‘The Dirty Dozen’ 12 States Make Most Wanted List Sent To DOJ

Two of the most prominent voices in the gun rights world – Jared Yanis of Guns & Gadgets and William Kirk of Washington Gun Law – have issued urgent warnings last week about a growing campaign against what they call the most anti-Second Amendment states in the nation.

Known now as “The Dirty Dozen,” twelve states have landed on a list submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ) by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA). The group is demanding federal investigations into what they argue are widespread and systemic civil rights violations, specifically targeting the right to bear arms.

Pam Bondi’s New Task Force Draws National Focus

This public appeal comes in response to Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent creation of the Second Amendment Task Force, a new DOJ initiative aimed at protecting gun rights across the country. In a formal letter from CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, the twelve states were listed out, not as random mentions, but as examples of governments allegedly reducing constitutional freedoms to government-regulated privileges. As Yanis said in his recent video, this could be “the spark that finally puts anti-gun states under the microscope.”

The Twelve States Named and Shamed

According to both Jared Yanis and William Kirk, the twelve states making up the Dirty Dozen are:

• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• Oregon
• Washington

Each of these states, as William Kirk explained in Washington Gun Law’s coverage, has adopted aggressive gun control measures in recent years. These include bans on so-called “assault weapons,” red flag laws, extreme permitting hurdles, and magazine capacity restrictions. What sets this campaign apart is the coordinated pressure being placed on the DOJ to investigate these states the same way it recently began investigating Los Angeles County for delays in processing concealed carry permits.

The Letter That Started It All

Alan Gottlieb’s letter to Attorney General Bondi was direct and forceful. He congratulated her on forming the new Second Amendment Task Force but made it clear that actions must follow words. He suggested the DOJ begin their investigations with the 12 states that, in his words, “have relegated Second Amendment rights to the level of government-regulated privileges.” Gottlieb emphasized that this isn’t just a matter of policy – it’s a matter of civil rights. Both the CCRKBA and the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) have been involved in litigation in nearly every one of these states.

Public Pressure Is the Fuel for Change

In his video, Jared Yanis stressed a key point: “Only when we apply immense pressure do we see results.” He listed multiple examples – like when Surgeon General anti-gun rhetoric was walked back, or when the CDC quietly removed skewed data on defensive gun uses. Yanis believes the public’s outrage, and the organized noise from gun rights communities, has real power. “They only see the light when they feel the heat,” he declared.

DOJ’s Previous Response Sets a Precedent

There is reason for hope among gun rights advocates. Just two weeks prior to this announcement, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division opened an investigation into Los Angeles County. That investigation stemmed from complaints that concealed carry applicants were waiting 18 months or more for approval – effectively nullifying their rights during the delay. Now, the CCRKBA is asking why that standard of scrutiny can’t be applied to the twelve states on the Dirty Dozen list.

A National Double Standard?

Both Yanis and Kirk highlighted the potential for a double standard. If the DOJ acts quickly to investigate violations of free speech or unlawful searches, but drags its feet when it comes to Second Amendment violations, it suggests selective enforcement. William Kirk went further, saying, “If the DOJ really wants to prove it’s serious about constitutional rights, they can’t cherry-pick which ones matter.” The gun rights community is asking: Will the DOJ protect all rights – or only the ones that fit the administration’s agenda?

The “Medal Stand” of Worst Offenders

William Kirk offered his own humorous but pointed ranking of the Dirty Dozen’s worst violators. He awarded the bronze medal to Illinois, citing the speed and force with which anti-gun laws are enacted there. The silver medal went to California, which he called “the genesis of civilian disarmament.” But the gold medal, surprisingly, went to Hawaii – a state where the state supreme court once claimed the ‘aloha spirit’ overrides the Second Amendment. That bizarre ruling, Kirk argued, shows just how deeply rooted gun control has become in some corners of the country.

Why This Moment Matters

What’s so fascinating about this situation is how it flips the script. Usually, the federal government is the one enforcing restrictions. But here, citizens and advocacy groups are calling on that same government to rein in local abuses. It’s a unique moment where grassroots action could potentially force the DOJ to enforce the Constitution, not bypass it.

It also highlights how gun rights are not just a niche issue – they’re becoming central to the national conversation about civil liberties. If you care about due process, about equal protection under the law, about not being punished for exercising your rights – this is part of the same fight.

A Turning Point or a Missed Opportunity?

We’re at a crossroads. If the DOJ steps up and begins investigating states like Massachusetts or New Jersey for systematically violating gun rights, it could change the national landscape. Lawsuits would follow. Courts would weigh in. And state lawmakers might have to backpedal on some of the most extreme measures. But if the DOJ ignores the CCRKBA’s call, then it exposes a level of bias that goes deeper than most people are willing to admit. This is not just a matter of politics. It’s about how much we value constitutional consistency in America.

What Happens Next?

As of this writing, the DOJ has not responded publicly to the CCRKBA’s letter. But the pressure is building. Gun rights groups like the Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America (GOA), and influencers like Jared Yanis and William Kirk are mobilizing their audiences to stay loud, stay informed, and keep calling. “If we let this go,” Yanis warned, “we’re setting a dangerous precedent – not just for gun owners, but for the Constitution itself.”

National Accountability

Whether you live in one of the Dirty Dozen states or not, this matters. It’s not just about local policies – it’s about national accountability. If the government will investigate voter suppression or school discrimination, then it should also investigate Second Amendment suppression. The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms has lit the fuse. Now all eyes are on the DOJ and Pam Bondi’s new task force to see whether they’ll follow through – or quietly sweep it under the rug.

As both Jared Yanis and William Kirk made clear, this is about more than guns. It’s about whether the rights enshrined in the Constitution mean the same thing in every state – or not at all. Stay loud. Stay engaged. And most of all, stay ready.