Category: Justice Department

Brace Yourselves

In a blunt court filing from Monday, March 16, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) urged a federal judge to dismiss a high-profile challenge to its now-defunct pistol stabilizing brace rule, arguing the case has become completely moot. At the same time, the agency made clear it has no intention of abandoning enforcement against certain braced pistols under the National Firearms Act (NFA) and Gun Control Act (GCA). [More]

See, when Pam says “full might,” she also means “full might not.”

Up in Smoke

Are regular marijuana users the modern equivalent of “habitual drunkards” at the Founding? What about someone who regularly takes a sleep gummy? In oral arguments before the Supreme Court today in United States v. Hemani, the federal government argues that they are the same. [More]

“Full might,” eh?

What a mess.

Anyone who can’t be trusted with weed and a gun…

Or booze and a gun…

I’m thinking Bondi needs lithium therapy…

[Via bondmen]

The Cognitive Dissonance… It Burns

Texas Gun Club Files Federal Lawsuit Challenging 1986 Machine Gun Ban [More]

Wait… they’re suing “this Department of Justice [will] use its full might to protect the Second Amendment” Pam Bondi, appointed by “Your Second Amendment will always be safe with me as your president” Donald Trump…?

Hey, they’re just following orders. If you don’t like the law, vote to change it. That’s what they told Rosa Parks, isn’t it?

Right, Blue State gun owners?

Adventures in Baselessness

The top Justice Department prosecutor for civil liberties and voting rights tells Just the News that her ongoing review of state voter rolls has proven tens of thousands of noncitizens made it into a position to cast ballots and that hundreds of thousands of dead or departed residents were not properly removed from state election systems. [More]

What could possibly motivate “state election offices and federal judges [to block] her office from her historic effort to obtain and review every state’s voter roll ahead of the 2026 midterm elections”…?

Especially if suspicions about voter fraud are “baseless” conspiracy theories promoted by white supremacist Nazi fascists intent on disenfranchising minority voters by requiring proof of citizenship/ID…?

[Via Michael G]

Trump DOJ Stands Idly by as States Destroy the Second Amendment

Where is that plan of action that was due 30 days after the President’s Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights, dated February 7, 2025? Where is the DOJ on these grave violations of Americans’ gun rights? Why is the subversion of our Constitution so commonplace that lawmakers feel free to adopt infringements from countries that do not recognize a God-given right to defend life and liberty from tyranny? [More]

Harmeet needs to up her game.

And Thank You for Your Service

Effective immediately, VA will not report Veterans to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System as “prohibited persons” only because they need help from a fiduciary in managing their VA benefits… In addition to immediately stopping the reporting of VA Fiduciary Program participants to NICS, the department is working with the FBI to remove all past VA reporting from NICS, so no Veterans are unfairly deprived of their Second Amendment rights based solely on participation in VA’s Fiduciary Program… The Department of Justice supports this action. [More]

I call ’em out when they do something wrong. It’s only fair to acknowledge when they get it right.

DOJ Airs Soiled Briefs

BREAKING NEWS! DOJ FILES AWFUL NFA BRIEF FULL OF FLAWS [More]

I’m not buying the qualified “criticism” that gives excuses to the attorneys and to DOJ for “miscommunication.” Coming up with a unified position on 2A ain’t rocket surgery, and if they don’t have they brainpower to do it, that makes deliberately excluding subject matter expert advisors all the more inexcusable.

I’m waiting for a hear-no-evil Trump apologist to claim it’s brilliant 3D chess to advance arguments you know you’re going to lose.

[Via Jess]

Brace Yourselves

They say that the court cannot enjoin the ATF from enforcing legal theories, only final agency rules. They argue that because the pistol brace rule no longer exists, the court has no authority to block the ATF’s interpretation that brace pistols are in fact SBRs. In other words, they are not denying that they hold that legal view at all. They are only saying that the court cannot stop them from using it. And that is a huge red flag. And so in this case, they’re saying, you know, the rule is dead. Throw this case out, but you cannot touch any underlying legal theories that we have because that’s not an at issue in this case. [Watch]

In other words:

@mgmplus

“I’ll be back.” – @Arnold 🫡 Watch #TheTerminator on #MGMplus #ArnoldSchwarzenegger

♬ original sound – MGM+

[Via Jess]

The Hidden Cost

In a significant development for Second Amendment litigation, the United States Department of Justice has filed an amicus curiae brief with the First Circuit Court of Appeals, supporting Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) in its ongoing challenge to Massachusetts’s controversial handgun regulations. The case, Granata v. Campbell, targets the state’s “Approved Firearms Roster” and Attorney General’s handgun sales regulations, which plaintiffs argue unconstitutionally ban the commercial sale of handguns that are in common use nationwide. [More]

So.. they basically shored up the trap…?

[Via Jess]

Gun Prohibitionists Siding with DOJ on NFA Registration

None of this is done to disparage recognized and deservedly lauded good and unprecedented positions being taken by DOJ that would, admittedly, never have happened under any other administration to date. But that does not require Second Amendment advocates to turn a blind eye to when those positions turn cognitively dissonant. [More]

“Friendly fire” can be more devastating than what’s coming from the enemy.

Credit Where Due

Today, both the federal Department of Justice and 26 states filed amicus briefs supporting CRPA’s challenge to California’s ammo ban. The DOJ filed an amicus brief supporting the plaintiffs in the case of Rhode v. Bonta. In addition, 26 states collaborated on an amicus brief also supporting the case. [More]

Acknowledge when they do good.

Maybe it’ll offset some of when they don’t.

GOA explains.

[Via Jess]

Stones Left Unturned

The request was pretty straightforward. Rather than provide the information, however, the government chose to stonewall on the request. [More]

TTAG notices my latest about trying to get DOJ to define criteria for rights restoration And that’s a good observation they made, because in my first report about my FOIA request last April, I asked:

Under a Bondi DOJ that says it’s committed to “protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens,” will we see dutiful compliance and production of requested documents, or more of the trademark stonewalling the department has become notorious for in prior administrations?

One point of clarification that people who haven’t read the complaint seem to be getting stuck on: There’s no intrusiveness or 4A/privacy conflicts. The complaint, specifically asks the court to “Order Defendant to produce… non-exempt records responsive to Plaintiff’s FOIA request.”

As a quick aside, if I were a gun-grabber, I’d be heartened by the juvenile, ugly squabbling in comments over at AmmoLand and similar forums.

Switch Positions

Instead of a stocking filled with joy, Trump’s Department of Justice dumped lumps of coal in Knife Rights’ stocking with their disappointing response brief continuing their Biden-like anti-Second Amendment stance defending the unconstitutional Federal Switchblade Act. Despite the administration’s lukewarm Second Amendment support in some firearms cases, Trump’s DOJ still hasn’t got the memo that “shall not be infringed” means exactly that. This administration supports the Second Amendment with one hand but attempts to strip it with the other. [More]

So… it’s not just guns they’re bipolar about.

By Denying Information in FOIA Request, Pirro and DOJ Refuse to Define Restoration of Rights Eligibility

DOJ, despite publicizing its championing of rights restoration, officially disagrees. [More]

“What do we have to do to be considered?” seems a simple enough question gun owners who put this administration in office deserve an answer to.

Once More Unto the Breach

Remember this?

DOJ to Illinois Gun Owners: Write Your Democrat Legislators to Repeal Infringements

Points brought to the DOJ’s attention in the FOID card complaint:

  • The reason for the law was to dissuade minorities (specifically African Americans during a time of racial riots/unrest and distrust amongst racial groups and law enforcement) from seeking police permission to legally own firearms.
  • Funding for FOID cards and carry licenses is used now as a “piggy bank” by the IL General Assembly to fund other projects, leading to delays in processing (with a documented case of a 20-month wait).
  • A woman with no criminal record was charged with a crime for possessing a single-shot rifle in her home without a FOID.

And, of course, the government punted.

Well, now that DOJ has announced it’s new Second Amendment Rights Section, the complaint has been resubmitted to see if it gets different results this time around.

My prediction is they’re still using the same soft soap.