United States of America

DOJ Sues Denver, Colorado Over Gun Control Laws

Are these restrictions an unconstitutional overreach on Second Amendment rights or vital public safety measures?

Published 1 day ago

DOJ Sues Denver, Colorado Over Gun Control Laws

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Above: An AR-15 style weapon with accompanying ammunition in Aurora, Colorado, on Sept. 23, 2022. Image credit: Joshua Lott/The Washington Post/Getty Images

The Spin

Republican narrative

Colorado and Denver's bans on large magazines and AR-15-style rifles are a flat-out violation of the Second Amendment, and the DOJ is right to challenge them. As the Supreme Court has made clear, Americans have the right to own arms in common use, with tens of millions of law-abiding citizens owning these devices. Treating a constitutional right as a second-class liberty isn't governance; it's overreach.

Donald Trump on United States Department of Justice

Democratic narrative

Colorado and Denver's gun laws are to protect people from the scourge of gun violence, not to infringe upon their constitutional rights. The magazine ban, for example, was passed after a gunman killed 12 people in Aurora, while killers have used the AR-15 in at least 10 of the 17 deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. Restricting access to these is essential for public safety and has been routinely upheld in court.

Senator John Hickenlooper on X The New Republic