By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s conviction in a New York courtroom of falsifying business records, his gun rights have been lost, but the Second Amendment Foundation is offering to defend him if he is further prosecuted for owning firearms.
The announcement spread through the firearms community. SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan Gottlieb has vowed to not only defend Trump but also to challenge the law.
“Donald Trump has no history of violent crime,” Gottlieb explained in a statement. “Under the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen ruling, which requires gun laws to have some analogous connection to historical regulation at the time the Founders wrote the Constitution and Bill of Rights, Mr. Trump should not lose his Second Amendment rights. There is no historical nexus to deny someone, including Trump, of their gun rights over such a conviction.”
SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut explained the group’s history of defending gun rights for others in this predicament.
“SAF has litigated challenges in the past to restore gun rights for people convicted of non-violent crimes,” Kraut recalled, “and we will do so again. In fact, we are currently litigating a challenge to the denial of carry permits for some former plaintiffs whose rights were restored due to prior SAF lawsuits.”
The establishment media has been reporting all week how Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts will cost him his Second Amendment rights. MSN and others have highlighted his strong connection with the National Rifle Association. The former president has been an NRA member for years.
Gottlieb said SAF has always taken the position that conviction of a non-violent felony should not cost someone their Second Amendment rights.
“Donald Trump has no history of violent crime,” Gottlieb said. “Under the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen ruling, which requires gun laws to have some analogous connection to historical regulation at the time the Founders wrote the Constitution and Bill of Rights, Mr. Trump should not lose his Second Amendment rights. There is no historical nexus to deny someone, including Trump, of their gun rights over such a conviction.”
“Our motto is ‘Winning Gun Rights One Lawsuit at a Time,” Gottlieb stated. “That will include protecting and winning Donald Trump’s gun rights.”
