Blumenthal Statement on the Supreme Court's Decision Preserving Laws that Keep Guns Away from Domestic Abusers

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court’s 8-1 decision in United States v. Rahimi, preserving the federal prohibition against possession of firearms by someone subject to a domestic violence restraining order:

“As I said at the outset of this case, there was absolutely no sane legal argument for striking down this law, and I’m relieved that most of the Supreme Court agreed. Domestic violence restraining orders which prohibit gun possession save lives,” Blumenthal said. “But we cannot forget that this issue only came before the Court because of the legal catastrophe that was Bruen. The Court used Rahimi – a terrifying case – to try to clean up its own mess. While I welcome today’s correct decision, I remain fearful about the fate of future gun violence prevention laws in the hands of this ideologically inconsistent and extreme Court.”

Blumenthal and U.S. Representative Mike Thompson (D-CA) led a group of 19 senators and 152 Members of Congress in filing an amicus brief in the case in opposition to the constitutional challenge to the federal law prohibiting individuals under domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms. The full text of the members’ brief is available here.

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