California Democrats obviously think they are too clever by half when it comes to quashing the constitutional rights of legal gun owners.
On Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that was modeled on an abortion measure passed earlier this year in the state of Texas. That measure made it illegal to perform abortions after a fetal heart tone was detected, or about six weeks, generally, though the law did not come with a state enforcement provision. Rather, it allowed ordinary citizens to sue doctors and abortion providers who performed the procedure in violation of the ‘heartbeat’ provision.
According to The Daily Wire, the measure signed by Newsom allows residents of California to sue anyone who violates state gun laws.
The bill, SB-1327, states that “[a]ny person, other than an officer or employee of a state or local governmental entity in this state, may bring a civil action against any person” who knowingly violates state gun laws banning assault weapons or firearm parts.
In addition, persons can be sued who “[k]nowingly engages in conduct that aids or abets” a violation of the law, “regardless of whether the person knew or should have known that the person aided or abetted would be violating [it],” or “[k]nowingly commits an act with the intent to engage in the conduct described…”
The law allows people to sue for at least $10,000 per gun law violation. Also, licensed gun dealers can be sued for selling firearms to anyone under 21 years of age, the outlet continued.
“It’s ludicrous. I don’t think there’s a prayer of a chance that this will stand judicial scrutiny,” Sam Paredes, executive director of Gun Owners of California, told The Daily Wire.
To that point, Newsom said Friday he fully expects that the law will be challenged.
“We believe this will be litigated in the Supreme Court and we believe the Supreme Court will be challenged. Because if there’s any principle left whatsoever — and that’s an open-ended question — with this Supreme Court, there is no way they can deny us the right to move in this direction,” he complained.
Mind you, there are reports that Newsom is considering running for the Democratic presidential nomination should Joe Biden bow out ahead of 2024, as many expect he will; the California governor has now gone on record challenging the legitimacy of the country’s highest court because of rulings he disagrees with.
But the outrage doesn’t stop there.
Newsom the Outsider has also begun running ads in Texas newspapers accusing GOP Gov. Greg Abbott of “refusing to protect human life and take action against gun violence” — likely a tasteless jab in reference to the horrific massacre in Uvalde, Texas, last month. It’s telling that Newsom is blaming Abbott but has nothing to say about the 400-plus police officers who stood around for more than an hour while the killer shot children.
Newsom tweeted, “If Texas can ban abortion and endanger lives, California can ban deadly weapons of war and save lives,” claiming that Abbott “should follow California’s lead” if he “truly wants to protect the right to life.”
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) July 22, 2022
The Daily Wire noted:
The ads were first reported by NBC News and will be seen in the Austin American-Statesman, Houston Chronicle, and El Paso Times. Newsom similarly ran television ads in Florida targeting Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ policies, leading many to speculate that the California governor is gearing up for a 2024 presidential bid.
Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze told outlet KXAN in an email: “Governor Newsom should focus on all the jobs and businesses that are leaving California and coming to Texas.”
“This law opens up the ability for anybody to sue anyone in the lawful firearms commerce chain — from dealers, distributors, all the way to manufacturers — when someone misuses a firearm that they manufactured or sold in a criminal manner, and that is clearly unconstitutional,” Paredes added.
He pointed to the “Protection of Lawful Commerce Act,” which he said “prevents people from filing these types of frivolous lawsuits where they’re looking for nothing more than a deep pocket.”
