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A2 UP FRONT
Friday 5 august 2022
Continued from Front can also look to a concur-
Congress broke through ring opinion from Justice
years of deadlock to pass a Brett Kavanaugh.
modest gun violence pre- Joined by Chief Justice
vention package weeks John Roberts, Kavanaugh
ago, and the House voted stressed that the Second
to renew a ban on high- Amendment does allow
powered semi-automatic for a "variety" of gun regu-
weapons, though that ef- lations. He cited the use of
fort is likely doomed in the background checks and
Senate as Republicans push mental health records as
back on firearms restric- part of a licensing process
tions and say recent spikes to carry a gun and noted
in gun violence should be that states can forbid the
met with a stepped-up po- carrying of firearms in "sensi-
lice response. tive places" such as schools
The Supreme Court deci- and government buildings.
sion struck down a New But the Colorado decision
York law requiring people handed down last month,
to demonstrate a particu- while still early in the pro-
lar need to get a license cess, was a rosy sign for gun
to carry a concealed gun rights groups.
in public, saying it violates U.S. District Court Judge
Second Amendment rights. AR-15-style rifles are on display at Burbank Ammo & Guns in Burbank, Calif., June 23, 2022. Raymond Moore, who was
Several other states in- Associated Press nominated by President
cluding California, Hawaii, Barack Obama, said he
Maryland, Massachusetts, is "consistent with the Sec- lions. And they are, more- reinforces the group's ar- was sympathetic to the
New Jersey and Rhode Is- ond Amendment's text and over, exactly what they gument that it infringes on town's goal of prevent-
land have similar laws ex- historical understanding." would bring to service in Second Amendment rights. ing mass shootings like the
pected to be directly im- "Basically, the Supreme militia duty, should such be And the ruling has public one that killed 10 people
pacted by the ruling. Court has given an invita- necessary," a New Jersey defenders in New York City at a grocery store in near-
In Massachusetts, for ex- tion for the gun lobby to lawsuit brought in June by asking judges to drop gun by Boulder last year. But
ample, police chiefs can file lawsuits against virtually the Firearms Policy Coali- possession cases. Moore said he didn't know
no longer deny or impose every gun law in America," tion says, referencing the Not all those lawsuits will of "historical precedent" for
restrictions on licenses just Lowry said. language of the Second necessarily be successful. a law banning "a type of
because the applicant The Supreme Court has or- Amendment. The Texas attorney general, weapon that is commonly
doesn't have a "good rea- dered lower courts to take The ruling also has come for example, argues the Su- used by law-abiding citi-
son" to carry a gun. New another look at several oth- up in challenges to restric- preme Court ruling doesn't zens for lawful purposes," so
York quickly passed a new er cases under the court's tions on gun possession for affect the state's age limit the gun rights groups have
concealed-weapon law, new test. Among them: 18- to 20-year-olds in Texas law, and more state and a strong case against the
but Republicans there pre- laws in California and New and Pennsylvania. And it local governments can ordinance.
dict it will also end up being Jersey that limit the amount has been cited in a case certainly defend their gun Encouraged by that de-
overturned. of ammunition a gun mag- challenging a federal ban laws as being in line with cision, Taylor D. Rhodes,
In its New York ruling, the azine can hold and a 2013 on gun possession for peo- U.S. history. Adam Skaggs, the executive director of
high court's conservative ban on "assault weapons" ple convicted of nonvio- chief counsel and policy the Rocky Mountain Gun
majority also changed a in Maryland. lent crimes punishable by director at the Giffords Law Owners, told The Associ-
test lower courts had used Gun rights groups are also more than a year behind Center to Prevent Gun Vio- ated Press that his group
for evaluating challenges challenging similar bans in bars, as well as a prohibi- lence, predicted that when was considering going af-
to gun laws. California, New York, New tion on concealed guns on the dust settles, only laws ter other gun measures in
Judges should no longer Jersey and Delaware. the subway in Washington, "along the margins" will Colorado, where Demo-
consider whether the law "The rifles at issue in this D.C. eventually be struck down. crats hold the majority in
serves public interests like case are the sorts of bear- In addition, a gun rights "Most judges are going to the state legislature and
enhancing public safety, able arms in common use group is suing Colorado see these for what they the governor's office.
the opinion authored by for lawful purposes that re- over the state's 2013 ban are, which is overreaching Referring to the Supreme
Justice Clarence Thomas sponsible and peaceable on magazines that hold and lacking in any merit," Court's ruling, Rhodes said:
said. Instead, they should people across the United more than 15 rounds, say- he said. "The Bruen decision gave
only weigh whether the law States possess by the mil- ing the high court ruling Backers of gun restrictions us a 4-ton wrecking ball."q

U.S. airman charged in Syria base blast

that injured troops

By LOLITA C. BALDOR ing dereliction of duty, de- said the April 7 attack was
Associated Press stroying military property, carried out by the "deliber-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The reckless endangerment ate placement of explosive
Air Force has filed criminal and aggravated assault in charges" by one or more in-
charges against an airman the blast that injured four dividuals at an ammunition
in connection with an April service members. He has holding area and shower
explosion that injured U.S. been held in confinement facility on the base, known
troops at a base in eastern by the Air Force since June. as Green Village.
Syria. The U.S. military initially re- The Air Force, in a state-
Tech. Sgt. David Dezwaan ported that the injuries ment Thursday, said a pre-
The Pentagon is seen from Air Force One as it flies over Washing- Jr., an explosive ordnance were caused by artillery liminary hearing date has
ton, March 2, 2022. disposal specialist, is fac- or another form of indirect been set for Aug. 23 at Hill
Associated Press
ing several charges includ- fire. But the Pentagon later Air Force Base in Utah.q