Justice Department sues Virginia and California over gun bans

The Justice Department sued Virginia and California on Wednesday in separate federal challenges to laws blocking the sale of common semiautomatic firearms. The twin cases target a Virginia ban on semiautomatic assault rifles and a California restriction on Glock and Glock-style pistols.

In Virginia, the Justice Department filed suit against the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Virginia State Police, saying the state law makes the commercial purchase of AR-15-style rifles a crime. The complaint calls the AR-15 the most popular rifle in America and says the measure reaches ordinary semiautomatic rifles owned by millions of Americans. The Virginia law, signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger on May 14, was set to take effect July 1 and also included restrictions on magazines holding more than 15 rounds.

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division warned Spanberger on April 10 that it would sue if she signed the weapons ban. Harmeet K. Dhillon said, “I keep my promises.” A June 25 preliminary injunction in Crump v. Katz blocked enforcement before the law’s effective date, but the federal government still moved ahead with its challenge.

The California case landed the same day in federal court in Los Angeles against California and Attorney General Robert Bonta. The case targets Penal Code section 27595(a), which bars California firearms dealers from selling certain semiautomatic pistols. The complaint says the statute is commonly known as the Glock Ban because it prohibits the sale of virtually all Glock and Glock-style pistols. The lawsuit also seeks to stop enforcement of California’s handgun roster, which limits which handguns may be sold at retail.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “The Constitution is not a suggestion, and the Second Amendment is not a second-class right.”