Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts

The Next Supreme Court Gun Fight

Sep 28, 2024

In this engaging discussion, Eric Tirschwell, executive director and chief litigation counsel of Everytown Law, shares his expertise on the explosive topic of ghost guns—untraceable firearms that can be easily assembled at home. He and Mark Joseph Stern delve into the implications of the upcoming Supreme Court case, Garland v. VanDerStok, focusing on public safety concerns and how recent regulations have led to a decline in ghost gun-related crimes. The duo also uncovers the troubling influence of dark money in legal challenges against gun safety laws.

45:49

Episode guests

Eric Tirschwell

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The Supreme Court case of Garland v. VanDerStok focuses on regulating ghost guns, untraceable firearms that have raised public safety concerns.

Significant dark money from conservative donors supports legal efforts to dismantle gun safety laws, complicating advocacy for stricter regulations.

Deep dives

The Ghost Gun Dilemma

Ghost guns are unlicensed and untraceable firearms created from kits that can be purchased online and assembled quickly at home. These kits are sold without serial numbers, making it nearly impossible for law enforcement to trace them back to any user if they are recovered at a crime scene. The Biden administration's new regulation aims to address this issue by requiring sellers of ghost gun kits to follow the same legal obligations as traditional gun sellers, such as performing background checks and providing serial numbers. This regulation seeks to ensure that these weapons do not fall into the hands of individuals prohibited from possessing firearms, like minors or those with felony records.

Intro

3min

Ghost Guns and Legal Implications

14min

Exploring the Ghost Gun Legal Landscape

3min

Ghost Guns and Legal Challenges

5min

Public Safety Concerns and Supreme Court Gun Regulation

4min

Ghost Guns and Dark Money: A Legal Battleground

12min

Navigating Legal Challenges in Gun Safety

2min

In this week's Amicus, Mark Joseph Stern steps in for Dahlia Lithwick to preview the upcoming Supreme Court term and dive into the high-stakes case of Garland v. VanDerStok. This critical case examines the legality of 'ghost guns'—untraceable firearms that can be assembled at home from kits bought online. Stern talks with Eric Tirschwell, executive director and chief litigation counsel of Everytown Law, the litigation arm of Everytown for Gun Safety. Stern and Tirschwell discuss the profound public safety implications of this case and the dramatic decrease in ghost gun-related crimes following the Biden administration’s introduction of the rule at the heart of the case. They also uncover the role of dark money in funding lawsuits aimed at eroding gun safety laws, and how it compares to the anti-abortion legal strategies of the Christian right.

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