Gun group vows to 'defend' Trump's concealed carry license after conviction

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How much does Trump's conviction matter?

It's not clear the result in Manhattan will sway public opinion.

A Second Amendment group is vowing to sue the New York Police Department in an effort to defend former President Donald Trump's concealed carry license after his felony conviction in the hush money trial.

The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb said in a press release on June 6 that the group is willing to "challenge the law" to defend Trump's ownership of firearms.

"If Donald Trump is further prosecuted for owning firearms," Gottlieb said, "we will offer to defend him and challenge the law."

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Donald Trump arrives to Trump Tower, Thursday, May 30, 2024 after being found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. (Felipe Ramales for Fox News Digital)

The group's promise to take on the New York court system came despite the state's law mandating that convicted felons are not allowed to have firearm permits.

Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is a federal crime.

A Gun Owners of America supporter shoots a rifle at a range. The Second Amendment Foundation announced that they would sue the New York Police Department if they confiscate former President Donald Trump’s guns following his conviction. (Gun Owners of America)

SAF said their organization's position has always been that, "someone should not lose his or her gun rights due to a conviction of a non-violent crime." 

Trump's concealed carry license was first revoked in April 2023 when he was indicted for the hush money trial in New York.

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Gottlieb said the former president "should not lose his Second Amendment rights."

"Donald Trump has no history of violent crime," Gottlieb explained. "Under the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen ruling, which requires gun laws to have some analogous connection to historical regulation at the time the Founders wrote the Constitution and Bill of Rights, Mr. Trump should not lose his Second Amendment rights."

"There is no historical nexus to deny someone, including Trump, of their gun rights over such a conviction," he said.

Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump attends his criminal trial at the New York State Supreme Court in New York, New York, Wednesday, May, 29, 2024.  (Doug Mills/Pool via REUTERS)

The founder said that the NYPD's preparation to revoke Trump's gun license highlights the need for reform in gun rights legislation.

"The attack on Trump’s gun rights emphasizes the need to revisit existing gun control laws and change them to protect an individual’s gun rights," Gottlieb observed. "Until that happens, we will be more than happy to meet New York State or the federal government in court."

If SAF was to pursue a lawsuit against the NYPD, they have experience.

Gun wall rack with rifles. (iStock)

SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut said that the gun group has "litigated challenges in the past to restore gun rights for people convicted of non-violent crimes."

"SAF has litigated challenges in the past to restore gun rights for people convicted of non-violent crimes, and we will do so again," Kraut said. "In fact, we are currently litigating a challenge to the denial of carry permits for some former plaintiffs whose rights were restored due to prior SAF lawsuits."

Gottlieb said that the foundation has 60 cases currently in progress, and has won decisions that have landed in the U.S. Supreme Court.

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"Our motto is ‘Winning Gun Rights One Lawsuit at a Time,'" Gottlieb stated. "That will include protecting and winning Donald Trump’s gun rights."