A coalition of activists and Maryland officials gathered in Rockville Tuesday morning to express their outrage that the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on a case that would allow domestic abusers to possess firearms.
On Nov. 7. the justices will hear arguments in U.S. v. Rahimi concerning a federal law that prohibits anyone subject to a domestic violence restraining order from possessing firearms.
Maryland Moms Demand Action, Montgomery County Sheriff Maxwell Uy, State’s Attorney for Montgomery County John McCarthy and Maryland Sen. Will Smith and others all spoke forcefully about keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, both for the safety of victims as well as the police officers who must respond to incidents of domestic abuse violence.
McCarthy called keeping guns out of the hands of abusers “common sense,” noting that someone is five times more likely to be killed if the abuser has a gun.
The law prohibiting abusers from having weapons, which has been in place for 30 years, “really has stopped killings against victims of domestic abuse,” he said.
Sen. Smith (D-20) said that if the Rahimi case is overturned, “it marks a sea change.”
The rally was held at the Red Brick Courthouse on Maryland Avenue during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Today we joined @Everytown & @MomsDemand to urge #SCOTUS to make a common sense decision and overturn the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in U.S. v. Rahimi to continue to protect victims of domestic violence and ensure their abusers are not allowed access to firearms. #DVAM pic.twitter.com/l4k19LLtA6
— Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office (@MCSAONEWS) October 17, 2023
Moms Demand Action and county officials call on the Supreme Court not to allow domestic abusers to own guns @mymcmedia pic.twitter.com/LFlj7cehRW
— suzanne pollak (@SuzannePollak) October 17, 2023
