- Fairfax, VA—Today, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals conclusively and forcefully held, without need for oral argument, that the National Rifle Association has the right to recover attorneys’ fees in its lawsuits against the city of Chicago's and the village of Oak Park’s unconstitutional gun bans. The court held that the NRA was a prevailing party in the case of National Rifle Association v. City of Chicago and Village of Oak Park
“This is a Second Amendment victory and a civil rights victory. The National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment prevailed against those who sought to deny the right to keep and bear arms in Chicago and Oak Park,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “The attempt to avoid paying the NRA’s attorneys’ fees was rightly found to be unjust by the Court."
After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Second Amendment guarantees a fundamental right to keep and bear arms for all Americans in the historic McDonald v. Chicago and NRA v. Chicago and Oak Park cases, it remanded them for the purpose of issuing an injunction against Chicago and Oak Park's unconstitutional gun ordinances. Before that injunction was issued, however, those ordinances were repealed. The City and the Village then argued that the NRA was not a prevailing party and should not be allowed to recover attorneys’ fees. The District Court, which originally ruled against the NRA, agreed and denied the fee award.
Today’s Seventh Circuit decision overturns that ruling, holding instead that the NRA is indeed a prevailing party and is entitled to receive reimbursement for attorneys’ fees. The amount to be recovered will be established by the District Court.
And just how much did Richie Daley cost Chicago taxpayers with his misguided and poorly thought out attack on Second Amendment Rights? Well, the lawyer in the Heller decision is asking for $3.5 million from the District of Columbia, and we believe he assisted in the McDonald v Chicago case. Then there are the other associated costs to be borne by Chicago and Oak Park taxpayers. We figure anywhere between $5-to-$10 million isn't out of the realm of possibility.
From a city that's about as flat broke as it can be. Way to go Daley, you complete and utter asshole! Another pile of money Chicago doesn't have just because you know better than the Founding Fathers and the US Constitution.
From a city that's about as flat broke as it can be. Way to go Daley, you complete and utter asshole! Another pile of money Chicago doesn't have just because you know better than the Founding Fathers and the US Constitution.