Everytown Law, Moms Demand Action Applaud DOJ Court Filing Showing Missouri ‘Nullification’ Law Is Clearly Unconstitutional And Already Hampering Local Law Enforcement, Weapons, Drug Cases

NEW YORK — Everytown Law, the largest team of litigators in the U.S. working full-time on advancing gun violence prevention in the courts, and Moms Demand Action, one of the grassroots arms of Everytown for Gun Safety, today applauded the U.S. Department of Justice for filing a statement of interest in the pending challenge to Missouri’s recently enacted firearms nullification law, arguing that the law is clearly unconstitutional and submitting new evidence that it is already hampering joint drug and weapons investigations.

Everytown Law previously released a memo urging the Department of Justice to take similar action regarding an Arkansas law that also purports to nullify federal gun laws. 

The DOJ filing comes in a legal challenge filed in June by St. Louis and St. Louis County, arguing that the law is unconstitutional and dangerous and seeking an injunction to block the law. The first court hearing in the case is set for tomorrow.

“Missouri’s law hasn’t even gone into effect yet, and it is already undermining efforts to protect the public from gun violence,” said Eric Tirschwell, managing director for Everytown Law. “As the Department of Justice made clear, this law is clearly unconstitutional and extremely dangerous, already interfering with law enforcement in Missouri and hampering key weapons investigations. Officials should also be paying close attention in Arkansas, where another extreme and unconstitutional effort to block enforcement of federal law recently went into effect.”

Everytown Law is the litigation arm of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, which is part of Everytown for Gun Safety.