This website collects cookies to deliver better user experience. Cookie Policy
Accept
Sign In
The Wall Street Publication
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Reading: Dick Heller, D.C. resident who won key 2nd Amendment case, sues city again over new ‘ghost gun’ law
Share
The Wall Street PublicationThe Wall Street Publication
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • U.S
  • World
  • Politics
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Markets
    • Personal Finance
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Arts
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.
The Wall Street Publication > Blog > Trending > Dick Heller, D.C. resident who won key 2nd Amendment case, sues city again over new ‘ghost gun’ law
Trending

Dick Heller, D.C. resident who won key 2nd Amendment case, sues city again over new ‘ghost gun’ law

Editorial Board Published October 11, 2021
Share
Dick Heller, D.C. resident who won key 2nd Amendment case, sues city again over new ‘ghost gun’ law
SHARE

A D.C. resident who won a 2008 landmark Supreme Court case to stop the city from banning all handguns is back in with another lawsuit over a new law prohibiting “ghost guns.”

Dick A. Heller, who lives in Southeast Washington, argues the law barring so-called ghost guns, or homemade polymer-based guns without serial numbers, is too far-reaching.

“The District legislation in question is so poorly thought out and written that the city council has managed to criminalize the possession of a vast array of popular, common handguns that it regularly allows residents to register, including the very handgun it issues to its police officers,” according to the suit.

The D.C. Council lauded the law as a way to tamp down on unserialized guns used by criminals that cannot be traced by police. In 2019, the Metropolitan Police Department reported it recovered 116 ghost guns, which it said “have become more prevalent” because the parts can be purchased online and assembled in a person’s home.

Mr. Heller, however, says the law violates his Second Amendment right to bear arms. He made the same argument in a previous lawsuit targeting the city’s blanket ban on handguns, and the high court eventually ruled 5-4 in his favor.

The District’s elected officials, he said, have long “adhered to a cynical policy of ‘self-government for me, but no self-defense for thee.”

The city’s legislation defines a ghost gun as “a firearm that, after the removal of all parts other than a receiver, is not as detectable … by walk-through metal detectors.”

When all parts besides the receiver are removed from a gun, all that is left is the polymer frame — which is not made of metal. Thus, the suit claims the city “has apparently unwittingly made … existing polymer frame handguns illegal.”

“It may very well be the case that the District City Council and the District Government are so lacking in knowledge of firearms technology that they simply do not know what they have done,” the suit states.

Mr. Heller is joined by two other D.C. residents in the suit, Andrew Hanson and Elby Godwin, who both claim they are worried their polymer-based guns are now illegal. They are represented by George Lyon of the Virginia-based law firm Arsenal Attorneys.

Polymer-based guns are popular among both civilians and police because they do not have a metal frame, which makes them less heavy and easier to carry, according to the suit. It points to an article at guns.com that states the top 10 pistols sold in 2020 were all polymer-based.

The new law adds to a 1976 ban on manufacturing guns in the city without a dealer’s license and Mr. Heller says the statutes prevent him “from making a firearm which is otherwise lawful to register.”

Unfinished handgun frames or rifle receivers for guns are also banned under the new law, which Mr. Heller believes is the reason the gun kit he ordered and had shipped to a city federal firearm licensee for registration was sent back to the manufacturer in April.

“The right to manufacture an arm is equivalent to the right to acquire an arm,” the suit states. “If Mr. Heller cannot acquire the precursor parts for a firearm, such as an unfinished receiver, whatever that is under District law, he cannot make a firearm.” He is seeking damages for the inability to construct a firearm.

The suit also notes the D.C. law is stricter than that of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The ATF has ruled that the parts do not qualify as firearms because the components, alone, cannot be used to shoot a projectile.

A coalition of nearly 20 state attorneys general sued the ATF in December, arguing its interpretation has caused an uptick in the untraceable guns. Less than three months later, President Biden vowed to direct the Justice Department to issue new regulations for ghost guns as a way to “tackle gun violence.”

Meanwhile, the D.C. gun owners want a judge to declare that the city’s law is unconstitutional and to block its enforcement.

The defendants named in the suit filed last month in D.C. District Court include D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, Attorney General Karl A. Racine and Police Chief Robert J. Contee, III. The Washington Times sent them requests for comment on Monday.

The city officials must respond to the suit by Oct. 18.

Sign up for Daily Newsletters

TAGGED:TrendingWall Street Publication
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Gavin Newsom regulations target toys, ketchup, lawnmowers Gavin Newsom regulations target toys, ketchup, lawnmowers
Next Article Nicolas Chaillan warns China is winning AI battle Nicolas Chaillan warns China is winning AI battle

Editor's Pick

Trump admin slams China’s ‘world energy seize’ on uncommon earths, threatens triple-digit tariffs

Trump admin slams China’s ‘world energy seize’ on uncommon earths, threatens triple-digit tariffs

Each Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Commerce Consultant Jamieson Greer slammed China on Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025, for what…

By Editorial Board 4 Min Read
‘Deeply alarmed’: Home Democrats ship a letter to Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth
‘Deeply alarmed’: Home Democrats ship a letter to Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth

Ladies veterans in Congress and almost 100 Home Democrats are decrying the…

8 Min Read
Whirlpool CEO says Trump tariffs create ‘stage taking part in area’ for US manufacturing growth
Whirlpool CEO says Trump tariffs create ‘stage taking part in area’ for US manufacturing growth

Fox Enterprise' Lydia Hu joins 'Mornings with Maria' with Whirlpool CEO Marc…

5 Min Read

Oponion

The gamers Alabama soccer is bringing to SEC Media Days in Atlanta

The gamers Alabama soccer is bringing to SEC Media Days in Atlanta

The unofficial begin to the 2025 season is subsequent week,…

July 8, 2025

Why this Sharks ahead might crack Sweden’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster

SAN JOSE – It appears like…

December 1, 2024

What to make of a brazen case of election fraud in Pennsylvania

A failed conspiracy to steal a…

June 3, 2025

Inman: 10 issues that caught my eye in 49ers’ 20-10 win over Falcons

SANTA CLARA – Alfred Collins’ locker…

October 20, 2025

The 7 Finest Money Administration Accounts Reviewed for 2025

Money administration accounts are held at…

February 21, 2025

You Might Also Like

Seniiors Unveils AI-Enhanced Senior-Care Platform Amid Rapidly Growing AgeTech Market
TechTrending

Seniiors Unveils AI-Enhanced Senior-Care Platform Amid Rapidly Growing AgeTech Market

Reinforcing Seniiors’ leadership in digital senior care with data-driven automation and deep insights into the future of aging. NEW YORK…

5 Min Read
FundRelis Restora Brings Accountability to the Wild West of Online Scams
BusinessTrending

FundRelis Restora Brings Accountability to the Wild West of Online Scams

Zurich, Switzerland — In a financial era defined by digital innovation and unregulated trading, a quiet revolution is taking shape inside…

5 Min Read
We Ordered Dandy Worldwide Hoodies – Here’s Why They’re Our New Favorite Hoodies
LifestyleTrending

We Ordered Dandy Worldwide Hoodies – Here’s Why They’re Our New Favorite Hoodies

By, Dianne J. Lucas As a mom, I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve been asked to finally…

5 Min Read
Inside the ,890 Carolina Herrera Gown Scandal: Hollywood Hills Wife Exposes
LifestyleTrending

Inside the $4,890 Carolina Herrera Gown Scandal: Hollywood Hills Wife Exposes

From a distance, the $4,890 Carolina Herrera gown glimmers like old money incarnate—the kind of dress worn by women who…

5 Min Read
The Wall Street Publication

About Us

The Wall Street Publication, a distinguished part of the Enspirers News Group, stands as a beacon of excellence in journalism. Committed to delivering unfiltered global news, we pride ourselves on our trusted coverage of Politics, Business, Technology, and more.

Company

  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement

Contact

  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability

Term of Use

  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices

© 2024 The Wall Street Publication. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?