Gun Industry Punishment Probe Grows (AP)

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Gun Industry Punishment Probe Grows

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN
Associated Press Writer

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Smith & Wesson was lauded by many for exercising
corporate responsibility earlier this year for agreeing to make its weapons more
childproof

Gun groups and competitors, however, protested the deal. One group, Gun
Owners of America, even urged its 200,000 members to boycott Smith &
Wesson and to ask their dealers to stop carrying the company's products.

Now prosecutors in at least six states are investigating whether the gun industry
is illegally trying to punish Smith & Wesson. Under antitrust law, it would be illegal
for companies to collude to deprive Smith & Wesson of business opportunities.

``Exercising corporate responsibility should not be reason for your competitors
to put a bull's eye on your back,'' said Nathan Barankin, a spokesman for California Attorney General Bill Lockyer.

More than 20 subpoenas have been issued for firearms manufacturers,
distributors and others, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said
Wednesday. He said the federal government also is studying the issue, but the
Justice Department did not return a message seeking comment.

Smith & Wesson last month agreed to include safety locks with all handguns —
external locks at first, and internal ones within two years. New guns will not
accept magazines holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, the
company agreed to invest in ``smart gun'' technology that allows only the
owner to pull the trigger, and to eliminate advertising that might attract children
or criminals.

In exchange, a number of municipalities, states and the federal governments agreed not to sue the company
over gun violence.

Now, Blumenthal said he had received reports of communication among companies, Internet postings,
conversations or threats involving a ban on magazine ads for Smith & Wesson, and attempts to discourage
lawyers from representing the manufacturer.

Blumenthal and the attorneys general of New York and Maryland began the
investigation last week. Blumenthal said that California, Florida and Massachusetts
are joining the probe.

``The indications are sufficiently strong that we believe a full-scale effort is
justified,'' Blumenthal said.

Gun Owners of America spokesman John Velleco said the group is within its First
Amendment rights to call for a boycott. He said the industry is too fragmented to
collude against the company.

``Gunmakers couldn't organize a one-car funeral,'' Velleco said.

Ed Schultz, president of Springfield, Mass.-based Smith & Wesson, said his company did not ask for the
investigation, but ``we certainly disagree with the kinds of things the attorneys general think may be going on.''

Schultz said he was aware of only two dealers who stopped doing business with the company, and no problems
with distributors.

Schultz also said Smith & Wesson has not seen a decline in sales. Since the agreement, the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development and the mayors of Atlanta, Detroit and Miami have taken steps to give
preference to Smith & Wesson for new weapons purchases.

In its defense, the gun industry will probably argue that any retaliation stemmed from individual decisions by gun
buyers, said University of Connecticut law professor Kurt Strasser.

A spokeswoman for RSR Group Inc., a wholesaler in Florida, said it decided independently to no longer deal with
Smith & Wesson.

``There is absolutely no activity of that sort on our part,'' Beatriz Atorresagasti said. ``We're not even
advocating that anyone stop buying Smith & Wesson products.''
 
I pray to God that California gets involved! Now you play on my turf...lets rock, you candy weasels!

I'm more than willing to accept a Pyrrhic victory to destroy the scum....are they?

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"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!
 
Since when did Blumenthal become a Federal Magistrate. He needs to keep his rear-end in Connecticut and let the rest of us worry asbout our own business as do alot of his ilk.

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"When guns are outlawed;I will be an outlaw."
 
DC there are a lot of good people in California, but we are at a disadvantage and a minority. The only people that see all the negative comments about the state on TFL are the good guys.
I don't like 95% of what this state does but someone has to stay and be a torn in the liberals side.
I catch it from the liberals and on TFL indirectly. Thats a shame when we are trying to accomplish the same thing.
 
Chief..
I know, I live in Calif and am not leaving.

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"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes" RKBA!
 
Has anyone noticed the rather stunning silence from the GOP on this?

How come the entire GOP party and Congressional leadership continue to be rather docile?

GW is too :(

The tide is washing away the lines in the sand.
 
The Republican party is corrupt. GW is too.
Does that answer your question?

Oh yeah, and did you notice that AGAIN they tried to pretend that the deal was for trigger locks and lower magazine capacity? In two weeks no one but us will even remember anything in that deal that so much as suggested restraint of trade or restrictions on other makers and retailers. That's why all 5000 of us need to be telling everyone who discussess politics--husbands, wives, sisters, brothers, people you eat lunch with. Every day, if possible.
 
Yes sir DG, I've been telling everyone here at work (state of OK) what the deal was REALLY about and they all just drop their jaw :eek: and say they didn't know that. Of course then I tell them it's because of the media bias against guns, another topic). But I am certainly doing my part in spreading the truth to as many people as I can. If we all do it then the media and klinton's sheeple won't win on this one. I just wish I could see a major news source speak the truth, it sure would bring up my moral. :(

Since there is over 5000 members registered here then there should be at least over 10,000 who know the truth cause we all know at least 1 person. And this is a deal that is easy to back up with facts because the agreement is all over the internet. This news needs to get out to help our side.

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Until the antis put a sign in their front yard that says they don't own guns, they are riding on the shirt-tail of the safety that we provide by owning them.
 
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