The Justice Department declines to appeal an NFA registration ruling. A federal judge blocks Connecticut’s Glock ban. And San Jose faces a broader federal challenge over the financial burdens it places on gun owners. But does a string of victories mean Second Amendment supporters can relax?
Absolutely not, say Mark Walters and Paul Markel.
Paul, founder of Student of the Gun, joins Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense for a spirited Friday wrap-up covering federal action, courtroom developments, digital censorship, and the political decisions that shape your right to keep and bear arms.
Mark leads the legal discussion with the Justice Department’s decision not to appeal the ruling in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF. He explains the reported decision concerning registration requirements for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns after removal of the $200 federal tax. Mark and Paul discuss the significance of that development, the Trump administration’s approach to firearms policy, and why the remaining National Firearms Act fight deserves continued attention.
Next, the conversation turns to San Jose. Mark discusses DOJ’s expanded lawsuit challenging the city’s carry-license fees and mandatory gun-owner liability insurance. With a reported $1,600 concealed-carry fee, an insurance mandate, and an annual “gun harm reduction” fee in the discussion, the central question is direct: Can government turn a constitutional right into something ordinary Americans cannot afford?
Paul challenges the political inconsistency of attacking voluntary self-defense coverage while supporting compulsory insurance for gun owners. Mark distinguishes insurance requirements tied to firearm ownership from programs designed to provide legal assistance after a self-defense incident. Together, they examine how fees, mandates, and the language of “safety” can become barriers to exercising a right.
The final segment tackles the preliminary injunction blocking Connecticut’s Glock and Glock-clone handgun ban. Mark and Paul criticize efforts to restrict commonly owned pistols because criminals use illegal conversion devices, discussing the broader importance of protecting firearms in common use.
That leads to one of the hour’s most revealing exchanges
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