Vice President Dick Cheney took the unusual step Friday of joining with lawmakers in signing a Supreme Court brief that goes further in support of gun rights than the one submitted by the Bush administration.
Cheney Joins Supreme Court brief in challenge to D.C. handgun ban
MSNBC
WASHINGTON – Vice President Dick Cheney took the unusual step Friday of joining with lawmakers in signing a Supreme Court brief that goes further in support of gun rights than the one submitted by the Bush administration.
The filings were made in a case that challenges the District of Columbia’s ban on handguns. It was scheduled to be argued on March 18.
Both briefs argue that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns. However, the administration contends that too categorical a ruling could threaten other federal gun restrictions and wants the justices to send the case back to lower courts without deciding whether the handgun ban should fall.
Cheney joined more than 300 senators and representatives, led by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, who want the court to rule that Washington’s ban is unconstitutional.
“The vice president believes strongly in Second Amendment rights,” Cheney spokeswoman Megan Mitchell said.
Seventeen Democratic lawmakers and District of Columbia Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton urged the court to uphold the ban.
Lawyers with long experience at the court could not recall another case in which a vice president took a position different from that of his own administration.
Wild Thing’s comment……..
Cheney has the conservative’s back on this one. Bravo!
We have been waiting a lifetime to have the Surpreme Court affirm our Second Amendment rights. Now Bush’s Solicitor General has argued against that affirmation.
Make no mistake about it, if even one gun is deemed to be able to be banned by municipalities across this nation, then those municipalities will be able to set their own scales as to what is deemed worthy of banning or not. It will be open season on weapons of all types, because of ‘their inherent danger’.
I can’t believe Bush sold us out on this one, but the man has.
This could be a very very damaging ruling by the Supreme Court, if it allows carve outs. It could essentially be the end of the right to own guns in our nation, all but a select few that will be essentially worthless to defend ourselves against what the criminals will have. And criminals will always have access to any gun they want.
RINOs will be the death of our rights and our nation. We must demand better, or we will wind up with much worse.
Cheney is 100 times the man that GWB could ever hope to be. And on waterboarding and Cneney…. Cheney:”Waterboarding? We use it. It works. Next”
Sometimes I think Cheney should have been the President and Georgie the vp. But then again, Georgie is trying so hard to please both sides (Cancers are known for this!) and it’s sort of ruined his Presidency. And having the Keystone Kopps for your house and senate doesn’t make it any easier.
Good for Dick Cheney! At least he still has some balls.
This is the first time in a long time I have heard anything from VP Cheney. Gun rights must be a passionate issue with him and I am very, very glad that he is speaking out. Hopefully he and the 300+ Congress people will carry some weight with SCOTUS.
It is very important that this case be settled now before the next president, who will be very liberal, appoints one or two new liberal justices. Bush should have known the next SCOTUS would possibly/probably have a liberal and anti-gun bend. Bush thru his Solicitor General dropped the ball on this. But Bush has done a lot of fumbling.
If the Second Amendment can be picked apart in court, then the entire Bill of Rights and Constitution can be nullified by the socialists. Then America will have lost it’s first line of defense for freedom.
Wild, if you will make it that Cheney is 1000 times the man that GWB is, then I agree.
Love that poster, ought to post it in every school room right along Algores posters.
WT, it doesn’t surprise me about Bush at all, just look at what Sr. did for a sound bite for the left in his public denouncement of the NRA. Lynn has stolen my thunder, she’s right.
One thing for sure, Dick Chaney was never GW’s “boy” and never will be.
Lynn, I agree, Cheney has always been his own man. He holds off speaking out I can tell, but every so often he just says things. I think he knows he has too for the sake of America.
Tom I agree, he spoke out about a few things like…… Let me think a second I think there have been a few things Cheney was ticked about and spoke up.
Iran a few months ago saying he disagreed with Bush and Condi too.
He also spoke out about the man that was fired from the Pentagon (I think it was) that was sooooo good at investigating the terrorists and how he should not be fired.
Then he also spoke out about waterboarding and how he is all for it.
And now this about guns.
There might be other things but these are the ones I remember posting about.
I agree with you Tom if this gun thing is not settled in a postive way it will be too late once the election is done. Because the three running will not feel like Cheney does about this.
LomaAlta, giggle thank you so much.
I have always been for Cheney even at the beginning I wished he was the Pres. and George the VP. I think Bush listened to Cheney for awhile then these last 4 years broke away and is doing his own thing and ignoring Cheney’s advice.
Jack this really bugs me, because of the people running for President and how they all feel about guns. I hope Cheney has enough pull with the jerks in power.
Bob I agree 1000% and I am so proud of Cheney for that too.
GOD bless Uncle VP Vader Cheney and his family… Class patriots all the way. Loved his 2000 response on stage (hot mic) while talking to W about NY Slimes writer Chuck Clymer – “ONE MAJOR LEAGUE *SSHOLE , BIG TIME!”
Darth, LOL oh I LOVED that too.