OPEN LETTER FROM TEXAS REP. SUZANNA HUPP, et-al
Friends of the Second Amendment:
During the 76th Session of the Texas Legislature, Representatives
Suzanna Hupp, Rick Green, Ron Clark, Bob Turner, Ron Wilson, and
Senator Lindsay passed S.B. 717 to prohibit Texas cities from
suing the gun manufacturers. Despite our efforts here in Texas,
28 cities across the U.S. have filed frivolous lawsuits against
the gun manufacturers in an effort to achieve gun control through
the courts and bankrupt the industry.
Such lawsuits threaten the viability of gun stores in Texas and
across the nation. Colt Manufacturing has already announced that
because of the lawsuits they will no longer sell handguns to the
civilian public. In addition, Colt is in the process of buying
H & K manufacturing and has said that once the purchase is
complete, H & K will no longer sell handguns to the public.
Most recently, Smith & Wesson has announced it is up for sale.
The events that have transpired as a direct result of the lawsuits
against the gun industry do not bode well for gun dealers or gun
owners.
As such, we and a few other Texas legislators have concluded that
more must be done to stop the assault on our constitutional rights.
After consulting legal experts, we have concluded that legal action
can and should be taken against the cities that have conspired
to deprive us of our rights. We are in the process of drafting
a complaint that will be filed in a federal district court in
Texas.
We will have at least four state representatives who will sue
on behalf of themselves and their constituents alleging that the
cities have conspired to violate their right to keep and bear
arms by using the courts to impose gun control and threaten the
gun industry with bankruptcy.
In addition, several Texas gun stores will be plaintiffs in the
lawsuit because of the cities' attempt to interfere with the gun
stores' ability to participate in interstate commerce - a right
that is protected by the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
The right to keep and bear arms and the right to participate in
interstate commerce are fundamental rights that must be protected.
The mayors of the cities, empowered by the statutes creating their
offices and by ordinances and resolutions passed by the city councils,
have acted to deprive Texas citizens and gun stores of their protected
rights and should be held accountable in a court of law.
As you can well imagine, such a lawsuit will be an enormous undertaking
that will tax the resources of the plaintiffs and attorneys who
choose to participate in the lawsuit. As such, we are asking that
every freedom loving American make a donation to our legal fund,
so that we can move forward with the lawsuit and defend our Constitution
from further abuse.
If you are willing to contribute or would like more information,
please contact our public relations director, Trey Blocker, at:
TreyBlocker@libertydefense.com
Contributions can be mailed to:
Civil Liberties Defense Foundation
ATTN: Trey Blocker - Executive Director
P.O. Box 163653
Austin, Texas 78716-3653
(512) 476-0419
Or visit their website at http://www.libertydefense.com
