In the ongoing legal battle to force the District of Columbia City Council to respect the Second Amendment rights of district residents, attorney Alan Gura has filed a request Tuesday that the city government be held in contempt. US District Judge Frederick Scullin is “weighing a request to hold the District in contempt of court for enacting new gun laws that are so restrictive as to be out of compliance with his order to allow for concealed carry in the city.” Gura argued that “despite passing new laws that allow for concealed carry, the District has not lived up to its court-ordered obligation because the plaintiffs he is representing are still unable to obtain gun-carry permits under the city’s strict regulations.” Which was, of course, the point . . .

As reported by washingtontimes.com:

“There is no way in the world my clients can obtain a license to carry a gun,” Mr. Gura said in court Thursday, noting that they are unable to prove they are under a specific threat as required by the regulations.

In response to the Judge’s ruling that the District enact laws enabling residents to bear arms outside the home, city council enacted a “may issue” law that requires applicants to undergo 18 hours of training AND demonstrate a “special need” for armed self defense.

Judge Scullin asked the lawyers for the District on Thursday whether they had any statistics to show that restricting gun-carry to only people who can demonstrate a special need would enhance public safety. Assistant Attorney General Andrew Saindon said he did not have any such statistics. He argued that, by establishing a licensing scheme, the city was complying with the judge’s orders.

Scullin gave the District until December 4 to show why they should not be held in contempt. Gura has until December 11 to counter their filing.

So far, the Kafkaesque bureaucratic hurdles the District erected when they enacted their “emergency” legislation in a half-ass attempt to comply with Sculling’s ruling have had the desired effect.

Although gun owners were able to begin the application process Oct. 22, no permits have been issued, according to Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Lt. Sean Conboy. Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier has 90 days to determine whether an application should be approved, at which point applicants are required to take firearms training. However, the department has yet to approve any instructors to teach the required course, Lt. Conboy said.

Watch this space.