Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal Warns that Amy Coney Barrett Could Strike Down State Gun Control Laws
Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal warned that Judge Amy Coney Barrett could be the deciding vote in Supreme Court rulings that overturn state gun control laws in the event of her confirmation during the first round of Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Monday.
Blumenthal claimed that Barrett would strike down “common sense gun safety laws” as a SCOTUS justice, citing the highly restrictive gun control laws of his state of Connecticut. Connecticut bans most commonly owned semiautomatic rifles, and the state’s laws have been called the “toughest in the country” on gun owners.
Watch Blumenthal’s remarks on Barrett’s generally strong pro-Second Amendment judicial track record here.
It would be a good thing if Barrett were to overturn draconian state laws that prevent Americans from owning commonplace firearms. The weapons banned by states such as Connecticut, New York and New Jersey are very rarely used in criminal acts, and their banning has not led to a lasting decrease in gun violence in the states, especially in conjunction with the leniency New York state has begun to show criminals.
Barrett has ruled against permanently stripping non-violent felons of their gun rights in the past, a proposal disliked by gun control supporters who oppose any mechanism for rehabilitated individuals to regain their gun rights after a criminal conviction.
Blumenthal also referenced the possibility of the Supreme Court terminating Obamacare in the event of future litigation, an unnecessary scenario considering that nominal conservative justices such as John Roberts have ruled that elements of the healthcare law are constitutional when challenged at the court.
Share: