United Liberty

Over at the Volokh Conspriacy, Dave Kopel takes a brief look at prospective Supreme Court nominees and their record on the Second Amendment:

In order from worst to not-all-bad:

Strongly-ideological, highly-committed gun prohibitionist: Harold Koh.

Extensive record of anti-Second Amendment leadership: Secretary of State Clinton, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Gov. Deval Patrick.

Limited but clearly negative record on right to arms: Judge Diane Wood, Judge Merrick Garland.

Mixed record, but with very little positive: Amy Klobuchar.

Mixed record: Cass Sunstein, Janet Napolitano [negatives include the ridiculous Dept. of Homeland Security report conflating political dissent with terrorism; as governor she signed some pro-right to arms legislation, and vetoed other bills], Jennifer Granholm [like Napolitano, a mixed record as governor, including signing some important reforms].

McDonald v. Chicago, the most recent Second Amendment case to come before the Supreme Court, will be decided before Justice John Paul Stevens steps down. Stevens is likely to vote against the right to keep and bear arms on this particular case, as he did in District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008.