Donald Trump turned the primary former president or main celebration candidate to turn into a convicted felon on Thursday. Due to that, he’s additionally the primary to turn into a prohibited particular person beneath federal firearms regulation.
As we mentioned final October, Trump was already barred from acquiring new weapons whereas beneath felony indictment and confronted precisely this chance if convicted. Sadly, as I clarify in a brand new members’ piece, no one else appears to have thought that was price discussing. Not Trump’s major opponents or the main gun-rights teams.
No matter individuals may consider the decision or the affect it may need on the election, it’s outstanding this chance was by no means even a subject of dialog in the course of the major.
Whereas it could have appeared prefer it, Trump’s convictions weren’t the one massive information of the week. The NRA scored a win on the Supreme Courtroom. The gun-rights group secured a 9-0 ruling in its First Modification case towards a former New York monetary regulator—a veritable slam dunk.
We additionally noticed the conclusion of a Texas runoff that pitted a Republican congressman who voted for gun management towards a guntuber upstart. The end result was far nearer than anybody anticipated.
Plus, Vermont’s Republican governor permits two gun payments to turn into regulation with out a signature. NRA reformer Choose Phil Journey reacts to the group’s management shakeup on the podcast. And Contributing Author Jake Fogleman updates members on the place Hunter Biden’s gun prices stand.
Trump Loses Gun Rights as Jury Finds Him Responsible of 34 FeloniesBy Stephen Gutowski
A jury convicted former president and present Republican nominee Donald J. Trump of 34 felonies on Thursday, which is able to bar him from possessing firearms.
Whereas the convictions are for felonies beneath New York regulation, they set off the federal ban on convicts proudly owning weapons. Meaning authorities will possible require Trump to show over any firearms in his possession.
“What is usually known as the felon-in-possession ban will apply to Trump as a result of these New York crimes are punishable by multiple yr in jail,” Gabriel Malor, a federal appellate lawyer and authorized commentator, advised The Reload.
Click on right here to learn extra.
Evaluation: This Was At all times a Risk, However Garnered Little Consideration From Gun Activists [Member Exclusive]By Stephen Gutowski
Donald Trump was convicted of 34 felonies on Thursday. He can not possess weapons. That final result was actually foreseeable, given what number of felony indictments he confronted and nonetheless does. However this eventuality wasn’t broached by gun-rights teams or Trump’s major opponents within the leadup to his nomination.
This stemmed from the overall, inexplicable determination to not make weapons some extent of competition within the Republican major.
Should you’re a Reload Member, click on right here to learn the remainder. If not, be part of in the present day for unique entry!
SCOTUS Unanimously Sides With NRA in First Modification CaseBy Stephen Gutowski
A New York official’s makes an attempt to push monetary establishments to drop their relationships with the Nationwide Rifle Affiliation over the group’s pro-gun views ran afoul of the Structure.
That was the unanimous ruling handed down by the Supreme Courtroom of the US (SCOTUS) on Thursday. The Excessive Courtroom overturned a decrease courtroom ruling in favor of former New York Division of Monetary Providers (DFS) superintendent Maria Vullo and sided with the NRA.
“[T]he Courtroom holds that the NRA plausibly alleged that Vullo violated the First Modification by coercing DFS-regulated entities to terminate their enterprise relationships with the NRA with the intention to punish or suppress the NRA’s advocacy,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor, a Barack Obama appointee, wrote for the Courtroom in NRA v. Vullo.
Click on right here to learn extra.
GOP Incumbent Who Voted for Gun Management Squeaks by Texas GuntuberBy Stephen Gutowski
The Texas Republican who represents Uvalde, and voted for the brand new gun restrictions in response to the 2022 mass capturing there barely survived a major problem motivated by that vote on Tuesday.
Incumbent Tony Gonzales beat challenger and widespread gun YouTuber Brandon Herrera by single digits after being pressured right into a runoff. Fewer than a thousand votes separated the 2 Republicans when Determination Desk known as the race for Gonzales shortly earlier than 11 pm Jap. Gonzales will now face Democrat Santos Limon to resolve who represents Texas’s twenty third district, an 800-mile space that runs alongside the border with Mexico.
“The way forward for America stays as vivid as ever,” Gonzales posted after Determination Desk known as the race for him. “Thanks #TX23 for persevering with to put your religion in me.”
Click on right here to proceed studying.
Vermont Governor Permits ‘Ghost Gun’ Ban, Gun Free Zones to Take ImpactBy Jake Fogleman
Regardless of questioning their effectiveness, a Republican Governor has given the inexperienced gentle to new gun-control measures.
Vermont Governor Phil Scott (R.) allowed S.209 to turn into regulation with out his signature on Tuesday. The invoice prohibits the possession and switch of any unserialized firearm, body, or receiver, generally known as “ghost weapons” by gun-control advocates. It additionally bans the possession of a firearm at or close to any polling place.
“Whereas my issues on the sensible impacts and enforceability hold me from signing this invoice, I’m permitting it to enter regulation as a result of I perceive the fears behind entry to untraceable firearms and respect the trouble to tailor the scope and exceptions to restrict affect for regulation abiding residents,” Scott stated in a letter explaining his determination.
Click on right here to learn the remainder.
Podcast: NRA Reformer Reacts to New ManagementBy Stephen Gutowski
This week, we’re speaking to one of many males who led the trouble to reform the NRA from inside.
Phillip Journey has been an outspoken critic of the corruption that unfolded on the gun group throughout Wayne LaPierre’s tenure, and he’s been attempting to repair the issues from inside for almost half a decade now. That work seems to be coming to fruition now. He and different reformers propelled different candidates to 3 of the NRA’s high 4 management positions final Monday, together with LaPierre’s previous place.
You may hearken to the present in your favourite podcasting app or by clicking right here. Video of the episode is obtainable on our YouTube channel.
On the information replace, contributing author Jake Fogleman and I focus on my time in Dallas protecting the 2024 NRA Annual Assembly, the place reformers had main success in getting their most well-liked candidates into high management positions. We additionally focus on what the management turnover says in regards to the group’s skill to reform itself shifting ahead, particularly in gentle of its newest monetary stories displaying continued price range and fundraising woes. Plus, we cowl the Supreme Courtroom’s determination to not take up a case on Maryland’s assault weapon ban and why there’s a superb shot a conservative justice will concern the bulk opinion on bump shares. Audio is right here. Video is right here.
Evaluation: The place Hunter Biden’s Gun Case Stands [Member Exclusive]By Jake Fogleman
On the eve of trial, Hunter Biden’s authorized workforce has taken goal at what it means to be an “addict” for functions of federal regulation whereas shifting Second Modification jurisprudence continues to shadow his prosecution.
After a number of unsuccessful makes an attempt to have his case dismissed, the President’s son is about to face trial on federal gun prices starting June third. Particularly, a jury will resolve if he’s responsible of mendacity on a background verify kind used to buy a firearm about his drug use and whether or not he illegally possessed the bought firearm as somebody who “is an illegal person of or hooked on any managed substance.”
In a trial transient filed Thursday, Biden’s authorized workforce steered he plans to invoke a Invoice Clinton-like interpretation of the federal prohibition and its temporal relationship to his drug use as a protection towards these prices.
Should you’re a Reload Member, click on right here to learn extra. If not, purchase a membership in the present day for unique entry to this piece and lots of of others!
Exterior The Reload
OSD 275: What’s gun possession like in Europe? | Open Supply Protection
In Hawaii, Permission To Use Medical Marijuana Precludes Permission To Personal a Gun | Motive | By Jacob Sullum
San Diego wins first conviction for violation of gun violence restraining order | The San Diego Union-Tribune | By Teri Figueroa
Tennessee Governor Indicators Anti-‘Purple Flag’ Invoice Into Legislation | Bearing Arms | By Cam Edwards
That’s it for this week in weapons.
If you wish to hear professional 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
![Analysis: The Changes Gun-Control Groups Want in DOJ’s Rights Restoration Plan [Member Exclusive]](https://i2.wp.com/cdn.thereload.com/app/uploads/2025/04/DSC08202-scaled.jpg?w=350&resize=350,250&ssl=1)
![Analysis: How DOJ Justifies the NFA Despite its New $0 Tax [Member Exclusive]](https://i3.wp.com/cdn.thereload.com/app/uploads/2025/04/DSC08030-scaled.jpg?w=350&resize=350,250&ssl=1)
![Analysis: This Was Always a Possibility, But Garnered Little Attention From Gun Activists [Member Exclusive]](https://i3.wp.com/thereload.com/app/uploads/2024/05/20240518_163237-scaled.jpg?w=75&resize=75,75&ssl=1)
