NSSF Calls on Congress to Investigate 'Conspiracy' Behind Chicago's Lawsuit Against Glock

Townhall Media

National Shooting Sports Foundation senior vice president and general counsel Larry Keane pulled no punches when I asked him about his thoughts on the city of Chicago's new lawsuit against Glock (supported by Everytown Law) that alleges the gunmaker is "facilitating" the illegal conversion of its pistols into machine guns through the use of switches. 

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"The head of Everytown has been bragging and tweeting about this lawsuit and has essentially admitted, and I know this to be the case, that the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which is staffed by Rob Wilcox, the former top federal lobbyist for Everytown, tried to pressure and muscle Glock into changing the design of their pistol," Keane said, adding that the pistol is one of the most reliable on the market today. 

Keane says that both Chicago's complaint and Everytown's posts have ignored the fact Glock has been actively working with the Department of Homeland Security to curb the use of switches and has even filed lawsuits when possible against those who are illegally manufacturing and importing the devices, which are often made in China before being illicitly shipped here. 

"NSSF is going to call for a congressional investigation into the inappropriate actions of Rob Wilcox and the people in the White House who tried to muscle Glock, and when they failed to do that, picked up the phone and called Everytown to encourage them to sue Glock because they didn't accede to the foolish wishes of Wilcox and the White House to change their design of their perfectly functioning firearm," Keane informed Bearing Arms. 

"They [Glock] are being attacked by this lawsuit orchestrated through, and I will say this word, a conspiracy between the White House and Everytown and the city of Chicago to attack Glock and try to blame them for this criminal conduct. It is ridiculous, and Congress needs to investigate this illegal conspiracy by Rob Wilcox, the White House, Everytown, and the city of Chicago."

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So where is the ATF in all of this? According to Keane, he's heard that the agency tried to have a similar meeting with Glock, and he says it's possible that ATF Director Steve Dettelbach could try to reclassify Glocks or a large body of semi-automatic firearms as machine guns going forward. 

"I don't know that the White House would have to twist many arms. Maybe a pinkie," Keane opined. "We've seen this argument advanced by Brady and others that, for example, modern sporting rifles have actually been machine guns all along because someone can illegally convert it to function as a fully automatic firearm."

Keane notes that the ATF has resisted that argument in the past, but that doesn't mean that it will continue to do so. After all, as Keane pointed out, the agency has reversed its position on bump stocks, frames and receivers, and stabilizing braces in recent years, and Dettelbach could easily do the same when it comes to semi-automatic firearms if that's what his boss demands. 

Keane believes that's unlikely to happen between now and November, but warns that if Biden gets a second term in office all options will be on the table. That's one reason why the National Shooting Sports Foundation has launched the Protect Liberty PAC, with plans to support pro-Second Amendment candidates throughout the summer and fall. 

"Unfortunately NRA is not in a position to bring those resources to bear in this upcoming election as they have in the past, and that's why NSSF has stepped up and formed a super PAC to help replace some of those resources," Keane said. 

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"Whatever your listeners can do; $1, $10, $17.76, $20.24, $47 for the next president. Every single penny will help to replace the resources that NRA cannot bring to bear in this election because of their ongoing challenges, which, let's admit, are largely self-inflicted," Keane urged.

"Nevertheless, the Second Amendment is not about the NRA, right? It's about all of us. All Americans who cherish our freedoms, and our liberties. This is the most hostile, anti-gun administration in the history of America. Far worse than anything Obama did. Far worse than anything Clinton did. This is a whole-of-government attack against our Second Amendment rights."

Be sure to check out the entire conversation with Keane in the video window below for more on the new lawsuit against Glock and the NSSF's work this election cycle, as well as the new law in Indiana that will hopefully put an end to a politically motivated lawsuit against gun makers that's been going on for nearly 25 years. 


 

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