GOA and Gun Owners Foundation Declare DOJ Brief an Open Attack on the Second Amendment and Constitution

The Department of Justice filed an outrageous brief that embraces an alarmingly expansive theory of federal authority. In responding to GOA and GOF’s “One, Big, Beautiful Lawsuit,” the DOJ treats Congress’ removal of the historic $200 tax as a pretext to rewrite the limits of congressional power, advancing an argument that would open the door to federal regulation far beyond anything the Framers intended.
GOA and GOF condemn Attorney General Pam Bondi and President Trump’s Department of Justice (DOJ) for doubling down on enforcement of an archaic and unconstitutional law while simultaneously offering legal theories that would expand federal power to historic levels. This is especially striking from an administration that had promised to respect the Second Amendment and review burdensome agency rules.
The implications of DOJ’s stance are immediate and ominous. If the brief’s logic is accepted, courts could bless a framework under which Congress and federal agencies regulate—or effectively ban—common firearms and accessories by treating formalistic features (like a $0 tax) as sufficient legal cover. That outcome would run contrary to recent Supreme Court statements that the Second Amendment protects private arms possession.
GOA and our partners are demanding the Department of Justice to publicly explain and retract all portions of the brief that advance a limitless theory of federal power. Read more









