Via The Second Amendment Foundation press release:
A King County Superior Court judge has ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by the Second Amendment Foundation and National Rifle Association, striking down a ban on guns in city parks because it violates Washington State’s long-standing preemption statute.
Judge Catherine Shaffer ruled from the bench that the gun ban, adopted under former Mayor Greg Nickels, violates Washington’s law, which placed sole authority for regulating firearms in the hands of the State Legislature. That law was adopted in 1983 and amended in 1985, and has served as a model for similar laws across the country.
SAF and NRA were joined in the lawsuit by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, the Washington Arms Collectors and five individual plaintiffs.
“This is a great victory for the rule of law and Washington citizens,” said SAF Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “Greg Nickels was so blinded by his personal hatred for firearms owners and his own arrogance that he imagined the city under his control could simply ignore state law. That arrogance cost Nickels his job last year. We repeatedly warned him not to push a gun ban, but he refused to listen.
“It is also a victory for the Legislature,” he observed, “because this case affirms the intent of lawmakers in 1983 to prevent cities like Seattle from creating a nightmare patchwork of conflicting and confusing firearms regulations. The ruling solidifies the legislature’s authority and sends a message to city and county governments to stop meddling with the rights of Washington citizens.”
Gottlieb suggested a review of local ordinances may now be in order, so that city and county governments can be compelled to remove old gun regulations or face legal consequences.
“This ruling puts anti-gun local officials on notice that legally-armed citizens have rights, too,” Gottlieb stated.
See also:
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Judge in Seattle case: ‘Plaintiffs have right to carry under federal, state constitutions’ (the most and best details are in this article)
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West Seattle Blog (includes link to the judges order here)
Gun carrying residents of Washington State are protected from discrimination by the counties and cities yet the Brady Campaign wants businesses to discriminate again them. That is going to be a losing battle too. It’s time for them face the music. They should quietly be sending out their resumes and preparing for the end. If they can’t find honest work there are probably a few more years left in the global warming hoax.
Awesome. Many Thanks to all pro liberty folks involved! Now, unfortunately, there is much work to be done still.
Wait a minute! This douchebag Greg Nickels can knowingly violate state law, to say nothing of the state constitution or the U.S. constitution, have his illegal law enacted, inconvenience and/or threaten a bunch of people in Seattle, force people to spend time and resources to get the law thrown out, and then just walk away? This isn’t finished. Aren’t all those who spent time and money fighting this entitled to some compensation, to say nothing of punitive damages?
If someone stole your car, and you had to spend time, energy and money to catch the guy, would you consider the matter finished if all he had to de was give your car back? Does he simply walk away without so much as a slap on the wrist? You have not been made whole, nor has justice been served.