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Making D.C. Pay for Violating Second Amendment Rights

Brian Doherty | October 7, 2008, 5:38pm

At the D.C. Examiner, the attorneys in the blockbuster Heller case that vindicated the Second Amendment before the Supreme Court make the case for why they think D.C. should cough up $3.5 million in attorney fees for their six-year fight against an obdurate, and Constitution-violating, District government.

Look for my forthcoming book on the Heller case, Gun Control on Trial, and an excerpt from it in the forthcoming December issue of reason.

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Comments to "Making D.C. Pay for Violating Second Amendment Rights":

Pro Libertate | October 7, 2008, 5:48pm | #

What? Consequences for brazenly violating the Constitution? Whatever for?

Naga Sadow | October 7, 2008, 5:50pm | #

They lost and they aren't forking over the dough for the attorney fees? Ballsy, stupid, but ballsy.

wayne | October 7, 2008, 6:12pm | #

Cool. Make 'em pay.

I thought it was a crime to violate somebodies civil rights? Shouldn't DC's mayor and city council be facing time at some ass-pounding penitentiary?

Pro Libertate | October 7, 2008, 6:22pm | #

If America had come to me and instituted my fourth branch of government, the Censor, then this scum that ruined our Constitution would be suffering this very day.

Naga Sadow | October 7, 2008, 6:29pm | #

Pro Lib,

As usual, I like your style.

prolefeed | October 7, 2008, 6:30pm | #

Heller is a landmark, unprecedented, unequivocal victory for individual rights.

I would quibble with the "unequivocal" bit -- seems like all sorts of loopholes for statutorily abridging 2nd Amendment rights were laid out by SCOTUS in the majority opinion, and it WAS only a 5-4 decision that might be revisited should some Obama appointees come aboard.

No fan of McCain here, but he does appear to be considerably better on the 2nd amendment than Obama.

But, hey, can't blame the Heller lawyers for asking for the moon and settling for what they can get -- aggressive negotiating positions and all that ...

Pro Libertate | October 7, 2008, 6:36pm | #

Naga,

Well, thank Puzo, who I ripped off. The Censor idea, that is. I stole it from him. I wrote The Godfather.

Naga Sadow | October 7, 2008, 6:45pm | #

Pro Liberate,

Puzo may have ripped it off himself. There has always beent the rumor that he was Mafioso himself and that he was more or less retelling true stories.

Pro Libertate | October 7, 2008, 6:47pm | #

The mob uses the Censor?

Naga Sadow | October 7, 2008, 6:55pm | #

Pro Lib,

I believe they are called "independent contractors" in street lingo. No ass beating though. A garrot around the neck or several shots to the head are usually taken by others to mean "don't do what he did".

Basement Cat | October 7, 2008, 7:05pm | #

Im in ur gubment violatin ur rights.

Elemenope | October 7, 2008, 7:24pm | #

Having rights is expensive.

libertymike | October 7, 2008, 7:41pm | #

Not having them is even more expensive.

Elemenope | October 7, 2008, 8:06pm | #

Actually, LM, not having rights is generally free.

Transactionally speaking.

libertymike | October 7, 2008, 8:16pm | #

Elemenope-

You mean I've been paying for drugs and sex for nothing?

economist | October 7, 2008, 9:13pm | #

"shouldn't the DC city council be facing an ass-pounding in a penitentiary"
Given that they aren't facing an ass-pounding in a penitentiary already for various other crimes, I find it unlikely.