The U.S. Supreme Court's decision to review an Illinois gun rights ruling has the backing of nearly all the Minnesota Congressional Delegation, the Bemidji Pioneer reported over Thanksgiving. "The court should take this opportunity to make clear what we all already know, that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments too," Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn, told the outstate Minnesota newspaper. "No state legislature can take away the freedom to protect yourself." According to Brad Swenson of the Pioneer, the only Minnesota representatives not to join in a friend-of-the-court brief asking the high court to uphold Second Amendment gun rights at the local level are Twin Cities Democrats Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, with family roots in the Iron Range, has joined in the brief. Sen. Al Franken, with roots in St. Louis Park, has not.
The case under appeal, McDonald v. Chicago, challenges a Chicago gun control law. Some 60 members of Congress have reportedly signed on to the brief, led by Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Jon Tester, D-Mont.
Minnesotans in Congress back local gun rights
Majority of delegation signs on to amicus brief challenging Chicago gun control law
November 27, 2009 at 7:21PM
Our mission this election cycle is to provide the facts and context you need. Here’s how we’ll do that.
