SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA — A federal judge has ruled California’s assault weapons ban, in place for 30 years, as unconstitutional.
U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez of San Diego ruled Friday that the state’s definition of illegal military-style rifles unlawfully deprives law-abiding Californians of weapons commonly allowed in most other states.
Governor Newsom released a statement about the decision, and it’s apparent that he’s not in favor.
“Today’s decision is a direct threat to public safety and the lives of innocent Californians, period. As the son of a judge, I grew up with deep respect for the judicial process and the importance of a judge’s ability to make impartial fact-based rulings, but the fact that this judge compared the AR-15 – a weapon of war that’s used on the battlefield – to a Swiss Army Knife completely undermines the credibility of this decision and is a slap in the face to the families who’ve lost loved ones to this weapon. We’re not backing down from this fight, and we’ll continue pushing for common sense gun laws that will save lives.”
This decision is a direct threat to public safety & the lives of innocent Californians. Comparing an AR-15 to a Swiss Army Knife is a slap in the face to those who lost loved ones to guns. We won’t back down & we will fight for common sense gun laws. https://t.co/YHaruaxtEX
— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) June 5, 2021
