DOJ sues Missouri over its law restricting enforcement of federal gun laws

DOJ sues Missouri over its law restricting enforcement of federal gun laws

Transcript¹

The Justice Department is suing Missouri over that state's firearm law, arguing it makes crime fighting more difficult and tramples² on federal supremacy³.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

There's a battle brewing⁴ between the U.S. Department of Justice and the state of Missouri. And this could have wide-reaching impacts. It centers on a firearm law. The state law explicitly⁵ discourages locals from enforcing the federal law banning certain types of weapons. In a statement, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the law limits cooperation with federal authorities and is making the community less safe. Here's NPR's Carrie Johnson explaining what this Missouri law does.

CARRIE JOHNSON, BYLINE⁶: It's called the Second Amendment⁷ Preservation⁸ Act. And it went into effect last August, 2021. It prohibits local police and highway patrols from enforcing several federal gun laws. And in practice, it limits the kinds of interactions that locals can have with federal authorities. The state law also creates penalties for local officers who help the feds. They could be forced to pay $50,000 to anyone who says their Second Amendment rights were violated. Here's what Missouri Governor Mike Parson said last year when he signed this bill into law.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MIKE PARSON: The purpose is to stand up to the federal government, which we have to do, as individuals - and be able to go up there and say, look; we are the people. We're the people. You're not the people.

MARTINEZ: So Carrie, what's been the fallout from this law in Missouri?

JOHNSON: The Justice Department says it's had a big impact on crime-fighting. Many local police say the law goes too far and could hurt public safety. They're worrying about getting sued, so they aren't sharing information. And many have pulled out of federal task forces designed to crack down on gun violence. DOJ says about 80% of violent crimes in the state are committed with firearms. Last month, I spoke⁹ with Quinton Lucas, the mayor of Kansas City, about crime there. Lucas said he was worried about the fallout from this law.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)

QUINTON LUCAS: It has a very severe - incredibly severe effect in Kansas City. The example would be that registering firearms that we find into a federal database is something that more law enforcement departments in Kansas City, in Missouri, are avoided.

MARTINEZ: There have been several recent clashes between the U.S. Justice Department and some Republican-led states. What legal issues are in tension here?

JOHNSON: Missouri is asserting control over its law enforcement agencies and making a strong statement about the Second Amendment. But the DOJ says the Missouri law violates the supremacy clause of the Constitution. DOJ says a state can't just declare any federal laws, including gun laws, invalid¹⁰. It wants a judge to block this Missouri law and make clear that police in the state can cooperate with federal agents from the ATF and the FBI to do things like help trace guns used in crimes. Justice says this is hurting crime-fighting efforts at exactly the wrong moment, when gun crime is up in a lot of places.

MARTINEZ: Carrie, so what happens next here?

JOHNSON: Yeah. There have already been lawsuits¹¹ in state court trying to block the Missouri law. And the Missouri Police Chiefs Association has been asking for lawmakers to clear up the confusion so they can do their jobs. Now the Justice Department has brought a federal case, so a new legal front has opened. Missouri's attorney general, Eric Schmitt, a Republican who's currently running in a primary race for the U.S. Senate, says the law is on his side in this case. And he intends to beat the Biden administration in court. And also, this could have consequences beyond Missouri. Iowa and more than a dozen other states are considering laws just like this one.

MARTINEZ: That's NPR's Carrie Johnson. Carrie, thanks a lot.

JOHNSON: My pleasure.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 tramples   

踩( trample的第三人称单数 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯

参考例句：

3 supremacy   

n.至上；至高权力

参考例句：

• No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员，无人能胜过她。
• Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说，她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。

4 brewing   

n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• It was obvious that a big storm was brewing up. 很显然，一场暴风雨正在酝酿中。
• She set about brewing some herb tea. 她动手泡一些药茶。

5 explicitly   

ad.明确地，显然地

参考例句：

• The plan does not explicitly endorse the private ownership of land. 该计划没有明确地支持土地私有制。
• SARA amended section 113 to provide explicitly for a right to contribution. 《最高基金修正与再授权法案》修正了第123条，清楚地规定了分配权。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

8 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

9 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

10 invalid   

n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的

参考例句：

• He will visit an invalid.他将要去看望一个病人。
• A passport that is out of date is invalid.护照过期是无效的。

11 lawsuits   

n.诉讼( lawsuit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Lawsuits involving property rights and farming and grazing rights increased markedly. 涉及财产权，耕作与放牧权的诉讼案件显著地增加。 来自辞典例句
• I've lost and won more lawsuits than any man in England. 全英国的人算我官司打得最多，赢的也多，输的也多。 来自辞典例句