Newsletter: ATF Agents Join Neighborhood Patrols in DC Takeover

This week, President Donald Trump took the unprecedented step of seizing management of Washington, DC’s police. He declared against the law emergency and deployed federal troops alongside federal brokers to town.

The Reload has discovered that 30 ATF brokers are amongst these the president has despatched out onto metropolis streets. We reviewed video of brokers in a single neighborhood and spoke with the company and the White Home to study extra about what’s occurring in DC.

On the identical time, my contract with CNN is now up. I’m not a contributor. I share a few of my ideas with Reload Members after three years of engaged on the Weapons in America staff at one of many world’s largest information networks.

We additionally received an replace on the deadly Air Power taking pictures involving the Sig Sauer M18 that adjustments the narrative of what occurred on that Wyoming base. Reload intern Benjamin Owen delivers an intensive clarification of why 18-to-20-year-olds in Texas nonetheless can’t purchase pistols from sellers seven months after a federal courtroom struck down the prohibition. And Contributing Author Jake Fogleman particulars how a Ninth Circuit panel introduced again previous lawsuits in opposition to LA’s enforcement of California’s previous gun-carry legal guidelines. Then he dissects a Sixth Circuit ruling on the federal machinegun ban.

Plus, unbiased gun-rights lawyer Matt Larosiere joins the podcast to interrupt down the 2 new fits in opposition to the Nationwide Firearms Act (NFA). And there are a bunch of fine tales down within the hyperlinks, together with Second Modification scholar Stephen Halbrook’s tackle the NFA tax minimize.

Dozens of ATF Brokers Descend on DC Neighborhoods as A part of Trump TakeoverBy Stephen Gutowski

A major contingent of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) brokers is presently patrolling the streets of the nation’s capital.

Round 30 ATF Particular Brokers are a part of the coalition of federal legislation enforcement companies that’ve descended on metropolis neighborhoods as a part of President Donald Trump’s takeover of Washington, DC policing, an company spokesperson advised The Reload on Wednesday. Nonetheless, the company couldn’t say precisely what its mission is or what, if any, deployment restrictions brokers are working beneath. As a substitute, it referred questions concerning the operation to the White Home.

White Home spokeswoman Abigail Jackson confirmed the ATF’s function within the federal operation.

“As a part of President Trump’s daring motion to handle violent crime and make DC protected once more there was an elevated presence of federal legislation enforcement brokers in Washington DC,” Jackson advised The Reload. “The ATF, together with 19 different companies, is taking part in a job in these efforts.”

Click on right here to learn extra.

My Time as a CNN Contributor Has EndedBy Stephen Gutowski

After three years, I’m not a CNN contributor.

I used to be the final exterior contributor on CNN’s Weapons in America staff that the corporate determined to not renew, following the departure of two different colleagues final 12 months. CNN advised me it has determined to maneuver all its gun reporting in-house, and that’s why it selected to not choose up one other 12 months of my contract. You should still see me on the channel every now and then, however I’ll not be unique to them.

I’ll have some extra detailed ideas on my expertise at CNN for Reload Members. Nonetheless, total, I’m very pleased with the work I did for the community.

Click on right here to learn the remainder.

Evaluation: Insights From My Years as a CNN Weapons in America Contributor [Member Exclusive]By Stephen Gutowski

For 3 years, I used to be on the CNN Weapons in America staff.

In 2022, CNN approached me to develop into a contributor after a collection of appearances on the community over the summer time. I agreed. CNN renewed my contract twice, however has determined not to take action this time round.

Listed here are a few of my ideas on my CNN expertise.

When you’re a Reload Member, click on right here to learn the remainder. If not, be part of at the moment for unique entry and to help our reporting!

Suspect Arrested for Mendacity About Deadly Air Power Capturing Involving Sig Sauer PistolBy Benjamin Owen

An airman has been arrested as a part of the Air Power World Strike Command’s investigation into the loss of life of an airman at a Wyoming base that had prompted the division to halt the usage of the Sig Sauer M18 pistol.

On Friday, the Air Power Public Affairs workplace introduced an replace to the investigation into the July incident, which took the lifetime of Airman Brayden Lovan and led to a pause in the usage of the M18 pistol throughout the World Strike Command. Officers have accused the arrested airman, who has not been named, of killing Lovan in addition to mendacity to investigators and attempting to derail the investigation.

“Air Power authorities are conducting a complete investigation into the details and circumstances of the deadly firearm discharge at F.E. Warren AFB on 20 July 2025 that concerned an M18 pistol,” An Air Power Spokesperson advised The Reload. “Out of an abundance of warning and primarily based on preliminary reporting, Air Power authorities ordered numerous security precautions involving the M18 after this tragic occasion. Since then, the investigation has progressed, and a person has now been arrested on suspicion of creating a false official assertion, obstruction of justice, and involuntary manslaughter.”

Click on right here to learn extra.

Why 18-Yr-Olds Nonetheless Can’t Purchase Handguns within the Fifth CircuitBy Benjamin Owen

The federal authorities might have misplaced the authorized battle within the Fifth Circuit to bar 18-20-year-olds from shopping for handguns from licensed sellers, however a Reload evaluate exhibits that age group nonetheless can’t make these purchases greater than seven months after the ruling.

In January, the Fifth Circuit Courtroom of Appeals, which covers Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, dominated in Reese v. ATF that the federal legislation barring gun sellers from promoting handguns to 18-20 12 months 20-year-olds is unconstitutional and remanded the case to a decrease courtroom for remaining judgment. On the finish of June, the Division of Justice (DOJ) declined to attraction the ruling. Though the legislation has been discovered unconstitutional and the federal government not disputes that ruling, not one of the Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) within the Fifth Circuit that The Reload reached out to mentioned they’d began promoting pistols to that age group.

Click on right here to proceed studying.

Ninth Circuit Revives Constitutional Problem to Fees Over LA’s Outdated Gun-Carry RegimeBy Jake Fogleman

The Golden State’s largest metropolis is again in authorized sizzling water over its previous allowing regime.

A 3-judge panel for the Ninth Circuit Courtroom of Appeals on Monday revived a Second Modification lawsuit introduced by two individuals who the Los Angeles Police arrested for carrying a firearm with out a allow earlier than town was compelled to align its allowing insurance policies with the Supreme Courtroom’s 2022 New York State Rifle and Pistol Affiliation v. Bruen determination. Whereas the district courtroom tossed their problem as a result of the pair by no means tried to use for a hid carry weapon (CCW) allow earlier than their arrests, the Ninth Circuit panel decided that wasn’t mandatory as a result of doing so would have been “futile.”

“The district courtroom erred in dismissing the Second Modification claims introduced by Hunn and Hearns,” the panel wrote in an unsigned opinion in Matthews v. Los Angeles. “Hunn and Hearns plausibly allege that once they had been arrested, Los Angeles issued CCW licenses solely to judges and legislation enforcement officers (referred to herein as a ‘no-issue’ coverage).”

Click on right here to learn the complete piece.

Podcast: Challenges the New NFA Lawsuits Face (Ft. Gun-Rights Lawyer Matt Larosiere)By Stephen Gutowski

After Congress slashed the Nationwide Firearms Act (NFA) tax on silencers and short-barreled firearms, almost each gun-rights group within the nation promised to sue in an effort to overturn these sections of the legislation outright.

Now, a couple of weeks later, these teams have almost all sorted into two coalitions, and so they’ve each filed go well with. One coalition, led by Gun Homeowners of America (GOA), filed within the Fifth Circuit. One other, led by the Nationwide Rifle Affiliation (NRA), filed within the Eighth Circuit.

To investigate the arguments of every case, we’ve received unbiased gun-rights lawyer Matt Larosiere on the present. He’s introduced each tax energy and Second Modification challenges in opposition to the NFA earlier than. So, he has direct expertise with the claims at situation in each circumstances.

You may hearken to the present in your favourite podcasting app or by clicking right here. Video of the episode is out there on our YouTube channel.

Plus, Contributing Author Jake Fogleman and I cowl new knowledge exhibiting month-to-month gun gross sales have dropped beneath a million for the primary time since 2019. We talk about the headwinds going through the business and why the gross sales slide is prone to proceed. We additionally unpack a pair of dueling rulings out of Minnesota on the legality of unserialized firearms and a federal courtroom ruling upholding “may-issue” gun allowing for open carry in Rhode Island.

Audio right here. Video right here.

Evaluation: The Sixth Circuit Weighs Whether or not Machineguns Are ‘Harmful and Uncommon’ [Member Exclusive]By Jake Fogleman

Can a weapon’s prohibited standing be its personal authorized justification for persevering with to ban it? A minimum of one federal appeals courtroom appears to assume so.

This week, a unanimous three-judge panel for the Sixth Circuit Courtroom of Appeals upheld federal expenses in opposition to a Tennessee man for possessing a Glock handgun modified with a full-auto “swap” that he used to shoot at police throughout a high-speed chase. Although he claimed the fees violated his Second Modification rights, the panel discovered the federal government can ban civilian machinegun possession beneath the Supreme Courtroom customary from New York State Rifle and Pistol Affiliation v. Bruen.

“Making use of Bruen’s text-and-history methodology, we conclude that § 922(o) is according to our Nation’s historic custom of prohibiting personal possession of harmful and weird weapons,” Choose Richard Griffin wrote in US v. Bridges. “We thus maintain that 18 U.S.C. § 922(o) is constitutional each on its face and as utilized to Bridges.”

Judges conducting a harmful and weird evaluation is nothing new in current Second Modification litigation. It has come up in all the pieces from big-ticket gadgets like “assault weapon“ and journal ban circumstances, to laws on extra area of interest weapons like butterfly knives and stun weapons. However machineguns are uniquely inclined to the potential pitfall within the Supreme Courtroom’s harmful and weird doctrine, one which finally doomed the defendant’s problem and dashed the hopes of those that need to see one other courtroom name restrictions on computerized weapons into query.

When you’re a Reload Member, click on right here to learn the remainder. If not, purchase a membership for unique entry to this and tons of of different tales!

Outdoors The Reload

Gun rights YouTuber Brandon Herrera to problem U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales once more in GOP main | Texas Tribune | By Owen Dahlkamp

Trump orders federal regulators to probe alleged financial institution discrimination in opposition to conservatives | AP Information | By Ken Candy

L.A. Sheriff’s Workplace Nonetheless Gradual-Strolling Carry Permits | Bearing Arms | By Cam Edwards

The Zero Tax on NFA Firearms | Volokh Conspiracy | By Stephen Halbrook

Colorado sheriffs say new semi-auto restrictions will pressure assets | Summit Every day | By Robert Tann

Hid carry licenses in Washington leap after approval of gun allow legislation | Washington State Normal | By Jake Goldstein-Avenue

That’s it for this week in weapons.

If you wish to hear skilled evaluation of those tales and extra, be sure to seize a Reload membership to get our unique evaluation e-newsletter each Sunday!

I’ll see you all subsequent week.

Thanks,Stephen GutowskiFounderThe Reload