June 21, 2024

Washington, D.C. — Today, in a case that had been supported by Gun Owners of America (GOA) and the Gun Owners Foundation (GOF), the Supreme Court of the United States frustratingly ruled that individuals deemed by a court to pose a credible threat to the safety of another may be temporarily disarmed.

Justice Thomas was the lone member of the Court to correctly apply the text, history, and tradition of the Second Amendment in his dissent.

Erich Pratt, GOA’s Senior Vice President, issued the following statement:    

“It’s often been said that ‘Hard cases make bad law.’ And that’s why we argued in our amicus brief that ‘Unpopular cases necessitate the strictest adherence to principle.’ Frustratingly, the Court nearly unanimously ignored this critical piece of guidance in this ruling.  

“These restraining orders do not prove someone guilty of a violent crime, and they often are weaponized by attorneys and handed out freely by judges in divorce proceedings.  

“Zackey Rahimi is a dangerous individual already behind bars for real crimes – and that’s where he should be. However, this ruling will disarm others who have never actually committed any domestic violence. So for those people to lose their enumerated rights, even for a temporary period of time, is a disgrace. If someone is dangerous, charge them with a real crime, convict them in a court of law, and get them out of society.”   

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews.  Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.

-GOA-