"If that's the precedent then we'll let Californian's sue those who put ghost guns and assault weapons on our streets," Newsom said.
By Teaganne Finn
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Saturday he plans to use the same tactic from Texas's abortion law to target assault rifle sales after the Supreme Court declined to block enforcement of the law.
In a statement, Newsom said he has directed his staff to collaborate with the legislature and Attorney General Rob Bonta to draft a bill that would allow private citizens to file lawsuits "against anyone who manufactures, distributes, or sells an assault weapon or ghost gun kit or parts in the State of California."
"If states can shield their laws from review by federal courts, then CA will use that authority to help protect lives," Newsom said in a tweet.
The announcement follows a ruling from the Supreme Court that abortion providers in Texas can proceed with lawsuits challenging S.B. 8, the nation's most restrictive abortion law that bans the procedure after the first six weeks of pregnancy. But the court declined to block enforcement of the law while court battles continues, so the law remains in effect.
Newsom said he was "outraged" by the Supreme Court ruling.
"But if states can now shield their laws from review by the federal courts that compare assault weapons to Swiss Army Knives, then California will use that authority to protect people's lives, where Texas used it to put women in harm's way," he said.
"If that's the precedent then we'll let Californian's sue those who put ghost guns and assault weapons on our streets," Newsom wrote in a separate tweet shared to Twitter.
It will be an interesting argument before the court, though.
I don't believe anyone thinks this will fly against guns. Too many people will go to the wall to protect their precious toys.
I do think vigilante justice is a terrible idea -- applied to guns or abortion or anything else. The whole idea is just a way to game the system because they know that they don't have the votes to act forthrightly, on the up-and-up.
I seriously doubt that Newsom believes that this will proceed. He's just playing populist politics not unlike our TFG still pushing his 'Big Lie', begging for money and trying to hide his documents.
I'm getting tired of our process. There is so much rancor in the air that no one believes that they can be honest. Everyone assumes that they have to sneak in the back door to get anything done.
A big problem is that they may be right. Honesty has almost all faded from our public world.
Read the attached article. The California law is already in the works.
I think it's great. Governor Gavin Newsom is using Republican's tactics against them. Bravo!
He announced California is a safe haven for women who need an abortion.