We’re representing Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence in a series of lawsuits seeking to uncover the NRA’s dangerous influence over the Trump Administration’s gun safety policies and the President’s selection of judicial nominees for lifetime appointments on the federal bench.

The suits, filed against the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) after the agencies failed to respond to multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, seek to reveal the gun lobby’s role in directing the Trump Administration’s selection of judicial nominees, legislative agenda, public response to recent mass shootings, and regulatory efforts—including influence on bump stocks regulations and concealed carry reciprocity policies.

Leading up to the tragic mass shootings in Sutherland Springs, Texas and Las Vegas, Nevada, the Trump Administration enacted numerous NRA-backed policies, including easing regulations on the use of lead bullets, cutting the number of fugitives barred from purchasing guns, and dramatically deregulating the export of assault weapons and ammunition to foreign countries.

Despite the gravity of the ongoing gun violence epidemic, which claimed the lives of 38,000 Americans last year, the Trump Administration has failed to release any information on its coordination and communications with the gun lobby on critical matters of public safety.

Meanwhile, the Senate is poised to approve President Trump’s nominees for lifetime appointments to the more than 100 federal judgeships that are currently vacant. Four of these nominees received an explicit endorsement from the NRA. The first of these NRA-backed judges was confirmed to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in September, and the nominations of the other three will be considered by the full Senate for confirmation soon.

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Pro-Gun Judges

Courthouse News Wire / December 19, 2017