The Department of Justice says it wants to restore Second Amendment rights.
But now the DOJ is hiding records that could show ordinary Americans how that process actually works.
According to Ammoland, the DOJ is refusing to release records tied to how certain individuals were selected for federal firearm-rights restoration, citing privacy concerns under federal open-records law.
That should alarm every gun owner who believes rights restoration should be based on clear standards — not insider access, celebrity status, or bureaucratic guesswork.
The issue is not whether peaceable Americans should get their rights back.
They should.
The issue is whether the federal government gets to hand-pick winners while everyone else is told to wait in line and trust the bureaucracy.
DOJ RESTORES RIGHTS FOR SOME, HIDES THE RULES FROM EVERYONE ELSE
The DOJ has already granted federal firearm-rights restoration to a small group of individuals, including actor Mel Gibson.
At the same time, the DOJ says it is still developing a broader web-based application process for everyone else seeking to restore their federal firearm rights.
In plain English, a few people have already received relief.
Everyone else is still waiting for the rules.
And when records were requested to find out what criteria DOJ used, DOJ reportedly withheld them.
What evidence did the government rely on?
What factors mattered?
What made those individuals eligible?
How can a regular citizen with no celebrity name, no insider connections, and no political pull know whether he qualifies?
Rights restoration cannot become another federal insider game.
TEXAS GUN RIGHTS IS FIGHTING FOR CLEAR STANDARDS
This fight is not limited to Washington, D.C.
Texas Gun Rights is already fighting in the Texas Legislature to restore gun rights for nonviolent felons who have completed their sentences and paid their debt to society.
In 2025, Texas Gun Rights President Chris McNutt testified in support of HB 2759 by Rep. Wes Virdell, legislation backed by Texas Gun Rights and Gun Owners of America to restore firearm rights for nonviolent felons in Texas.
The bill would have amended Texas Penal Code Section 46.04 to stop treating all felonies the same for firearm-possession purposes.
It kept restrictions in place for violent felons and serious public-safety offenses, while allowing nonviolent felons to regain their firearm rights after release from confinement or supervision.
Peaceable Texans who committed nonviolent offenses, served their time, rebuilt their lives, and returned to society should not face a lifetime gun ban.
Unfortunately, HB 2759 did not receive a vote out of committee.
That needs to change in 2027.
“Rights restoration should not depend on who you know, how famous you are, or whether a bureaucrat behind closed doors likes your application,” said Texas Gun Rights President Chris McNutt.
Chip in today to help Texas Gun Rights keep fighting to defend and restore the Second Amendment — without compromise.
