A federal appeals court has struck down a Connecticut gun rights group’s challenge to Governor Ned Lamont’s COVID-19 emergency powers.
The Connecticut Citizens Defense League and six individuals had sued Lamont last year claiming the governor’s suspension of fingerprinting for gun permits under his COVID-19 emergency powers violated their Second Amendment gun rights.
They won in federal district court in New Haven. But that ruling has now been overturned by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York.
It finds that the citizens defense league did not have standing to be part of the case. The court said the matter itself is moot because local authorities have resumed fingerprinting for gun permits. The league is allowed to challenge the ruling in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals or try for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong said the court ruling affirms Lamont’s constitution authority to protect residents during a public health emergency.
