WashingtonThe head of the largest U.S. attorney’s office in the country has announced a new policy that would prevent federal prosecutors in the nation’s capital from filing felony charges against individuals who own rifles or shotguns in the District of Columbia.
When someone has a criminal history that makes it unlawful to own a firearm or is accused of employing a shotgun or rifle in a violent crime, that office will keep pursuing charges. In Washington, unauthorized possession of unregistered rifles and shotguns can result in prosecution by local authorities.
Suggested Videos
In a statement, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirrosaid stated the modification complies with two Supreme Court rulings on gun rights and is based on advice from the Justice Department and the Office of Solicitor General.
Since she was appointed in May by Republican President Donald Trump, Pirro, a former host of Fox News, has been an outspoken critic of local governments’ efforts to combat crime. Her change in policy means that, with the exception of a few cases involving permit holders, federal prosecutors will not pursue charges under the D.C. legislation that made it unlawful to carry rifles or shotguns.
The shift also coincides with Trump’s proclamation of a citywide crime emergency, which flooded Washington’s streets with hundreds of federal agents and National Guard personnel on patrol. Since the raid began this month, 76 firearms have been seized, according to the White House.
Large-capacity magazines are also included by the new rule, but pistols are exempt.
Pirro stated that she and Trump “are committed to prosecuting gun crime” and that they will “continue to seize all illegal and unlicensed firearms and to vigorously prosecute all crimes connected with them.”
According to Pirro, a complete prohibition on owning rifles and shotguns would be in violation of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision, which declared that Americans have the right to bear weapons in public for self-defense and overturned a New York gun regulation. The high court’s 2008 ruling in District of Columbia v. Hellers, which struck down the city’s ban on firearms in the house, was another argument she made.
