Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is drawing a sharp line between dangerous criminals and non-violent offenders when it comes to gun rights — and he’s putting his office’s legal weight behind it.
Uthmeier recently stated that firearm ownership is a fundamental American right, arguing that government restrictions on Second Amendment protections must meet a high constitutional threshold.
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“Firearm ownership is an American tradition and a God given right to self-defense in enshrined on our constitution by the Second Amendment,” Uthmeier said. “For the government to restrict Second Amendment rights, the U.S. Supreme Court has held that the Constitution and American tradition requires that an individual must pose a credible threat to the physical safety of others.”
He offered a specific example to illustrate his position.
“For instance, a man who is convicted of carrying a firearm without a permission slip from the government in another state who poses no danger to the community should not be disarmed or dragged to prison as a felon for exerting his right to self-defense,” he said.
Uthmeier made clear that defending constitutional rights is a core obligation of his office.
“As attorney general, I’m required to support and defend your rights before all else. No matter the cost,” he said. “That’s why we submitted legal briefs defending the second amendment against certain past state prosecutions of non-dangerous felon.”
The attorney general also addressed the nuance between Florida’s existing firearm laws and the constitutional limits of those laws.
“While Florida law barring dangerous felons from possessing firearms is constitutional, it may only be required to those who are a danger to the public. Not someone who should have never been a felon in the first place,” he said.
“My office will continue to enforce the law. We will hold wrongdoers accountable, and we will step in when the government infringes on your constitutional rights,” he said.