Will Charlie Crist Still Support Elena Kagan?

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Tallahassee–As President Obama’s second Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan begins her confirmation hearing and on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling which struck down Chicago’s handgun ban, the Republican Party of Florida today questioned Charlie Crist’s ever-changing position on the Second Amendment.

“Elena Kagan and Justice Sonia Sotomayor have essentially the same view on the Second Amendment. Neither believes that the right to keep and bear arms is a right guaranteed to individual Americans,” said RPOF Chairman John Thrasher. “When he was trying to win the Republican nomination, Charlie Crist said he would oppose the confirmation of Justice Sotomayor due to her position on the Second Amendment. Now as a candidate with no party affiliation, he says Elena Kagan would do a great job.”

“Floridians believe in the Second Amendment, and we need a United States senator who will defend that right when given the responsibility of confirming justices who could influence the rulings of the Supreme Court for generations,” Chairman Thrasher continued. “The reality here is about more than politics. If activist judges like Elena Kagan gain control of the Supreme Court, our individual right to bear arms for personal protection could cease to exist in this country. Does Charlie Crist still think she’d do a great job?”

Supreme Court Strikes Down Chicago Handgun Ban In its second major ruling on gun rights in three years, the Supreme Court Monday extended the federally protected right to keep and bear arms to all 50 states. The decision will be hailed by gun rights advocates and comes over the opposition of gun control groups, the city of Chicago and four justices. (“High Court’s Big Ruling For Gun Rights,” Fox News, June 28, 2010)

Trying to Win the Republican Nomination, Crist Has Concerns With Sotomayor’s Record On The 2nd Amendment “I have strong concerns that Judge Sotomayor would not strictly and objectively construe the constitution and lacks respect for the fundamental right to keep and bear arms. For these reasons, I cannot support her appointment to the highest court in the land." (Charlie Crist for U.S Senate Campaign Press Release, 7/21/09)

As a Candidate with No Party Affiliation, Crist Flip-Flops, Supporting Kagan Despite Her Record Of Opposing The Right Of Individuals To Keep And Bear Arms
Charlie Crist on Elana Kagan: "I think she'd do a great job" (Adam Smith, St. Petersburg Times, 5/13/10) 

DISSENT JOINED BY JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR: “I Can Find Nothing In The Second Amendment’s Text, History, Or Underlying Rationale That Could Warrant Characterizing It As ‘Fundamental’ Insofar As It Seeks To Protect The Keeping And Bearing Of Arms For Private Self-Defense Purposes.” (“Otis McDonald, Et Al., Petitioners V. City Of Chicago, Illinois, Et Al.” Justice Breyer Dissent Joined By Justices Ginsburg & Sotomayor, U.S. Supreme Court, P.180-1, 6/28/10)

Kagan Wrote That She Was “Not Sympathetic” To A Defendant Who Argued That The D.C. “Firearms Statutes Violate His Constitutional Right To ‘Keep And Bear Arms. The man’s ‘sole contention is that the District of Columbia’s firearms statutes violate his constitutional right to ‘keep and bear arms,’’ Kagan wrote. ‘I’m not sympathetic.’” (Greg Stohr and Kristin Jensen, “Kagan Said She Was `Not Sympathetic' Toward Gun-Rights Claim,” Bloomberg, 5/13/10)

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