Everytown Sets Supreme Court Push on MSR Bans, AI Chatbots

Everytown for Gun Safety used a Nov. 5 virtual town hall to lay out its post-midterm plan, which includes defending state MSR bans at the Supreme Court, mobilizing activists around that fight, and pressing AI companies to restrict firearm-related content, according to NSSF's Larry Keane.

Snapshot

NSSF's Larry Keane reports that Everytown, the Bloomberg-funded gun control group, is touting midterm election wins and $53 million in spending as leverage for an expanded agenda. That agenda spans a Supreme Court campaign around pending MSR-ban cases and a newer effort engaging AI companies directly about chatbot responses on firearms.

Key points

• Supreme Court target: Everytown is rallying around Viramontes v. Cook County and Grant v. Higgins, consolidated challenges to Illinois and Connecticut MSR bans, with oral arguments set for Dec. 2.
• NSSF already weighed in: NSSF filed a Sept. 4 amicus brief arguing the bans target commonly owned firearms used for lawful purposes, including self-defense, and implicate Heller and Bruen.
• Procedural wrinkle: Keane notes petitioner Cutberto Viramontes sought dismissal from the Illinois case Oct. 29, prompting Cook County to raise standing and mootness questions; the Connecticut case is unaffected.
• AI in the crosshairs: Everytown officials confirmed talks with major AI companies about limiting firearm-related chatbot content, following its report on "chatbot risks" tied to gun violence.
• Numbers questioned: Keane cites FBI data showing handguns, not rifles, dominate active-shooter incident recoveries, pushing back on Everytown language calling MSRs "weapons of choice for mass shooters."

Quick take

Keane's piece argues Everytown's election spending reflects organizational muscle, not necessarily public consensus on gun policy, citing polling that ranks gun issues well down voters' priority lists. His bigger concern is that restricting AI chatbot answers about lawful firearm making and private transfers could leave gun owners less informed rather than making anyone safer.

Read the full story: nssf.org