13 States And Washington DC Back Mexican Govt's Lawsuit Against US Gun Manufacturers

Having failed to sufficiently capitalize on mass shootings and other gun violence, Democrats are now supporting an end-run effort to cripple manufacturers and distributors of firearms by challenging their existing immunity from lawsuits, and then seeking to hold them liable for crimes committed with their products.

13 Democratic state attorneys general and Washington DC have expressed support for a federal lawsuit by the Mexican government against a group of eight US gunmakers and distributors, which they accuse of fueling gun violence by facilitating the trafficking of weapons to Mexican cartels. Mexico alleges that the companies have been fully aware that their products are trafficked into the country, and argues they have a duty to ensure their products are used safely.

The case itself is a test of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which shields gun manufacturers from both lawsuits (procedural law) and liability (substantive law). In short, Mexico - and the US attorneys general - are asking the District Court of Massachusetts - to rule that PLCAA's protection is not unlimited, and that this lawsuit seeking to hold them liable should be allowed to proceed.