Big wins are possible. And Global Action on Gun Violence just had one in our case Mexico v. Diamondback Shooting Sports, Inc., et al. We also packed the house for the performance of Guac at Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, DC!
Thank you so much for your support and inspiration. More ahead so read on!
Sincerely, Jon Lowy Founder & President
P.S. Donate now to help Global Action on Gun Violence win in the Supreme Court!
Arizona Judge Rules Against Gun Dealers
GAGV and its legal partners won a critical victory in Mexico's lawsuit against five gun dealers in Arizona. The judge ordered gun dealers to produce significant discovery in the case, rejecting the gun dealers’ arguments that a Congressional appropriations rider called the Tiahrt Amendment prohibited discovery.
The Tiahrt Amendment includes broad prohibitions on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) from releasing information concerning firearms. The real purpose of the NRA-drafted amendment is to restrict ATF from producing damning evidence that shows how the gun industry contributes to gun crime. But we argued that those restrictions don’t extend to private companies.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
The court agreed. The court granted Mexico’s motion to compel and ordered the gun dealers to produce the withheld documents, which includes “documents related to Defendants’ sale and purchase of firearms, ammunition, and firearm accessories.”
It was the first federal court to consider whether the current version of the Tiahrt Amendment allows gun dealers to withhold evidence from discovery and it is a huge win to hold the gun industry accountable.
GAGV is preparing for the oral argument in the case, Estados Unidos Mexicanos v. Smith & Wesson, et al., which the Supreme Court will hear this coming Tuesday, March 4.
Mexico’s case alleges that the gun industry has recklessly and unlawfully sold, distributed, and marketed guns that supply the criminal market in Mexico. The Court is reviewing questions of proximate causation and aiding and abetting.
The 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act does not provide protection for business that engaged in unlawful commerce in arms.
We will argue that the gun industry engages in unlawful business and, therefore, aids and abets criminals.
U.S. Supreme Court building Photo credit: Shutterstock
In a recent article about the upcoming case, Lowy said "To solve this problem of the crime gun pipeline, you have to turn off the spigot of the pipeline, and that's at the manufacturer level.”
Our legal partner, Cate Stetson of Hogan Lovells, will be arguing the case on behalf of Mexico.
You can listen here to oral arguments live on the Supreme Court’s website on March 4. The Court begins at 10am ET. Sign in early.
Guac was a Huge Hit!
We had an enthusiastic full house at Woolly Mammoth Theatre earlier this month for Guac, a one-man play by Manny Oliver whose son, Joaquin, was murdered in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting in 2018.
We want to thank Manny and Patricia Oliver for sharing their story of Joaquin’s life in the performance. Watch this video about the amazing exhibit highlighting Change the Ref campaigns in the theater lobby!
Guests were deeply moved and motivated by the Olivers’ call to action to continue the fight to end gun violence.
Manny Oliver performing Guac Photo credit: GAGV
Follow the Olivers onChange the Ref to find out more about their dynamic campaigns and where Guac will be next.
Thank you to all who came to Woolly Mammoth Theatre at Guac for GAGV's event!
Photo credit: Manny Oliver
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