The Department of Justice (DOJ) sent a scathing letter on Wednesday to Glendale Mayor Ardashes Kassakhian (D), Chief of Police Robert William, and City Attorney Michael Garcia.
Why?
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon left no room for doubt as to why the DOJ’s wrath may strike the California city. Elected officials recently hiked the initial application fee for a concealed carry license (CCL) from $100 to a staggering $1,078.
Ordinary Americans need not apply for CCL in Glendale
Renewing this license soared from $50 to $826, meaning that the outlay for an initial concealed carry license applicant approaches $2,000, and annual renewals are roughly $1,300.
In what universe are such exorbitant roadblocks to the free exercise of a constitutional right justified?
Dhillon posted the letter on X, noting that city officials have exactly one week to right this wrong before federal prosecutors step in. She concluded: “Tick tock!”
On top of clearly “excessive fees,” the city also permits officials to use “open-ended discretion” in deciding who may freely exercise their Second Amendment rights and who cannot. The AAG correctly noted that Bruen already prohibits such a “may-issue” scheme.
2A freedoms should be protected, not priced out of reach
Civil libertarians would be aghast if such a system were implemented on free speech or religious practices. Pricing fundamental liberties out of the reach of all but the “privileged few” is contrary to the ideals of the U.S. Constitution to the point where its words would be rendered meaningless.
Keeping firearms out of the hands of dangerous individuals is a standard the weapons industry and gun owners are behind. But that’s not what Glendale officials are doing.
Instead, they callously imposed ridiculous fees that ordinary Americans are unable to pay.
This is nothing more than restricting the right to armed self-defense away from the home to the city’s elite and telling the rank and file that they can kick rocks. It deserves all of the DOJ’s wrath.
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