The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) has announced that they are willing to sue the New York Police Department in order to defend former President Donald Trump’s concealed carry license after his felony conviction in the hush money trial. SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb stated that the group is prepared to challenge the law in order to protect Trump’s ownership of firearms and that they will offer to defend him if he faces further prosecution for owning firearms, despite the state’s law prohibiting convicted felons from having firearm permits.
The possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is a federal crime, but SAF’s position has always been that individuals should not lose their gun rights due to a conviction of a non-violent crime. Trump’s concealed carry license was originally revoked in April 2023 when he was indicted for the hush money trial in New York. Despite this, Gottlieb argued that Trump should not lose his Second Amendment rights as he has no history of violent crime and that the Supreme Court’s Bruen ruling supports this position.
The founder of SAF highlighted the need for reform in gun rights legislation in response to the NYPD’s preparation to revoke Trump’s gun license. Gottlieb emphasized that there is no historical precedent to deny someone, including Trump, of their gun rights over such a conviction. He also noted that the organization has experience in pursuing lawsuits, with 60 cases currently in progress and successful outcomes that have reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The foundation’s motto is ‘Winning Gun Rights One Lawsuit at a Time,” and they are committed to protecting and winning Donald Trump’s gun rights.
The group’s pledge to take on the New York court system in defense of Trump’s gun rights comes as the number of new gun owners has surged since the 2020 election to equal the population of Florida. Gottlieb’s statement reflects the SAF belief that individuals should not lose their gun rights for non-violent convictions and highlights the need to revisit existing gun control laws to protect individuals’ gun rights. Until reforms are made, SAF is prepared to challenge the law to defend the Second Amendment rights of individuals like Trump who may face restrictions on owning firearms.
Overall, the SAF’s decision to potentially sue the NYPD showcases their commitment to protecting gun rights through legal action. They are willing to defend Trump’s ownership of firearms, arguing that he should not lose his Second Amendment rights due to his conviction in the hush money trial. SAF’s experience in pursuing lawsuits and their dedication to winning gun rights one case at a time underscores their determination to advocate for individuals’ Second Amendment rights in the face of legal challenges.
