Nevada leaders react to U.S. Supreme Court ruling on growth stocks

A device called A "conquer supplies" seen in this file photo attached to a semi-automatic rifle at the Gun Vault store and shooting range in South Jordan, Utah.

Correction: This article has been updated to correct the number of people killed in the Las Vegas massacre.

Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision on the “increase” sparked opposition from Nevada state leaders because of the device’s link to the 2017 mass shooting of concertgoers in Las Vegas.

Sixty people died and the Trump administration banned the devices, classifying them as a machine gun.

On Friday, the Supreme Court struck down the ban, saying the devices did not technically convert semi-automatic rifles into machine guns and that Congress could change the law if it wanted.

Early reactions include leading Nevada Democrats speaking out against the 6-3 decision made on ideological grounds.

The Reno Gazette Journal has reached out to Gov. Joe Lombardo’s office and Rep. Mark Amodea for comment and will update this story as more reactions come in.

Attorney General Ford’s comment on stocks

“The wrestling ban was a direct consequence of the October 1 shooting that caused much pain and sadness in our community,” Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford said in a statement. “Las Vegans and Nevadans have seen firsthand the carnage these devices can cause, and it saddens me that such violence was not enough for the six judges on the court.

“Today’s decision is the latest example of a court abdicating its responsibility to the American public. It seems that the court would rather take an ideological stance and ignore the blood on our streets than allow such common-sense regulations as the ban on wrestling to be implemented. I am saddened by today’s decision and urge Congress to act quickly to restore the stockpile ban through legislative efforts.”

Senator Cortez Masto’s comment on the action

“There is no place on our streets for actions like those used during the massacre at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival in Las Vegas, which left 60 people dead and hundreds injured,” U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto said in a statement. “I am extremely disappointed in the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down President Trump’s 2019 executive order. I am now calling on Congress to urgently pass commonsense legislation to save lives by permanently banning these destructive devices.”

Cortez Masto’s press release notes that she was an original co-sponsor of the Ban on Illegal Machine Gun Parts (BUMP) Act, intended to implement the stockpile ban into federal law. U.S. Rep. Dina Titus (R-Nevada) introduced companion legislation in the House.

Senator Rosen’s comment regarding raises

“I am outraged by the Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate the Trump-era federal ban on bump stock sales,” US Senator Jacky Rosen said in a statement. “For years, this ban has been a common-sense, bipartisan approach to keeping communities safe, and this shameful decision will put more lives at risk. It is more important than ever for Congress to unite on a bipartisan basis and pass legislation to permanently ban bump stocks.