The Trump administration Justice Department is suing the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department over the review of concealed-carry permit applications, citing a "deliberate pattern of unconscionable delay that renders this constitutional right meaningless in practice." AdvertisementThe federal government is suing the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department because of its "deliberate pattern of unconscionable delay that renders this constitutional right meaningless in practice." A right delayed is a right denied, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department seems determined to delay any concealed-carry permit applications as long as possible, in some cases as long as two years from application to interview. Los Angeles County and indeed California as a whole are bucking the current trend in this issue. As of this writing, 29 of the 50 states are "constitutional carry" states, where residents may carry a handgun without any permit or permission slip from the state or local government.