SCOTUSblog reports:
“Heller affirmed.”
Justice Scalia wrote the opinion, joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Kennedy, Thomas, and Alito. Justice Breyer dissented, joined by Justices Stevens, Souter, and Ginsburg; there’s also apparently another dissent. (Thanks again to SCOTUSblog for their invaluable live-blogging, from which I’m getting all this information.)
This split should be useful to either of the Presidential candidates who wants to make either gun control or gun rights into an election issue — my guess is that this is more likely to be McCain. Expect McCain ads in states where there are likely many pro-gun swing voters stressing, “your constitutional right to keep and bear arms hangs by one vote.” Also expect fundraising letters to likely pro-gun contributors stressing this at length.
Please note that the very early reports sometimes miss important details. I’ll be blogging about the case as soon as I read it, and I’m sure some of my cobloggers will do the same.