Today (2/15/22), the families of nine victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting have secured a historic settlement with the gun manufacturer Remington. While this settlement does not erase the pain of that tragic day, it does begin the necessary work of holding gun manufacturers accountable for manufacturing weapons of war and irresponsibly marketing these firearms.
This progress is the result of the perseverance of nine families who turned tragedy into purpose. They have demonstrated that state and city consumer protection laws — like Connecticut’s Unfair Trade Practices Act — provide an opportunity to hold gun manufacturers and dealers accountable for wrongdoing despite the persistence of the federal immunity shield for those companies.
As I have repeatedly called for, Congress must repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act so we can fully hold gun manufacturers and dealers accountable. But in the meantime, I will continue to urge state and local lawmakers, lawyers, and survivors of gun violence to pursue efforts to replicate the success of Sandy Hook families. Together, we can deliver a clear message to gun manufacturers and dealers : they must either change their business models to be part of the solution for the gun violence epidemic, or they will bear the financial cost of their complicity.
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Thank you Mr. President, for always trying to do the right thing.
I’ve honestly never figured out what the liability is here. I know that emotionally we want someone to pay, but unless they are selling a defective product why are they responsible for what people do with them? I don’t think it’s like tobacco which for years lied about its harm potential or marketed to kids.
“Truth has become a matter of opinion.” David Hogg
“If there was an asteroid coming toward earth the greatest threat wouldn’t be if we could defend ourselves from it or not. In case the past two years haven’t made it clear — the greatest threat would being able to agree if it’s real or not. Truth has become a matter of opinion.” David Hogg
Why don’t we allow background checks for owning a gun?
It’s easier to get a gun than a library card.