SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The Supreme Court's decision to allow the controversial Texas abortion law to remain in place is continuing to generate strong reactions.
Over the weekend, Gov. Gavin Newsom called for a state gun law under the same principles. And on Monday, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said the court ruling was a show of hypocrisy, which the governor is trying to illuminate.
The Texas law banning most abortions after six weeks was designed to get around the federal protections established under Roe v. Wade. Instead, private citizens can sue abortion providers and those who “aid and abet” them for at least $10,000 per claim.
Over the weekend, Newsom called for a state version targeting assault weapons and ghost guns. In a statement, Newsom said he would seek legislation to allow private citizens to sue anyone who manufactures, distributes, or sells an assault weapon or ghost gun kit or parts for at least $10,000, plus legal fees.
RELATED: San Diego groups weigh in on Newsom's gun law proposal
In an interview with ABC 10News Monday, Gloria said Newsom was making a key point about the situation.
“The Supreme Court's lack of willingness to engage on this matter is chilling," Gloria said. "I think the governor is understandably raising up the hypocrisy of the situation in suggesting that there are other ways we can use that same tool."
The court did, however, allow legal challenges against Texas State Licensing Officials to move forward in lower courts.
If California passed a gun law under a similar structure, Robert Schapiro, Dean of the University of San Diego School of Law, said there would likely be similar lawsuits against California state officials. Schapiro said the Supreme Court’s conservative majority could then find differences to uphold one law and not the other through those proceedings.
“There is clearly a majority on this Supreme Court, which is committed to a certain robust defense and interpretation of the Second Amendment, and it's not clear there's a majority in the Supreme Court that's committed to a defense of the Roe v. Wade precedent,” he said.
Schapiro said the key date would be in the spring or summer when a Supreme Court decision is expected on a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade.
