Gun Laws & Legislation

What Trump’s Staff Picks Mean For The Second Amendment

REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo

Harold Hutchison Freelance Writer
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With his election in the biggest upset since 1948, Donald Trump has really finished the easy part. The hard part now arrives: Getting stuff done. The good news is that Trump seems to be following a very pro-Second Amendment approach.

The big name in all of this is President-elect Trump’s selection of Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) to be Attorney General (subject to Senate confirmation, of course). Sessions has a very strong pro-Second Amendment track record as a Senator, with an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association. The real benefit to Jeff Sessions as Attorney General could be a renewed focus on prosecuting those who violate the laws already on the books. Sessions also puts the Justice Department squarely on the side of law-abiding gun owners – and the case from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands will likely work its way up the ladder – having Sessions means there is a much greater likelihood that the Justice Department will intervene to uphold the District Court’s ruling that shot down a semi-auto ban, among other items on gun-grabbers’ wish lists. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) has vowed to fight the nomination. The notorious gun-grabber’s opposition speaks well for the Attorney General nominee.

The next big question will be who emerges as Solicitor General of the United States. This post is arguably as crucial as the Attorney General, given that the Solicitor General often puts in appearances before the Supreme Court. That position hasn’t received a lot of coverage, but it is one to keep a close eye on.

Then, of course, there is the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Trump released a list totaling 21 potential nominees. While Scalia’s seat is vacant, keep this in mind: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Anthony Kennedy, and Stephen Breyer are 78 or older. This holds the potential to shift the court very solidly in favor of Second Amendment rights for the next two decades – or more.

Then, there is the legislative front to consider. Trump has been on record in favor of national CCW reciprocity. One official statement lays out the position quite clearly: “The right of self-defense doesn’t stop at the end of your driveway. That’s why I have a concealed carry permit and why tens of millions of Americans do too. That permit should be valid in all 50 states. A driver’s license works in every state, so it’s common sense that a concealed carry permit should work in every state. If we can do that for driving – which is a privilege, not a right – then surely we can do that for concealed carry, which is a right, not a privilege.”

There are a number of options to move forward. One could be passage of the Hearing Protection Act, legislation that removes suppressors from the National Firearms Act. Another could be a reduction in the size and scope of “gun-free” zones. If you remember the lessons of Ohio State and other terrorist attacks, you know those prove to be killing grounds for terrorists and others bent on mass murder.

In short, what we have seen so far from President-elect Trump bodes well for the Second Amendment. It will also be a huge relief shifting from fighting intended infringements on Second Amendment rights to rolling back those already in place.