Firearm Industry Requests Seat at Mayors' Gun Summit
NEWTOWN, Conn.-In a letter faxed today to New York City Mayor
Michael Bloomberg's office, the trade association representing the firearm
industry officially requested a seat at the table at tomorrow's national summit
on illegal guns organized by Bloomberg and Mayor Thomas Menino of Boston.
Lawrence G. Keane, who signed the letter on behalf of the National Shooting
Sports Foundation (NSSF), said the industry shares the mayors' concerns about
further reducing crime by keeping guns out of the hands of criminals.
"Our industry has developed programs that are working to reduce criminal
misuse of firearms, as well as reduce firearms accidents. We would welcome
the opportunity to educate mayors about these programs, including Don't Lie
for the Other Guy, the straw purchase deterrence initiative developed in partnership
with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives," said Keane,
NSSF senior vice president and general counsel.
ATF Director Carl J. Truscott has praised Don't Lie for the Other Guy as a
great success and, "an important tool for ATF as we pursue our mission
of preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime, and protecting the public..."
Others also have recognized the firearm industry's goal of keeping guns out
of the hands of criminals. In dismissing its lawsuit against the industry,
the City of Boston acknowledged, "that members of the industry and [NSSF]
are genuinely concerned with and are committed to the safe, legal and responsible
sale and distribution and use of their products."
While the industry remains committed to cooperation, it does not hold out
much hope for constructive dialogue given the overheated rhetoric from City
Hall. Mayor Bloomberg recently asserted in testimony before a Congressional
subcommittee that, in effect, every firearm traced by law enforcement was the
consequence of a "bad" sale by a firearms dealer.
"That assertion is demonstrably false," said Keane.
"Corrupt firearms dealers should be prosecuted, but the mere fact that
a trace has occurred does not mean that anyone in the chain of commerce has
done anything wrong," he added. "Tracing is a law enforcement investigative
tool and the data it produces should not be misused as evidence to bring lawsuits."
Bloomberg has threatened to sue firearms retailers using such gun trace data.
See Keane's full letter at http://www.nssf.org/share/legal/042506Summit.
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