A Federal judge dumped a Mexican lawsuit against American gun manufacturers that sought to penalize them for Mexican crime. It would have set a dangerous precedent if allowed to go forward. Gun control groups partnered with the Mexican lawsuit, and gun control states sent Amicus briefs in support. They urged the court to “ignore federal law” and allow the lawsuit to go forward. The judge dismissed it, citing that the court cannot ignore an act of Congress.
The PLCAA was enacted to prevent anti-Second Amendment activists and jurisdictions from engaging in backdoor gun control by bankrupting gun companies for engaging in lawful commerce. Manufacturers and dealers may still be sued for defective products, breach of contract, criminal misconduct, and other actions for which they are directly responsible, but not for the mere unlawful use of their products by criminals.
“Unfortunately for the government of Mexico, all of its claims are either barred by federal law or fail for other reasons,” Saylor wrote. “The PLCAA unequivocally bars lawsuits seeking to hold gun manufacturers responsible for the acts of individuals using guns for their intended purpose. And while the statute contains several narrow exceptions, none are applicable here.
“This Court does not have the authority to ignore an act of Congress. Nor is its proper role to devise stratagems to avoid statutory commands, even where the allegations of the complaint may evoke a sympathetic response,” the judge wrote. “And while the Court has considerable sympathy for the people of Mexico, and none whatsoever for those who traffic guns to Mexican criminal organizations, it is duty-bound to follow the law.” Judge Dennis Saylor (The Epoch Times)
Gun-control advocates lost another one unless they appealed it. The Brady Campaign and the other gun control groups that advocated for this foolish Mexican lawsuit will simply find another route in their penchant to blame gun manufacturers for the actions of criminals. The gun-grabbers had hoped this would be the avenue to destroy the PLCAA and, ultimately, the 2nd amendment – fortunately, it was not.
Smith & Wesson, Sturm Ruger & Co., Glock, Barrett Firearms, Beretta, Colt, Century Arms, and Interstate Arms were the targets of the Mexican lawsuit. Punishing any industry over behavior by criminals is stupid, and allowing a foreign government the ability to sue because of their own criminals is beyond comprehension.
Cross-posted with Conservative Firing Line
