For Immediate Release:

Pro Gun Lawsuit to be Filed in Mid September, Requires Support

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Dear 2nd Amendment Supporters,

The Civil Liberties Defense Foundation was formed in 1999 for the purpose of providing educational information relating to the preservation of the civil liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution and to provide legal services necessary for the protection of those rights.

CLDF IS CURRENTLY RAISING THE FUNDS AND LAYING THE LEGAL GROUNDWORK FOR A LAWSUIT TO PROTECT YOUR SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHTS.

In 1999, 76 Texas state representatives and many senators fought for and succeeded in passing S.B. 717, which now prohibits Texas cities from filing frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers, retailers, and ammunition producers.

Despite their noble efforts in Texas, 31 U.S. cities and the state of New York have filed frivolous lawsuits against the gun manufacturers and many retailers in an effort to achieve gun control through the courts and ultimately bankrupt the gun industry.

The lawsuits have already had an adverse effect on gun manufacturers. Colt has announced that because of the lawsuits they will no longer sell certain handguns to the public. In addition, several manufacturers have filed for bankruptcy protection, with more expected to do so in the near future.

Most recently, Smith & Wesson signed an agreement with the Clinton Administration that bypasses the legislative process and imposes gun control on Smith & Wesson, the gun stores that buy from them, and us. If this agreement goes into effect, it will require all would-be firearm purchasers to undergo government-approved training; it will require all sales to be recorded in a database linked to the BATF; it will require all firearms sold to be equipped with "smart-gun" technology within three years; and it will require the manufacturers to use 1% of their gross income to fund anti-gun education.

THE EVENTS THAT HAVE TRANSPIRED AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE LAWSUITS AGAINST THE GUN INDUSTRY THREATEN, AND MAY IRREVOCABLY DAMAGE, THE RIGHT OF AMERICANS TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS.

In light of this precarious situation, many of the original sponsors of S.B. 717 have concluded that legal action can and should be taken to protect our rights. As such, a lawsuit will be filed on their behalf, and for the benefit of all Americans, against the cities and state that have conspired to deprive us of our Second Amendment rights.

THIS LAWSUIT WILL BE FILED IN MID-SEPTEMBER.

In addition, several Texas gun stores have expressed an interest in becoming plaintiffs in the lawsuit and will be suing under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution (Art. 1, Section 8, cl. 3), which forbids state and local governments from enacting laws or policies that place an undue burden on interstate commerce. Based on the Commerce Clause, the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently held unconstitutional state and local laws that seek to regulate business in other states and will certainly frown upon the current attempts.

The objective of this project is to protect the right to keep and bear arms and the right to participate in interstate commerce by holding the cities liable for conspiring to deprive American citizens and gun dealers of these rights.

We want to put a stop, once and for all, to the attempts by litigious attorneys to hold lawful industries strictly liable for the criminal misuse of their products.

If we do not stop them now, the alcohol, automotive and countless other industries will be attacked next, thus sending prices skyward and affecting the availability and affordability of products for the average consumer.

Over 30 lawsuits have been filed against the gun industry, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development is threatening to sue the industry on behalf of public housing residents if the remaining gun manufacturers do not follow the lead of Smith & Wesson and yield to the extortion of the cities.

The lawsuits are being funded by gun control groups across the nation and by the attorneys who made billions from suing the tobacco companies. Our effort to preserve your freedom is a classic case of David and Goliath. As such, we need your financial support to persevere.

It is estimated that litigation of this magnitude will cost upwards of $500,000. In addition, we must also raise enough money to launch a public relations campaign to convince the American people that the legal system should not be abused, nor should lawful industries be frivolously attacked by trial attorneys or public officials seeking to bypass the legislative process to achieve policy goals, while lining their own pockets.

If you believe in the principles upon which this great nation was founded, if you believe as Thomas Jefferson did that "no Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms," then you should join us in our effort to preserve and protect the Constitution and the unalienable rights endowed to us by our Creator.

Edmund Burke once said, "all that is necessary for evil to prevail, is for good men to do nothing." We beseech you, do not stand by as our freedom is stripped from our hands.

Please make a contribution to this historic effort today. You may do so by sending a check or moneyorder to:

Civil Liberties Defense Foundation P.O. Box 163653 Austin, Texas 78716