Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Trump Administration Will Restore Gun Rights for Felons

 Felons convicted of non-violent crimes will soon be able to apply to get their gun rights restored.   The Wall Street Journal reported: 

Attorney General Todd Blanche is launching a new process that allows individuals who lost their gun rights because of felony convictions to apply to have them reinstated.

The regulation, announced Monday, is expected to spur a surge in applications from people whose convictions automatically barred them from owning firearms, the Justice Department said. An estimated 330,000 people are expected to apply to the Justice Department during the first year of the initiative.

“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and the federal government should not permanently deprive Americans of a constitutional right without regard to whether they pose a danger to public safety,” Blanche said.

Federal law bars gun possession by people who are convicted of crimes that are punishable for a term exceeding one year. The ban extends to fugitives, undocumented aliens, people dishonorably discharged from the military and people convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence.

The new rule will still keep firearms out of the hands of undocumented immigrants, registered sex offenders and violent criminals, the department said. About 30 million Americans are barred from owning guns because of their criminal convictions, according to the department.

People with criminal records have in the past been able to reclaim their gun rights if they obtained a pardon. The Justice Department last year fired its pardon attorney after she objected to restoring the gun rights of actor Mel Gibson, who pleaded no contest in 2011 to a misdemeanor battery charge.

A different federal option for restoring a person’s gun rights previously existed, but Congress had for years prevented the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from spending money to exercise its authority to process applications.

The Justice Department last year withdrew the ATF’s role in the process. The new rule places authority to restore firearms rights with the attorney general’s office. The Justice Department expects to begin taking applications in about a month.

Kingfish note: Let's see what the crowd who screams to restore voting rights for felons says about this. 

 

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Buy guns and gold for the coming shitshow. 30 year treasury yields hitting 19 year highs while the debt load is exploding. Bullets, bullion and beans then say a prayer.

Anonymous said...

This is important. When non-violent felons graduate to violent crime, they need the proper tools.

Anonymous said...

If someone can’t be trusted with a gun, they should still be in prison

Anonymous said...

Voting doesn't kill innocent bystanders

Anonymous said...

Just do what Chinese men do “lie flat”. Just lay down and do nothing

Anonymous said...

@1:03
God, Gold & Guns.
Beans, ‘deens, and greens.
A country boy can survive!

Anonymous said...

More guns for felons. What a great idea!

Anonymous said...

State laws still apply.

Anonymous said...

Uncle Ruckus and probably four of his fellows disagree!

Anonymous said...

I have a dear friend in his 60's. Got a felony drug charge back in his hippy days. If you didn't know it, you wouldn't. Great guy. He loves to hunt and has been regulated to bow hunting and black power his whole life due to his felony. These are the people who this is for. Made a mistake, non-violent and have not slipped up again.

Anonymous said...

Thanks, Trump Administration. Just what we need in Murder Capital USA.

Anonymous said...

If the man would just do NOTHING! Just STOP! WHY does he have to address every subject? EVERYTHING he touches turns to disaster!

Anonymous said...

Between Trump doing this and rescheduling pot, I am loving all of the wins lately! What a conservative win for our crumbling society!

Anonymous said...

As noted above, there are folks out there who committed non-violent felonies and would be as responsible with gun ownership as they are (now) in other areas of their lives - no sarcasm implied or intended. And they have always been able to take various actions to have their rights restored. This is like many other "Trump" ideas/schemes, and from long before he was POTUS - there may be some small basis for the thing but the implementation turns to a complete clusterflock.

Anonymous said...

2:35 PM - State laws still apply. This only impacts federal prosecutions. The president can't change state laws with an Executive Order.

Anonymous said...

"oh no the president I hate did something I like!"

Anonymous said...

It's not whether you or I would rather this or that. It's not what 'the herd' wants. It's not what Baptists or gun haters want. It's not what hunters or pot smokers want.

It's all about the Constitution. If you, like Obama, prefer to use the Constitution when it meets up with your narrative, tough.

Anonymous said...

Gun possession/ownership is a fundamental right protected in the Constitution. Therefore, the government can only abridge that right if it can prove that denying that right to an individual is based upon a legitimate substantial government interest. Protecting that right to nonviolent felons makes sense.

Anonymous said...

Bennie, thanks for checking in.

Anonymous said...

"Protecting that right to nonviolent felons makes sense."

Lots of VERY bad people, e.g., Al Capone and other mobsters, were never and have never been convicted of "violent" felonies, just as there are truly rehabilitated felons, including those convicted of "violent" felonies, who would not even think of committing a violent crime with a gun. It just isn't as simple as "Compartment A and Compartment B," yea or nay. And in any case, such a program as this one seems to be is just as big a mistake and will cause just as many problems as DOGE caused and is still causing, as many problems as the screwed-up immigration crackdown, as many problems as the Iran conflict, just as many problems as all or most of Trump's business deals, etc., etc. A reasonable idea very badly implemented is often worse than a bad idea that is at least tempered in the implementation.

Anonymous said...

Dumbest shit ever. Felons getting guns.

Next thing you know they will get their voting rights back.

Huge mistake by Trump.

I’m starting to hate all politicians.

Anonymous said...

Non-violent felons are a huge risk. Unvetted felons released from foreign countries dumped into our country are mere gentle lambs, Uncle Joe Biden told me so.

Anonymous said...

We're all going to be considered felons in the near future.

Anonymous said...

Gaping hole in WSJ’s journalism. No mention of the fee to be paid to Trump, and whether it’s in cash or crypto.

Just another glowing, CONSERVATIVE initiative by Fat Jesus.

[b]So[/b] many Republicans — after he’s gone — will borrow a line from the Apostle Peter: “I never knew this man.”

And that day can’t come soon enough.

You people would scream to the rafters if Obama did this. Or pardoned rioters who beat cops. Or had the U.S. government take a stake in private companies.

But that’s different, right?

Anonymous said...

2:35, your “dear old hippie friend” is still a criminal, still a felon and should not have a gun, regardless of how you want to paint him as a jovial pothead. Criminals should not have firearms.

Anonymous said...

7:30 : Sounds like you need more sleep. Your babble and rant is hilarious.

And as a Republican and one who voted for Trump, I do not like this at all. It’s a mistake.

How, this decision pales in comparison to all the dumb and ignorant things the Dems have been doing for a long time.

Anonymous said...

All kinds of felons with guns. They just haven't been caught.

Anonymous said...

Every American should be given a gun and shooting lessons when they turn of age to vote. More guns and the crime rate would plummet, an armed society is a polite society.


Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.