Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche threatened lawsuits against four states that have gun restrictions similar to the Hawaii law that the Supreme Court struck down last week.
He also warned states considering laws that “mirror” Hawaii’s that they could face Justice Department lawsuits as well, as the Trump administration has made challenges to firearm regulations a priority, including with two new lawsuits announced Wednesday.
“If we have to sue them, of course, we will, and they should be sued,” Blanche said at a news conference Wednesday. “But … it shouldn’t take this Department of Justice telling a state they’re violating the Constitution when the Supreme Court told them they were.”
The Hawaii law said that guns are presumptively banned on private property open to the public unless the property-owner gives explicit consent for firearm carry. The Supreme Court, divided on 6-3 ideological lines, said the law violated the Second Amendment in an opinion that noted that four other states — New Jersey, Maryland, New York and California — have similar statutes. The Trump administration supported the Hawaii gun-owners who challenged the so-called default ban and presented arguments before the Supreme Court that it was unconstitutional.
