The anti-gunners are howling mad. Woohoo! Checkout:
"Ashcroft said the original intent of the Second Amendment "unequivocally protects the
right of individuals to keep and bear firearms."
"
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Los Angeles Times: Justice Dept. Stands by Gun Stance
http://latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-ashcroft-guns0712jul12.story?coll=sns%2Dap%2Dpolitics%2Dheadlines
Justice Dept. Stands by Gun Stance
By KAREN GULLO Associated Press Writer
July 12 2001
WASHINGTON -- Justice Department officials disputed charges that the
department's position that the Constitution guarantees people the right to own
guns undermines federal gun laws.
The department will defend all federal gun laws, including those that prohibit
some individuals from owning firearms because they have committed crimes, said
the officials, speaking on condition of anonymity.
They rejected claims by gun control groups that the new policy invites
challenges to existing gun laws and will make it difficult to defend the laws in
court.
"This does not weaken the department's ability to defend gun control laws," said
one official. Rather, it "demonstrates a marked difference in the way this
administration is going to protect individual rights."
The department's policy on gun rights was articulated in a letter Attorney
General John Ashcroft sent to the National Rifle Association in May. Ashcroft
said the original intent of the Second Amendment "unequivocally protects the
right of individuals to keep and bear firearms."
The statement reversed the position held by the Clinton administration, which
argued that the Constitution provided a right for groups, not individuals, to
own firearms.
NRA executive director James Baker said the group may at some point challenge
gun laws in court on grounds that they violate Second Amendment rights but there
was no immediate plan to do so.
He said the NRA supports laws that prohibit people who have committed crimes or
are subject to restraining orders from owning guns.
Baker said he met with Adam Ciongoli, counselor to the Attorney General, several
months back and the two discussed a host of issues but not the department's
position on the Second Amendment.
Ciongoli declined to comment.
Gun control groups say previous administrations and federal courts have long
maintained that that the Second Amendment does not create or protect a right to
own or possess guns absent a relationship with a state-sanctioned militia.
The new policy "will be be welcomed by those in the gun lobby who advocate a
constitutional right of civilians to possess military-style assault weapons, or
to buy guns without background checks or other reasonable restraints," said
Sarah Brady, Chair of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
Justice Department officials said just the opposite -- that previous Democratic
and Republican administrations had taken the position that the Constitution
gives individuals the right to own guns.
Copyright 2001 Associated Press