A spokesman for the Second Amendment Foundation explains why an amicus brief was so necessary in this battle.
The Second Amendment Foundation has always been about fighting for the rights for all U.S. citizens to bear arms. So when it heard that the government of Mexico was looking to hold an American gun manufacturer unfairly liable for criminal acts of third parties in Mexico, it decided to act.
The group recently filed a 23-page amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court, outlining the history of firearms litigation and explaining why Congress originally adopted the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) during the George W. Bush administration.
“As our brief explains,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut, “allowing Mexico to prevail in suing firearm manufacturers for the criminal acts of third parties defies logic and would embolden a new round of lawfare against industry members.
“Ultimately, these lawsuits would drive many manufacturers out of business and potentially impose requirements on firearm designs that have been rejected by Americans. In the end, it is the American citizen who would suffer, as their choices for arms would be limited to the few surviving manufacturers. The Second Amendment is meaningless without the ability to acquire arms.”
The Mexican government’s demand for billions of dollars in damages is incredibly out of hand – and could cost these manufacturers dearly.
“Almost 20 years ago,” SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb recalled, “Congress passed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act to prevent such litigation, which was essentially designed to bankrupt the firearms industry, thus endangering the ability of American citizens to exercise their rights under the Second Amendment. Allowing foreign governments to hold American firearms manufacturers responsible for criminal activity in other countries is both unjustifiable and preposterous.”
A spokesman for the Second Amendment Foundation joins us now to discuss the matter further.
Q&A:
- Why is the Mexican government trying to hang liability on these American gun manufacturers?
- Doesn’t it seem like an unfair practice, especially since most of these manufacturers focus on the U.S. market?
- What are your hopes with the filing of this amicus brief?
- Do you believe the Supreme Court will listen and knock down the government’s attempts to fine manufacturers?
- Is it possible that these manufacturers may have to find a new location in an effort to avoid unfair fines?
- Where can we learn more about the Second Amendment Foundation?
a. You can visit our official website at http://www.saf.org.
Second Amendment Foundation spokespersons available to be your guest:
ABOUT CHRIS CHENG (In Pacific Time)
Chris Cheng serves on the advisory council to the Second Amendment Foundation’s Board of Trustees. He is the History Channel’s Top Shot Season 4 Champion and author of the book “Shoot to Win.” Cheng is an Asian D&I advocate in the gun community; a former Google employee who went from self-taught amateur to pro shooter.
ABOUT CAM EDWARDS (In Eastern Time)
Cam Edwards is the editor at Bearing Arms-dot-com and hosts the popular podcast Cam & Company that focuses on Second Amendment news and information. Cam is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and has worked in radio, television, and online media for over two decades. He currently lives on a small farm with his family near Farmville, Virginia, and is a member of the board of Citizens Committee to Keep and Bear Arms.
ABOUT MARK WALTERS (in Eastern Time):
Mark Walters is a member of the board of directors for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. As a nationally syndicated host of two talk radio programs, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense, Mark is heard on hundreds of stations weekly across the country. Mark is the co-founder of Armed American News and the recipient of the 2015 “Gun Rights Defender of the Year award.” In addition, Mark Walters is co-author of three books, including Lessons from Armed America, Lessons from Unarmed America, and Grilling While Armed.
ABOUT LEE WILLIAMS (In Eastern Time)
Lee Williams is also known as The Gun Writer and has been writing about the Second Amendment, firearms, the firearms industry, and the gun culture for more than ten years. He is the Chief Editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Reporting Project and is a frequent contributor to Ammoland News and Armed American Radio. In addition, Lee serves as a board member of Florida Carry, Inc. He was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming a newspaper editor, Lee was an investigative reporter in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. Lee has earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter and three medals of valor as a police officer.
ABOUT DAVE WORKMAN (In Pacific Time):
Dave Workman is an award-winning career journalist and senior editor of TheGunMag.com. He writes for Liberty Park Press, Conservative Firing Line, and is communications director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. He has authored Op-Ed pieces in several major newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times, and Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and co-authored seven books with Second Amendment Foundation Alan Gottlieb. Workman’s beat is firearms, from politics to the outdoors. He is widely considered an authority on firearms, concealed carry, and gun politics.
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing, and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 700,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
CONTACT: To schedule an interview, contact Jerry McGlothlin of Special Guests PR Agency at 919-437-0001 or geraldmcg@outlook.com.
