A Federal Judge rules Chicago’s handgun sales ban is unconstitutional

  Earlier today U.S. District Court Judge Edmond Chang, a Barack Obama appointee nonetheless, ruled that Chicago’s handgun sales ban is unconstitutional:

U.S. District Court Judge Edmond E. Chang wrote in a 35-page opinion that “Chicago’s ordinance goes too far in outright banning legal buyers and legal dealers from engaging in lawful acquisitions and lawful sales of firearms . . .”

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit — a combination of Chicago residents and an association of Illinois firearms retailers — argued that if they have the right to have a handgun within city limits — as courts have ruled — then they have a right to buy one within the city.

That argument carried the day with the judge.

  Chalk one up for the law adding gun owners in Chicago but the decision was not a complete victory for the judge stayed his opinion pending appeal and left the door open for other gun control laws in the city.

The ruling, though, does not ban the city from imposing regulations on the sales of handguns within the city.

“Indeed, nothing in this opinion prevents the City from considering other regulations — short of the complete ban — on sales and transfers of firearms to minimize the access of criminals to firearms and to track the ownership of firearms,” Chang wrote.

  We must not let this small victory make us complacent for we must stay ever vigilant in this assault on our second amendment rights.