WRENTHAM, Mass. — It’s not just golf courses opening up, by noon this Saturday, gun stores will also be able to open, according to a federal judge’s ruling Thursday.
Firearm dealers who have been temporarily closed can open for appointment only. Those appointments are limited to four per hour where customers stay at least six feet apart both inside and outside the shop. Still, the federal judge’s ruling is a rare rebuke over Governor Charlie Baker’s order.
“Federal government chose to include firearm dealers as essential businesses in their guidance but the commonwealth chose to do something different and it was certainly shocking,” said attorney Jason Guida. “The initial order some weeks ago indicated they were essential businesses and then one hour later someone change their mind.”
Guida says that inconsistency is why the 2nd amendment takes precedent despite a global pandemic.
“To say that a retail dealer like a liquor store is allowed to be open and any person can go in there and shop and buy what they want, but a dealer of firearms who has a constitutional right cannot be open, there needs to be a rational thought process and a reason for that decision,” he said.
“I’m not in a position to comment on it at this point in time we would certainly comply on any additional ruling,” said Baker.
When the press broke the news to Baker, he referred all comments to Attorney General Healey’s office. That office tells us they are reviewing the court’s ruling.
We asked Guida if gun shop owners should be concerned about appeals.
“There is a possibility that an appeal could be filed within the next 24 hours,” said Guida. “There is a mechanism where the government could ask an appeals court to stay the decision and not allow it to implement on Saturday but gun dealers are cautiously optimistic.”
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