The notoriously liberal Ninth Circuit federal court of appeals could become even more leftist if the U.S. Senate confirms a notoriously anti-gun judicial nominee.
Senators may vote soon on Trump nominee and former Hawaii Attorney General Mark Jeremy Bennett, whose nomination is drawing fire from gun rights groups.
As Hawaii’s attorney general, Bennett tried to block conservative groups from speaking about politics and claimed in court filings that the Constitution does not give Americans the right to own a gun.
In that case, District of Columbia v. Heller, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Second Amendment protects an American’s right to own a firearm without having to enroll in a state militia.
Bennett was one of only five state attorneys general to file briefs in opposition, joined only by the liberal Democrat attorneys general of New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico.
“Understandably, Democrats are giddy. In fact, anti-gun Senator Mazie Hirono called him ‘refreshing,’” Gun Owners of America reports.
“The left-wing Alliance for Justice, which has slow-walked all of the rest of Trump’s judicial nominees, approves of Bennett, calling him ‘mainstream,’” GOA writes.
“Bennett also opposed GOA’s right to participate in the legislative process, which was affirmed in the Citizens United decision,” GOA notes.
Bennett sided with Hillary Clinton and radical Democrats in opposing the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. FEC. Bennett argued that a conservative organization should have been prosecuted for producing a move critical of Clinton.
Top Senate conservatives are skeptical, but Bennett’s radical liberal views may win him enough Democrats to seize the seat.
“I will confess that some of the positions you took as attorney general give me pause for consideration for a lifetime appointment as a federal judge,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) during Bennett’s confirmation hearing.
“Senator Sasse has concerns about Mr. Bennett’s advocacy in Citizens United v. FEC and Heller v. District of Columbia,” James Wegmann, spokesman for Sen. Ben Sasse (R-NE_ told the Washington Free Beacon.
Despite grassroots outrage over Bennett’s extreme record on criminalizing gun ownership and suppressing conservative speech, Trump is not withdrawing the nomination.
GOA and other conservative groups are urging the Senate to reject the nomination.
AAN Staff
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