Appellate Court Again Blocks Law-Abiding D.C. Residents’ Right to Bear Arms

Right to Keep And Bear Arms,
Right to Keep And Bear Arms
NRA - Institute for Legislative Action
NRA – Institute for Legislative Action

Fairfax, VA -(AmmoLand.com)- Armed criminals in the Nation’s Capitol are breathing easier since Monday when a federal appeals court reinstated the District of Columbia’s sham concealed carry licensing law, a move that again prohibits the law-abiding from exercising their right to bear arms.

The court’s order allows the District to resume enforcing a provision of D.C. law found unconstitutional and blocked by a lower court in the case of Wrenn v. District of Columbia. Wrenn is challenging D.C. regulations supposedly enacted to comply with another court case, Palmer v. District of Columbia, which held that the Second Amendment does not allow the District to ban the carrying of firearms in public for self-defense. In response to Palmer, D.C. established a licensing regime that effectively grants the chief of the Metropolitan Police Department discretion over who gets a license, a power the chief exercises to summarily dismiss nearly all applications.

According to an article in the Washington Post, the court of appeals did not explain the reasoning behind its order. Apparently, however, the court found that even the strict background check, training, and registration requirements that concealed carry applicants still had to negotiate in the absence of the discretionary provisions would not suffice in the District while the case made its way through the appeals process. D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine expressed his pleasure with the decision and compared D.C.’s concealed carry licensing regime to similar laws in Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. A point that is apparently lost on Mr. Racine and the court of appeals, however, is that 42 U.S. states have non-discretionary “shall-issue” regimes, five states don’t require any sort of license or permit for concealed carry, and a majority of states recognize the right to carry openly without prior authorization.

D.C. officials have consistently argued that the District is different, however, because of the heavy concentration of politicians and diplomats within its borders. Of course, –many of these VIPs are already under armed guard, and the idea that the only thing restraining terrorists or others from harming them is the difficulty of getting a D.C. carry license is laughable. What’s not so funny is the political orthodoxy in D.C. that says the safety of governmental elites is more important than that of ordinary citizens just trying to protect themselves and their families.

According to the Washington Post, the appeal in Wrenn will be argued before the court soon after a September 24 deadline for written filings in the case. In the meantime, criminals of Washington, D.C. will continue to enjoy their decisive advantage over the law-abiding, courtesy of D.C.’s officialdom.

About the NRA-ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the “lobbying” arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

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Eric

I know that Judge needs to go back to SCHOOL learn the meanings of words in the English language then attend Law classes that focus on the Constitution and Individual Natural Right of Self Defense.In the mean time he needs to step down from being a Judge as he has proven himself impartial to the understanding of the Second Amendment .
He is a traitor to the document that governs the government.

Jimmy

Does anyone expect the present Democrat / Communist administration to adhere to any part of the Constitution or the rule of law . People are being denied the right to self protection . Obama agenda is to create a supply of compliant imbeciles to feed and support the career welfare / freebie receiver trash to retain permanent office holders of the Democrat / Communist party and obliterate the Constitution .

Semachiah

Apply the recent ruling of the Suprem-less court which held that the 10th Amendment prohibits any state (& I assume DC) from preventing laws that apply in one state from being prevented across state borders. This was the ruling in favor of QUEER marriages. If it applies for QUEER marriages then the laws permitting paperless carrying applies across all state borders as well as in the District too!

Boz

Amen Brother Patriot!

hippybiker

The old but true axiom “Washington DC=The District of Criminals” holds true more, now than ever.