The Supreme Court just denied a request from pro-gun groups to delay the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)’s rule banning the sale, possession, and use of bump stocks.
The main gun rights group in Virginia, Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) had joined the Gun Owners of America lawsuit to stop the ATF’s actions. This lawsuit is still making its way through the lower courts even as the bump stock ban takes effect.
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These lower court challenges may make their way to the Supreme Court themselves at a later date.
Now that the rule is in effect, the ATF can charge bump stock owners with felonies that carry up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
One of the attorneys, Robert Olson Jr argued that “[t]he final rule mandates the destruction of over 500,000 firearm accessories known as ‘bump stocks,’ owned by hundreds of thousands of law abiding Americans, and valued over $100 million.”
“The Final Rule is the very embodiment of a violation of the separation of powers — Congressional authority being wielded by an administrative agency,” Olson said.
Despite the Supreme Court Order, GOA remains confident they will win their legal challenges in lower courts.
“We remain convinced that the courts will consign this unlawful, unconstitutional ban to the trash bin of history, where it belongs”, stated Michael Hammond, legislative counsel for GOA.
Updating their members on their Facebook page, VCDL stated “Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed”.
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