DeSantis Backs Supreme Court Ruling Overturning New York Gun Law

PUNTA GORDA, Fla.—Gov. Ron DeSantis has applauded the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down New York’s concealed carry licensing law saying it was “a great decision from Justice Clarence Thomas.”

DeSantis said he has not read the decision yet, but said the move was warranted.

“Very rarely does he [Thomas] do anything that is not correct, he’s a fantastic justice,” DeSantis said.

In the 6-3 ruling on June 23, Thomas negated a law that said New Yorkers who wanted to carry a handgun in public must show a “special need to defend themselves.”

DeSantis spoke at Broward Health Sports Health Medicine at a bill signing for Alzheimer’s research and funding and was asked about the ruling and if it would change the timeline on when he’d press for Florida’s open carry laws.

He did not answer that question, but supported the Supreme Court’s decision on New York’s gun law.

“In Florida, I think the debate has really been on not necessarily open carry as much as what they call ‘constitutional carry,’” DeSantis said after the bill signing.

“Different states have done it different ways whether it’s concealed or not.

“But I think the issue is what you don’t want is have government bureaucrats stymie your ability to exercise your constitutional rights, and I think that’s been the concern that people have,” he said. “I think it was definitely the right decision.”

DeSantis pointed to states such as New York “do not want people to be able to exercise their constitutional rights.”

“Here’s what I would tell you—lots of the people moving here from there are doing it because they don’t feel safe in a lot of those communities. So all their policies have been a total failure when it comes to public safety.”

He also told the crowd that in San Francisco crime had gotten “so bad they actually recalled the district attorney,” and the city was a victim of “bad policies.”