BELLEVUE, WA – -(Ammoland.com)-The Department of Justice and Second Amendment Foundation have reached a settlement in SAF’s lawsuit on behalf of Cody Wilson and Defense Distributed over free speech issues related to 3-D files and other information that may be used to manufacture lawful firearms.
SAF and Defense Distributed had filed suit against the State Department under the Obama administration, challenging a May 2013 attempt to control public speech as an export under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), a Cold War-era law intended to control exports of military articles.
Under terms of the settlement, the government has agreed to waive its prior restraint against the plaintiffs, allowing them to freely publish the 3-D files and other information at issue. The government has also agreed to pay a significant portion of the plaintiffs’ attorney’s fees, and to return $10,000 in State Department registration dues paid by Defense Distributed as a result of the prior restraint.
Significantly, the government expressly acknowledges that non-automatic firearms up to .50-caliber – including modern semi-auto sporting rifles such as the popular AR-15 and similar firearms – are not inherently military.
“Not only is this a First Amendment victory for free speech, it also is a devastating blow to the gun prohibition lobby,” noted SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “For years, anti-gunners have contended that modern semi-automatic sport-utility rifles are so-called ‘weapons of war,’ and with this settlement, the government has acknowledged they are nothing of the sort.
“Under this settlement,” he continued, “the government will draft and pursue regulatory amendments that eliminate ITAR control over the technical information at the center of this case. They will transfer export jurisdiction to the Commerce Department, which does not impose prior restraint on public speech. That will allow Defense Distributed and SAF to publish information about 3-D technology.”
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 600,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
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Its odd the comment sway from this extreme to the next. If a simple read of Constitutional text penned by the Founders is to reveal a truth of statement, Shall Not, etc, and observations by the very same people who wrote it saying to avoid squeezing out meaning other than the plain reading of same, why not simply accept it? Reason, it does not fit their agenda. Agenda number one this very moment is to disarm this nation. No nation so disarmed will long exist other than under the bootheel of the tyrant. A second amendment stick has been shoved… Read more »
The government seems to have been slapped down here, in a richly deserved verdict.
The Supreme Court in its 2008 decision District_of_Columbia_v._Heller ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia. Specifically, they stated that the right being protected from infringement was not that of any militia, but the right of the people. This is settled law folks.
As was brought out by Calin B., the 2nd amendment has nothing to do with sporting.weapons. It has everything to do with protecting ourselves from a tyrannical government. That being said, it is our Constitutional right to keep and bear any and all weapons we deem necessary. The government has systematically taken away this right and others because they don’t mean to govern, they mean to RULE. This is the very “government” our founding fathers were writing about. We are one short step away from being another Russia, China or any other communist totalitarian shithole. It’s totally up to we… Read more »
Well good for them! Just think that government overreach should be punished significantly harsher.
From the Column.
Steve says:
July 11, 2018 at 5:39 PM
“A well regulated Militia,” if you have never served in the military? You are not protected by second amendment. All this crap about private arsenal or anarchic paramilitary is in violation of 2nd Amendment
Steve, It appears you attended “StupidU” or “Dumbbell University”. Go get your money back, YOU FAILED COMMON SENSE 101
PLEASE STOP POSTING RANTS that the anti 2a crowd will use as indications of the mentally unhinged being those in support of this ruling. While it likely is trolling from the anti 2a crowd making these horrible and racist postings it’s still posted on a website where they will be taken at face value without this considered. We must openly denounce these rantings on this to show this is NOT who we are. Stop and think about your words before posting on the interwebs where everyone can see your comments and remember nothing ever goes away on the internet. You’re… Read more »
My question is what took them, the feds, so long to admit the AR is not a military weapon?! I am so darned tired of hea0ring from liberal lawmakers talking about their “facts” that an AR can empty a 30 round “clip” in 1.3 seconds!! Whether they were flat out telling lies or severely misinformed, these lawmakers sounded amazingly ignorant.