The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision not to consider a case challenging Maryland’s ban on so-called “assault weapons” is drawing fire from a number of gun-rights groups that believe SCOTUS should settle the contentious issue once and for all.
Assault Weapons Ban Case Rejected by SCOTUS
On June 2, the high court voted to reject the opportunity to hear the case Snope v. Brown, along with another important case, Ocean State Tactical v. Rhode Island, which challenges that state’s ban on so-called “high-capacity” ammunition magazines. The court needed four “yea” votes to take up the cases, but didn’t manage to garner the needed votes, despite having what many consider to be a “pro-gun” majority.
Pro-Gun Groups Respond
After the court denied the case, pro-rights groups, including the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), denounced the court’s decision
“We are disappointed that some members of the Supreme Court did not have the judicial courage to do their most important job and enforce the Constitution,” FPC said in a news release following the court decision. “Like millions of peaceable gun owners across the country, we are frustrated that the Court continues to allow lower courts to treat the Second Amendment as a second-class right. But more than anything else, we are more resolved than ever to fight forward and eliminate these immoral bans throughout the nation, whatever and however long it takes.”
Gun Owners of America (GOA) also had some choice words for the court after it denied hearing the AWB case.
“It is reckless and dangerous for the Court to allow tyrannical AR-15 bans to stand for even another year or two,” GOA said in a news release. “Millions of law-abiding Americans are being stripped of their rights while courts below defy Bruen and invent new tests to uphold unconstitutional laws.”
The organization added that it has another lawsuit working its way through the courts that should soon end up before the high court.
“Fortunately, GOA and GOF are not waiting idly,” the organization said. “Our legal team is now litigating FFLs of Illinois v. Pritzker, where we secured a permanent injunction against Illinois’ sweeping rifle and magazine bans. That case is currently on appeal in the Seventh Circuit and stands as one of the best-positioned challenges to be taken up by the Supreme Court.”
Justice Thomas Weighs In
One reliable pro-freedom justice, Clarence Thomas, wrote a dissent to the decision in which he expressed frustration that the court didn’t take up the gun ban case.
“I would not wait to decide whether the government can ban the most popular rifle in America,” Thomas wrote in the dissent. “That question is of critical importance to tens of millions of law-abiding AR–15 owners throughout the country.”
Thomas added that in his opinion, the Maryland ban doesn’t meet the criteria for determining Second Amendment cases as set forth in the 2022 Bruen ruling.
“It is difficult to see how Maryland’s categorical prohibition on AR–15s passes muster under this framework,” he wrote. “To start, AR–15s are clearly ‘Arms’ under the Second Amendment’s plain text.”
