Justice Department eases enforcement of D.C. rifle and shotgun ban

Federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., have been directed not to pursue felony charges against individuals carrying rifles or shotguns in the capital, according to media reports.

According to The Washington Post, D.C. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said that the new policy was crafted by the Justice Department and the Office of the Solicitor General. In a statement to the outlet on Tuesday, she said D.C.’s blanket prohibition on carrying rifles or shotguns “is clearly a violation of the Supreme Court’s holdings” in landmark rulings expanding gun rights.

“Without question, President Donald Trump and I are committed to prosecuting gun crime,” Pirro said. “This unprecedented number of gun case prosecutions in both federal and local court is only done consistent with the constitution and the laws of the land.”

Pirro stated that the policy does not prevent charges against felons who illegally possess firearms. What it does prevent, she said, is “a separate charge of possession of a registered rifle or shotgun.”

The White House said last week that Trump’s federal task force on D.C. crime was working to reduce the city’s firearms regulations, which are among the strictest in the country.

The policy shift comes as the Justice Department is also investigating whether the Metropolitan Police Department manipulated crime data to make rates appear lower than they were, according to NBC News.

The probe, led by Pirro’s office, was launched after Trump deployed the National Guard to Washington and declared a public safety emergency over crime in the capital.