{"id":2524319,"date":"2025-12-23T13:24:02","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T18:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-sues-dc-government-over-ar-15-ban\/"},"modified":"2025-12-23T13:27:02","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T18:27:02","slug":"doj-sues-dc-government-over-ar-15-ban","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/doj-sues-dc-government-over-ar-15-ban\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ sues DC government over AR-15 ban"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdoj-sues-dc-government-over-ar-15-ban%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2524319&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Department of Justice has filed suit against the District of columbia in U.S. District Court, challenging D.C.laws that ban various semiautomatic firearms-including AR-15-style rifles-and require residents to register guns with the Metropolitan Police as a condition of lawful possession. The DOJ argues the registration requirement and ban strip residents of the ability to lawfully possess commonly used firearms, violating the Second Amendment and exposing law\u2011abiding citizens to arrest, fines, prosecution, and forfeiture. Attorney General Pam Bondi called the lawsuit part of the DOJ&#8217;s effort to protect Second Amendment rights, saying D.C. residents should not be precluded from owning popular firearms. The case continues a string of legal challenges to AR\u201115 and &#8220;assault weapon&#8221; bans; the Supreme Court recently declined to hear an appeal of Maryland&#8217;s ban,drawing a strong dissent from Justice Clarence Thomas and remarks from Justice Brett Kavanaugh that the Court will likely address the issue in the near future. Separately, the Court is slated in January 2026 to hear Wolford v. Lopez, a case concerning state limits on carrying firearms on private property.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">DOJ sues DC government over AR-15 ban<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2424858\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/department-of-justice\/\">Department of Justice<\/a> filed a lawsuit on Monday against the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/washington-dc\/\">Washington, D.C.<\/a>, local government over its laws banning various semiautomatic <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/guns-and-firearms\/\">guns<\/a>, including AR-15s, alleging the laws violate the Second Amendment.<\/p>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.dcd.287930\/gov.uscourts.dcd.287930.1.0.pdf\">lawsuit<\/a> targets a local law that requires district residents to register firearms with the Metropolitan Police Department as a condition of legal possession. The DOJ alleged that the law unconstitutionally denies residents from registering &ldquo;a wide variety of commonly used <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-to-congress-enact-major-restrictions-on-constitutionally-protected-second-amendment-rights\/\" title=\"Biden To Congress: Enact Major Restrictions On Constitutionally Protected Second ...\">semi-automatic firearms<\/a>, such as the Colt AR-15 series rifles, which is among the most popular of firearms in America, and a variety of other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harris-makes-false-gun-claims-signals-biden-may-use-executive-action-to-crackdown-on-second-amendment\/\" title=\"Harris Makes False Gun Claims, Signals Biden May Use Executive Action To Crackdown On Second ...\">semi-automatic rifles<\/a> and pistols that are in common use.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4356532\/democratic-attorneys-general-lawsuit-russell-vought-cfpb-funding\/\">Democratic attorneys general file lawsuit against Vought to keep CFPB funded<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4356442\/doj-thousands-more-epstein-files-including-trump-name-flights-ghislaine-maxwell\/\">DOJ drops thousands more Epstein files, some including Trump&#8217;s name<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4356017\/federal-judge-extends-ice-pause-detaining-kilmar-abrego-garcia\/\">Federal judge extends bar on ICE redetaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;As a result of conduct by all DC Defendants, which District of Columbia&rsquo;s law mandates, law-abiding citizens possessing firearms protected under the Second Amendment face arrest, fines, prosecution, and forfeiture of their property,&rdquo; the lawsuit said.<\/p>\n<p>Attorney General Pam Bondi called the lawsuit a part of the DOJ&rsquo;s &ldquo;ironclad commitment to protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Washington, D.C.&rsquo;s ban on some of America&rsquo;s most popular firearms is an unconstitutional infringement on the Second Amendment &mdash; living in our nation&rsquo;s capital should not preclude law-abiding citizens from exercising their fundamental constitutional right to keep and bear arms,&rdquo; Bondi said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia marks the latest bid to strike down laws banning the AR-15 and similar firearms as unconstitutional. The matter has been petitioned to the Supreme Court in recent years, but the justices have yet to take up a case on the matter.<\/p>\n<p>In June, the high court <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3428683\/clarence-thomas-blasts-supreme-court-declining-ar-15-ban-case-maryland\/\">declined to hear an appeal<\/a> of a lawsuit attempting to strike down Maryland&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >law banning &#038;ldquo<\/a>;assault weapons,&rdquo; including the AR-15, as unconstitutional. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuch said they would have taken up the case, but a petition needs four justices on board to be heard by the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas offered a blistering dissent to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/scotus-overturns-chevron-doctrine-upends-administrative-state\/\" title=\"SCOTUS Overturns Chevron Doctrine, Upends Administrative State\">high court&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s decision not to hear the case, criticizing the other justices for punting on the matter.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I would not wait to decide whether the government can ban the most popular rifle in America. That question is of critical importance to tens of millions of law-abiding AR&ndash;15 owners throughout the country. We have avoided deciding it for a full decade,&rdquo; Thomas said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I doubt we would sit idly by if lower courts were to so subvert our precedents involving any other constitutional right. Until we are vigilant in enforcing it, the right to bear arms will remain &lsquo;a second-class right,&rsquo;&rdquo; he added.<\/p>\n<p>Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who declined to take up the Maryland case, said in a separate statement that he believes the high court will eventually hear a case about the legality of AR-15 bans.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Additional petitions for certiorari will likely be before this Court shortly and, in my view, this Court should and presumably will address the AR&ndash;15 issue soon, in the next Term or two,&rdquo; Kavanaugh said in a June statement regarding the denial of the petition.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3858101\/supreme-court-could-load-up-on-gun-cases-this-term\/\">SUPREME COURT COULD LOAD UP ON GUN CASES THIS TERM<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>While the high court is currently hearing an appeal on any laws banning AR-15s, the justices will hear a case in January over whether Hawaii is violating the Second Amendment with a law that bars handgun owners who have a concealed carry permit from carrying their weapon on private property unless the owner, or manager of the property, has given the person &ldquo;express authorization to carry a firearm on&nbsp;the property.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Arguments in <em>Wolford v. Lopez<\/em> are scheduled for Jan. 20, 2026.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Justice Dept. sues D.C. over AR-15 ban<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2638,"featured_media":2524320,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP24222677778859.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[69324,62139,7076,50385,4585],"class_list":["post-2524319","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-ar-15-2","tag-district-of-columbia","tag-doj","tag-gun-control-2","tag-lawsuit"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AP24222677778859.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2524319","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2524319"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2524319\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2524323,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2524319\/revisions\/2524323"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2524320"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2524319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2524319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2524319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}