SAF sues Montana

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[FONT=&quot]SAF Sues Montana Over Law Barring CCW Permits ForLegal Resident Aliens

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[FONT=&quot]BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation today filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Montana, challenging the state law that does not allow concealed carry licenses to be issued to legal resident aliens, because only citizens are issued such permits in the Big Sky Country.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]“This is not our first rodeo on this subject,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “We’ve successfully fought similar laws in New Mexico, North Carolina and Omaha, Nebraska. In other states, such as Washington, just the threat of legal action has resulted in a change of the law.”[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]The case is brought on behalf of Lenka Knutson, a 34-year-old mother of two who resides in Whitefish with her husband and children. She received a permanent resident visa in 2005, and has worked as a bank teller supervisor in Whitefish since 2007. She is a SAF member, as well.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]“The Courts have repeatedly stated that lawful resident aliens have the same Second Amendment rights as everyone else, and still some states choose to discriminate against them on this point,” said attorney David Sigale of Glen Ellyn, Ill., who is handling this case for SAF. “It is our hope this unfair and illegal law will be swiftly struck down.”[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]“SAF has opposed such laws wherever and whenever we find them,” Gottlieb stated. “Even non-citizens are afforded protections under our constitution, including the right to keep and bear arms. It is inconsistent with our tradition of liberty that people who come to our country legally and become productive members of the community shouldn’t have the same personal protection rights as anyone, because criminals do not play favorites, even in Montana.[/FONT]​

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[FONT=&quot]“Our lawsuit is firmly grounded in the recognition and incorporation of the Second Amendment that came with our Supreme Court victory in McDonald v. City of Chicago,” he noted. “We also believe the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause renders the state law to be unconstitutional.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]“This is one more example of SAF’s ongoing effort to win firearms freedom one lawsuit at a time,” he concluded. “Our track record has been solid on this, as we have won more Second Amendment lawsuits than anyone else.”[/FONT]
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[/FONT][FONT=&quot]The Second Amendment Foundation ( [/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]www.saf.org[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot]) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
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Copyright © 2016 Second Amendment Foundation, All Rights Reserved.​

[FONT=&quot]Second Amendment Foundation
James Madison Building
12500 N.E. Tenth Place
Bellevue, WA 98005[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Voice: 425-454-7012
Toll Free: 800-426-4302
FAX: 425-451-3959
email: InformationRequest@saf.org[/FONT]​

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teratos said:

Too bad they aren't suing Maryland for the HQL. A law that makes it much harder, or even impossible in some circumstances, for a citizen to even purchase a handgun.

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teratos said:

Too bad they aren't suing Maryland for the HQL. A law that makes it much harder, or even impossible in some circumstances, for a citizen to even purchase a handgun.

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teratos said:

Too bad they aren't suing Maryland for the HQL. A law that makes it much harder, or even impossible in some circumstances, for a citizen to even purchase a handgun.

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Knuckle Dragger said:

The two situations are not even remotely comparable. Alienage bans are simple, can be overturned based upon well established case law and challenges to them are rarely contested. Comm2A's first case in Massachusetts was an alienage challenge (which the Commonwealth fought hard) and David Sigale has brought several of these in the last few years.

Montana will cave very quickly in an effort to limit how much they'll have to pay Mr. Sigale.

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Knuckle Dragger said:

The two situations are not even remotely comparable. Alienage bans are simple, can be overturned based upon well established case law and challenges to them are rarely contested. Comm2A's first case in Massachusetts was an alienage challenge (which the Commonwealth fought hard) and David Sigale has brought several of these in the last few years.

Montana will cave very quickly in an effort to limit how much they'll have to pay Mr. Sigale.

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teratos said:

It's not about comparing the lawsuits, I don't see where you could imply that from what I said. It's about where they are allocating resources. Which is the more egregious infringement? Low-hanging fruit is nice and all, but the best fruit grows at the top of the tree.

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teratos said:

It's not about comparing the lawsuits, I don't see where you could imply that from what I said. It's about where they are allocating resources. Which is the more egregious infringement? Low-hanging fruit is nice and all, but the best fruit grows at the top of the tree.

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Knuckle Dragger said:

The two aren't comparable on that basis either. A challenge to the MD law would require a protracted and expensive legal fight through at least the 4th circuit. The probability of a loss is very high, which would mean that SAF would be out of whatever legal fees they had invested.

On the other hand, an alienage suit is quick, cheap, easy and a slam dunk. SAF's resource commitment to the Montana challenge probably doesn't exceed fronting pocket change to David Sigale, all of which they are very likely to recover.

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teratos said:

Too bad they aren't suing Maryland for the HQL. A law that makes it much harder, or even impossible in some circumstances, for a citizen to even purchase a handgun.

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eruby said:

I would like to have seen Montana.

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teratos said:

Too bad they aren't suing Maryland for the HQL. A law that makes it much harder, or even impossible in some circumstances, for a citizen to even purchase a handgun.

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teratos said:

You and I will just have to disagree on that point. Ideally, cost should not be an issue when dealing with a Right. I understand that the MD case will be a protracted fight. I personally think citizen's Rights take precedent, regardless of the ease of the case. Not every worthwhile cause is an easy one.

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gamer_jim said:

I tell them this every time they call to ask me for money. I still donate to them but I tell them it's less because we aren't getting their help here in MD.

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