Weekly Wrap: High Court Backs Biden Administration on “Ghost Guns”

Welcome to a weekly series here on Pew Pew Tactical dedicated to the gun news you need to know.

So, keep reading for this week’s notable news headlines…

Supreme Court Backs Biden Administration on “Ghost Gun” Regulations

The Supreme Court issued a brief order Monday allowing the Biden Administration’s regulations on so-called “ghost guns” to continue.

Justices sided with the Department of Justice, permitting the government to enact regulations on 80% kits and parts while the issue winds its way through the legal system.

The Justice Department requested an emergency order from the high court after it said a lower court ignored a previous decision by the Supreme Court to allow enforcement of regulations while the case is argued in court.

In August, the Supreme Court backed the regulations, stating they were to remain in effect while lawsuits from manufacturers against the DoJ were challenged legally.

After the decision, a lower court in Texas blocked the regulations, and the injunction was supported by the 5^th US Circuit Court of Appeals.

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar called the lower court’s decision an “affront” in a sternly worded appeal for the Supreme Court to intervene.

Prelogar said the 5^th Circuit “have effectively countermanded this Court’s authoritative determination about the status quo that should prevail during appellate proceedings in this case.”

Further, she argued that the lower court’s decision to back manufacturers is a threat to public safety “because the lack of background checks makes ghost guns uniquely appealing to felons, minors, and other prohibited persons – and because when ghost guns are inevitably used in crime, they are essentially impossible to trace.”

The ATF targeted 80% kits and parts in 2022 as part of Biden’s crackdown on guns and parts, issuing a new ruling requiring these kits and parts to be serialized and sold in the same manner as firearms – background checks and all.

You can read more about it in our detailed article on the topic.

Vista Outdoor to Sell Ammo Brands to Czechoslovak Group

Vista Outdoors will soon divest itself of its sporting products business, announcing its intention to sell the division to Czechoslovak Group-CSG for $1.91 billion.

The all-cash sale includes the business's gun and ammunition side, meaning brands like Alliant powder, CCI, Federal, HEVI shot, Remington, and Speer will all be housed under CSG.

The sale comes after Vista announced its plans to split the company into separate entities in May 2022. In August, Vista announced the creation of its Kinetic Group, which was set to take over the ammunition from the company’s other ventures, but the sale eclipsed that.

Vista Sporting Products’ President and CEO Jason Vanderbrink will remain CEO of the sporting products under CSG, and the U.S. headquarters will also remain in Anoka, Minnesota. The company’s 4,000 employees will also continue production.

Vista already began restructuring the company last month, spinning its outdoor products section off into a separate entity called Revelyst.

However, the company lowered its fiscal 2024 revenue forecast, pointing to a decrease in consumer spending as the culprit.

"The reduction in sales from our previous guidance coupled with pricing and promotional pressures across our categories is driving down profitability," Vista's CFO Andy Keegan said.

The deal is expected to close next calendar year.

Alec Baldwin Could Face Involuntary Manslaughter Charge for “Rust” Shooting

Prosecutors in the Rust shooting case say they intend to re-charge actor Alec Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter.

The shooting happened on the movie set in 2021 when a prop gun fired a live round, striking and killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring the film’s director, Joel Souza.

Baldwin has been adamant throughout the investigation that he did not pull the trigger.

“I feel that someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me,” Baldwin said in an interview with ABC News in December 2021.

Prosecutors brought involuntary manslaughter against Baldwin earlier this year, but those charges were dropped after investigators were told the gun might have undergone modifications before the accident.

The gun was analyzed in August, where it was determined that it had not been modified. Further, sources say prosecutors have unearthed new evidence suggesting recklessness on Baldwin’s part.

Baldwin’s attorneys called the incident tragic but insisted the charges were “misguided.”

"It is unfortunate that a terrible tragedy has been turned into this misguided prosecution," attorneys Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said. "We will answer any charges in court."

Sources say the case could be brought before a grand jury as early as November. If convicted, Baldwin could face up to 18 months in prison.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer on set, was also charged with involuntary manslaughter. Her trial is set for Feb. 21, 2024.

Sources

• CNN
• Reuters
• All4Shooters
• ABC News
• NBC News