There’s something that feels wrong with the idea that a one-time mistake should ruin your life forever. Sometimes, it’s inevitable and warranted, even if it feels otherwise. Much of the time, though, it’s not. Punishment, once divvied out, should end at some point or another and shouldn’t continue indefinitely for any but the very worst of crimes.
And those people shouldn’t be walking around among us.
But for years, anyone convicted of a felony was prevented from exercising their gun rights at all. They couldn’t do it, and the mechanism to change that was stripped of funding for more than 30 years.
Not all released felons are created equal, but now there’s a path to allowing felons to get their gun rights back, as we’ve noted previously.
The first batch already got them back, in fact.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
[Docket No. [ ]
Granting of Relief; Federal Firearms Privileges
AGENCY: Department of Justice.
ACTION: Notice of granting of restoration of Federal firearms privileges.
———————————————————————–
SUMMARY: The Attorney General has granted relief from disabilities imposed by Federal laws with respect to certain individuals regarding the acquisition, receipt, transfer, shipment, transportation, or possession of firearms or ammunition.
…
Attorney General Todd Blanche has reviewed all the relevant facts for each individual listed below, including the materials that each individual submitted seeking either a pardon or relief from Federal firearms disabilities, and it is established to his satisfaction that each individual will not be likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that the granting of the relief to each individual would not be contrary to the public interest. Accordingly, on May 18, 2026, then Acting Attorney General Blanche granted relief from Federal firearms disabilities to these individuals pursuant to section 925(c):
Patrick Atkinson
Thomas Leon Brooks
Truman James Cox
Dennis L. Haynes
Joshua Ryan Huffman
Dennis William Richardson
Nicholas Robert Sylvester
Jeffrey Alan Wines
I don’t know who these people are, nor do I particularly care.
What I know is that they were vetted and found to be unlikely to commit a crime again. They met certain criteria and now have their gun rights returned to them because they followed the process.
That’s good news, because while I hate that there has to be a process, at least there is one versus the hypothetical notion of one that existed for three decades thanks to congressional Democrats.
These might be among the first, but they won’t be the last, and that makes me happy. Good people make mistakes. Many times, it’s actually just someone hoping they can float a check for groceries a day longer than they can actually manage. Many of us have been there, and there but for the grace of God, we didn’t get arrested for it.
Now, though, some of those who weren’t so fortunate can fully put their life back together.
It’s funny how people act like an ID to vote is a massive burden that makes it so voting is harder than gun ownership, all while ignoring that felons get their voting rights back a whole lot earlier than their gun rights, among other differences.
Congrats to these folks. Enjoy your trip to the gun range.
Editor’s Note: President Trump and Republicans across the country are doing everything they can to protect our Second Amendment rights and right to self-defense.
Help us continue to report on their efforts and legislative successes. Join Bearing Arms VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Read the full article here
