Ninth-Circus. First they slapped down a former Supreme Court Justice’s brother’s attempt to take control of the California National Guard away from the President of the United states. Today, in another 3-0 panel opinion, the court has ruled that limiting Californians to purchasing only one gun a month is a violation of their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.The case, Nguyen v.Bonta, was brought by the Firearms Policy Coalition, the Second Amendment Foundation and others. In the court’s opinion: Affirming the district court’s summary judgment in favor of plaintiffs, the panel...

Representative Dusty Johnson has re-introduced the Traveler’s Gun Rights Act, a bill attending to a Second Amendment issue constraining firearms rights of those who do not use a permanent physical address, such as many active-duty military personnel and those who live and travel via RV. Companion legislation currently in the Senate is being led by Senator Mike Rounds, and both of these gentlemen are representatives of South Dakota, the state I like to call home and one that still represents strong American values and traditions. Johnson’s Traveler’s Gun-Rights Act seeks to correct the firearms purchasing process and strengthen Second Amendment...

The AR-15 is the most popular civilian rifle in America and is used by tens of millions of law-abiding Americans for lawful reasons.. Total bans on AR-15s are a flagrant violation of the Second Amendment. Today, the Department of Justice filed an amicus brief telling the Seventh Circuit that Illinois’ law banning AR-15s is unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. ... Some states and federal courts have a bad habit of treating the Second Amendment like a second-class right, especially in AR-15 cases. But to quote Justice Thomas: “The overwhelming majority of citizens who own and use AR-style rifles do so...

According to his plea agreement, [Shenghua] Wen is a citizen of the People’s Republic of China who entered the United States in 2012 on a student visa and remained in the U.S. illegally after his student visa expired in December 2013. Prior to entering the United States, Wen met with officials from North Korea’s government at a North Korean embassy in China. These government officials directed Wen to procure goods on behalf of North Korea. In 2022, two North Korean government officials contacted Wen through an online messaging platform and instructed him to buy and smuggle firearms and other goods...

In a unanimous decision the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 Thursday that the government of Mexico cannot hold American gun manufacturers accountable for criminal activity. More specifically, cartel violence south of the border. "The Government of Mexico sued seven American gun manufacturers, alleging that the companies aided and abetted unlawful gun sales that routed firearms to Mexican drug cartels," the order states. "Mexico focuses on production of 'military style' assault weapons, but these products are widely legal and purchased by ordinary consumers. Manufacturers cannot be charged with assisting criminal acts simply because Mexican cartel members also prefer these guns. The same...

Citigroup announced Tuesday that it’s ending its policy restricting banking services to businesses selling firearms, citing “regulatory developments, recent executive orders and federal legislation.” The policy, which required retailers to limit gun sales to people over 21, was originally implemented in 2018 after a 19-year-old shot and killed 17 students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. However, in a statement released Tuesday, the bank indicated it will “no longer have a specific policy regarding firearms.” “The policy was intended to promote the adoption of best sales practices as prudent risk management and didn’t address the manufacturing of...

No, Jamie Dimon isn't predicting an invasion of or civil war in the United States, but during his wide-ranging discussion at the Reagan National Economic Forum, he did issue some dire warnings about how American policymakers have made some very poor decisions in recent years that threaten economic turmoil in the near term and our long-term dominance in the medium term. Dimon, as you likely know, is CEO of JP Morgan Chase and the most powerful banker in the world, making him one of the powerful people in the world. While Dimon is not a magician, it would be stupid...

In 1984, the National Rifle Association (NRA) Annual Meeting was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was the first Annual Meeting this correspondent attended. It was characterized by manipulation, lies, and betrayal.In 1984, this correspondent was a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin. A masters degree in mining engineering was nearing completion. A life membership in the National Rifle Association had been paid off in installments. When informed the annual meeting would be held in Milwaukee, this correspondent, his brother, and a mutual friend, Jim Blair, made plans to attend.Neal Knox had been booted as head of the Institute for...

U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI) is introducing legislation that would mandate triggers, barrels, and other gun parts be tracked after being sold. Island News reported that Tokuda’s bill, the Gun Hardware Oversight and Shipment Tracking Act (Ghost Act), is designed to track gun parts as a way of helping law enforcement find so-called “ghost guns.” Hawaii News Now noted the legislation “will allow law enforcement to track gun parts coming into the state and who ordered them.” Tokuda said, “Let’s not make it easy for people to buy the parts that they need to make weapons of destruction, endangering law...

A Texas mother has been arrested and charged for allegedly buying ammunition and tactical gear for her son's planned "mass targeted violence" at his middle school, officials said. Ashley Pardo, 33, was arrested on Monday and charged with aiding in commission of terrorism after she allegedly provided ammunition and tactical gear to her son, whose behavior demonstrated plans for a "mass targeted violence" aimed at Rhodes Middle School in San Antonio, according to an affidavit obtained by ABC News.

Gun lobbyists are expressing dismay with a compromise on silencers included in the fast-tracked budget bill and the GOP’s slow-walking of another demand to stop the taxing and registration of commonly owned AR-15 style pistols. On Monday, the House Ways and Means Committee released its plan, and while it stripped a $200 tax on the sale of silencers, it still required registration and sale approval by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. That angered some gun groups who have been calling for an end to the tax and ATF registration of suppressors, which many consider a hearing safety...

Does the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms apply to fully automatic machine guns? The US District Court for the Western District of Tennessee is poised to rule on the matter. Jaquan Bridges pleaded guilty to possessing a machine gun after engaging in a 2023 shootout with police officers on a Tennessee highway. Courthouse News reported that Bridges “was arrested with a Glock .40 caliber pistol with an attachment that converted the handgun into a machine gun, but fought to dismiss the charge on constitutional grounds.” He claimed the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in New York State...

News 12 has obtained exclusive video showing the moments before a lost DoorDash driver was allegedly shot by an elected official in Orange County. The 24-year-old victim is seen on surveillance camera at a residence in Chester holding a plastic bag and his cellphone at approximately 9 p.m. on Friday, while state police say he attempted to find the correct delivery address. “I have DoorDash. My phone is broken. I need some help,” the unidentified DoorDash employee is heard saying during the recording. News 12 traced the dasher’s steps to one of the houses he tried in the Valerie Drive...

If you watched Donald Trump's cabinet meeting on Wednesday, you may have seen Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins hold up a photo of the Maude family of South Dakota. I'd heard a little bit about the fifth-generation ranching family before that, but I decided to learn more because I couldn't believe the story Rollins told about how the Joe Biden administration treated them. It's unbelievable. Or maybe it's not, given all we're learning about the last four years. ... Trump Admin is reversing Biden-era failures in 100 days! The U.S. Gov has dropped charges against the Maude family, victims of...

California Democrats are pushing legislation to require background checks for gun barrel purchases, effectively taking the “ghost gun” regulatory push to its logical conclusion. The bill, Senate Bill 704, is sponsored by state Sen. Jesse Arreguín (D). SB 704 singles out firearm barrels among the many other parts of firearm, requiring a background check for any replacement barrel or aftermarket barrel upgrade purchase. […] Moreover, SB 704 specifically outlines how the costs of performing background checks for barrels must be handled, making clear that the legislation literally creates “a new crime,” albeit a misdemeanor, in the state California. …