Everytown Eyes Supreme Court, AI Chatbots in Post-Midterm MSR Push

Everytown for Gun Safety used a Nov. 5 virtual town hall to lay out its post-midterm agenda, and two items stand out for gun owners: a Supreme Court push to defend state bans on Modern Sporting Rifles and a new campaign pressing AI companies to restrict firearm-related content.

Snapshot

According to a report by NSSF's Larry Keane, Everytown touted $53 million in election spending and newly elected allies while detailing plans to defend MSR bans in consolidated cases before the Supreme Court. The group is also in direct talks with AI companies about limiting firearm-related chatbot responses, raising questions about where legitimate safety concerns end and restrictions on lawful information begin.

Key points

• Supreme Court fight: Everytown is organizing around Viramontes v. Cook County and Grant v. Higgins, challenges to MSR bans in Illinois and Connecticut, with oral arguments set for Dec. 2; NSSF filed an amicus brief in September.
• Procedural twist: Petitioner Cutberto Viramontes sought dismissal from the Illinois case Oct. 29, prompting Cook County to raise standing and mootness questions, though the Connecticut case continues unaffected.
• Rhetoric vs. data: Everytown staffers called MSRs "military-style" and the "weapon of choice for mass shooters," but NSSF cites FBI data showing handguns, not rifles, dominate active-shooter incident recoveries.
• AI pressure campaign: Everytown's LoPilato confirmed ongoing meetings with major AI companies over its chatbot report, pushing limits on content about unserialized firearms and private transfers.
• Mobilization: A Dec. 2 rally with Brady, GIFFORDS and March For Our Lives, plus a Nov. 18 letter-writing workshop, aims to shape coverage ahead of oral arguments.

Quick take

NSSF's Larry Keane argues that election spending isn't a policy mandate and that Everytown blurs the line between criminal instruction and lawful firearm information, particularly in its AI push. For concealed carriers, the Supreme Court cases and quiet AI negotiations may do more to shape gun rights than the midterms themselves.

Read the full story: nssf.org