Florida AG Acknowledges Mistake, Now Says Non-Violent Felons Should Have Gun Rights

February 23, 2026
11:35 am

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Florida's Attorney General Ashley Moody has just flipped the script on a long-standing battle over Second Amendment rights, admitting her office's prior stance was off-base and now championing the restoration of gun ownership for non-violent felons. This pivot comes amid a federal court smackdown in *Florida Carry, Inc. v. Moody*, where judges ruled that blanket lifetime bans on firearm possession for misdemeanants and non-violent felons violate the Constitution's protections under the Heller and Bruen precedents. Moody's team initially dug in their heels, defending Florida's draconian Statute 790.23, but after the 11th Circuit upheld the injunction, the AG conceded the error—signaling a pragmatic retreat rather than ideological surrender. It's a rare win for reason over reflex in a state that's otherwise been a 2A battleground. Digging deeper, this isn't just bureaucratic backpedaling; it's a seismic acknowledgment that equating a non-violent felony—like tax evasion or drug possession—with the heinous acts of murderers or rapists is constitutionally bankrupt. Bruen's history-and-tradition test exposed Florida's law as a modern invention without colonial roots, forcing even red-state enforcers to confront the reality: the right to keep and bear arms isn't forfeited lightly. For the 2A community, the implications are electric—non-violent felons, who make up a massive chunk of disenfranchised gun owners (over 1 million in Florida alone, per estimates), could soon reclaim their rights without groveling through clemency boards. This sets a domino effect precedent for other states clinging to lifetime bans, potentially eroding the felon-in-possession monolith that's fueled decades of federal overreach via 922(g). Pro-2A warriors should celebrate this as momentum, not complacency. Moody's shift underscores how litigation fueled by outfits like Florida Carry is prying open the Overton window, but vigilance remains key—watch for legislative end-runs or shall-issue carveouts that could dilute the victory. If replicated nationwide, we're talking millions restored to full citizenship, proving once again that the Second Amendment bends toward liberty when pressed with facts and firepower. Stay locked and loaded for the ripple effects.

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Florida’s Attorney General Ashley Moody has just flipped the script on a long-standing battle over Second Amendment rights, admitting her office’s prior stance was off-base and now championing the restoration of gun ownership for non-violent felons. This pivot comes amid a federal court smackdown in *Florida Carry, Inc. v. Moody*, where judges ruled that blanket lifetime bans on firearm possession for misdemeanants and non-violent felons violate the Constitution’s protections under the Heller and Bruen precedents. Moody’s team initially dug in their heels, defending Florida’s draconian Statute 790.23, but after the 11th Circuit upheld the injunction, the AG conceded the error—signaling a pragmatic retreat rather than ideological surrender. It’s a rare win for reason over reflex in a state that’s otherwise been a 2A battleground.

Digging deeper, this isn’t just bureaucratic backpedaling; it’s a seismic acknowledgment that equating a non-violent felony—like tax evasion or drug possession—with the heinous acts of murderers or rapists is constitutionally bankrupt. Bruen’s history-and-tradition test exposed Florida’s law as a modern invention without colonial roots, forcing even red-state enforcers to confront the reality: the right to keep and bear arms isn’t forfeited lightly. For the 2A community, the implications are electric—non-violent felons, who make up a massive chunk of disenfranchised gun owners (over 1 million in Florida alone, per estimates), could soon reclaim their rights without groveling through clemency boards. This sets a domino effect precedent for other states clinging to lifetime bans, potentially eroding the felon-in-possession monolith that’s fueled decades of federal overreach via 922(g).

Pro-2A warriors should celebrate this as momentum, not complacency. Moody’s shift underscores how litigation fueled by outfits like Florida Carry is prying open the Overton window, but vigilance remains key—watch for legislative end-runs or shall-issue carveouts that could dilute the victory. If replicated nationwide, we’re talking millions restored to full citizenship, proving once again that the Second Amendment bends toward liberty when pressed with facts and firepower. Stay locked and loaded for the ripple effects.

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