Sacramento, C.A. – The National Rifle Association (NRA) and other gun groups have filed a lawsuit due to the forced closure of gun stores in California. California Governor Gavin Newsom deemed that gun stores were non-essential, forcing the closure. In addition to Gov. Newsom, the Department of Public Health Director Dr Sonia Angell was named as a defendant on the state level. Locally, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva and LA County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer were also named.
In the lawsuit, the argument is that forced closure of the gun stores prevents individuals from being able to practice their constitutional rights. In short, it is a constitutional right to own a firearm. This action prevents them from protecting themselves and their families. The suit also states the following:
The circumstances posed by the Novel Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) outbreak are noteworthy, but do not excuse unlawful government infringements upon freedom.
The NRA, along with the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), are the groups backing the suit. One gun control group, Brady, argued to CNN that the suit was only about profits. The NRA has released information about multiple states and local municipalities that are curbing gun rights and access according to its Twitter page.
During this COVID-19 pandemic, anti-gun officials are closing gun stores, delaying concealed carry permits, and shutting down background checks for new firearm purchases.
Read this article to see a state by state breakdown of how your NRA is fighting back.https://t.co/9FKPVrxLSB
— NRA (@NRA) March 29, 2020
The NRA website shares information about who joined the NRA in the lawsuit and why they decided to file the suit. California is a state that has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. This requires individuals to purchase guns and ammunition in a store from a licensed dealer. The NRA argues that when this is the case, shutting them down is a violation of their rights.
According to the NRA website, there are multiple states or local municipalities that are forcing closure of gun stores. Delaware, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas all have been listed. According to some research, there is data to back up the NRA’s argument, however.
In a recent research study out of Norway, crimes increase when people are out of work. According to the study, crime increases by 20 percent in the year of the job displacement. Those out of work commit 60% more property crime (such as theft, shoplifting, burglary, and vandalism) in the year following being put out of work.
The NRA and the other groups are hoping that the judge will allow an injunction for relief from the closure order. The order may end up in court for quite sometime, but the stores could operate under the judge’s relief order. As more states continue to file these orders, who will be next to force gun store closures?
You can contact JD through The Liberty Loft’s website or by Twitter. Please consider donating to support The Liberty Loft so we can continue to deliver the content you find here.
