Former DOJ Pardon Attorney Launches New Second Amendment Group

When I interviewed then-DOJ Pardon Attorney Ed Martin on Bearing Arms Cam & Company a few weeks ago, I was struck by how passionate he was when talking about the millions of Americans who can no longer exercise their Second Amendment rights because of a non-violent conviction. 

Martin, who stepped down from his role at DOJ shortly after our conversation, is putting that passion to work with a new project: an organization called Firearm Rights for Americans. 

The group’s mission, as detailed on its website, is to “give millions of Americans living under federal or state firearm disabilities the legal information, historical context, and personal support they need to pursue a second chance.”

We believe rehabilitation should matter, that constitutional rights should not be permanently forfeited for every past mistake, and that the law should provide clear, lawful pathways for deserving people to restore their firearm rights.

Firearm Rights for Americans is not a law firm, but an educational and advocacy organization designed to “help Americans understand the restoration process, prepare their records, tell their stories, and connect with qualified professionals when their situation calls for one.”

In an interview with Reuters, Martin said President Donald Trump encouraged him to move forward with his idea in their last Oval Office meeting. And while Firearm Rights for Americans states on its website that it answers “to the Americans we serve, not to a government agency, a political party, or a trade group,” Martin is hoping that the new organization will have an impact in the upcoming midterms.  

Trump told Martin he wanted to make sure his administration received “credit” for expanding gun access, Martin added. 

“When ⁠you turn out ⁠Second Amendment voters, they vote right,” Martin said, referring to the Republican Party. “You gotta go sell that message.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A close ally of Trump, Martin said the group planned to produce and distribute written and video testimonials from individuals seeking to regain gun ownership.

The strategy aims to mobilize single-issue Second Amendment voters in competitive congressional swing districts who may feel the administration has not acted quickly enough on gun rights. 

He hopes the effort ⁠could ⁠help Republicans preserve their House majority ⁠this year and build momentum toward the 2028 presidential election. 

While the DOJ continues to defend a lot of federal gun control laws, including aspects of the National Firearms Act, it’s also doing historic work in defending the Second Amendment against state and local government infringements, and has even questioned the constitutionality of some federal statutes like the ban on carrying firearms in post offices. 

Then there’s the rights restoration process set up by DOJ, which gives individuals a pathway to regain their Second Amendment rights for the first time in more than 30 years. 

These efforts should be highlighted, and frankly, I’m astounded by the fact that there is not a single segment of the GOP’s midterm convention that’s focused on the Second Amendment victories that have been achieved over the past two years. In addition to the work being done by the DOJ, we’ve also seen the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the zeroing out of NFA taxes on suppressors and short-barreled firearms, as well as the reform efforts that underway at the ATF.  

Perhaps some of that will come up in the segments on public safety and criminal justice, but I still think Republicans could and should be doing more to spotlight these Second Amendment successes during their convention this week. 

I’m excited about Firearm Rights for Americans and its mission, both in the short-term and beyond the midterms. We’ll be talking with Martin about his new organization in the very near future, and I encourage you to check out the group’s website to learn more.  

Editor’s Note: President Trump and Republicans across the country are doing everything they can to protect our Second Amendment rights and right to self-defense.

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