Supreme Court denies challenges to bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines
NBCMAY 30
Supreme Court Declines Two Gun Rights Cases, Signals Future Review
Above: A semi-automatic AR-15 is displayed on a countertop at the McBride Guns Inc. store Aug. 25, 2023 in Austin, Texas. Image copyright: Brandon Bell/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
It's time for SCOTUS to hear cases like these and once and for all establish that the government must meet a high standard in order to restrict Second Amendment rights — especially in the case of the AR-15, a weapon of choice for many law-abiding gun owners. The American people get to decide how best to arm themselves for self-defense, not the government.
Democratic narrative
By rejecting these cases, the conservative-leaning SCOTUS has finally done something positive to protect the American public from gun violence. Although it's likely that similar cases may eventually make it to the justices' ears, for now, state bans remain in place and it appears perhaps the conservatives on the court aren't quite in alignment on this issue.