INDIANA COURT BECOMES FIRST TO RULE GUN INDUSTRY LEGAL SHIELD LAW UNCONSTITUTIONAL

Washington, D.C. (10/27/06) - In a landmark ruling with nationwide implications, Lake County, Indiana Superior Court Judge Robert A. Pete on Monday declared unconstitutional a 2005 Federal law backed by the gun lobby that sought to limit the legal liability of gun dealers and manufacturers in the case of City of Gary v. Smith & Wesson et al.

• Read the full press release
• Click here to read the court's ruling

POLICE OFFICIALS SLAM NRA MOVES TO WEAKEN GUN LAW ENFORCEMENT AS OUTLINED IN NEW REPORT FROM BRADY CENTER

Washington, D.C. (10/26/06) - Law enforcement officials today joined with the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence to denounce the National Rifle Association's campaign to weaken enforcement of federal gun laws. The NRA's attacks on federal law enforcement are profiled in a new Brady Center report, The NRA: A Criminal's Best Friend, which chronicles decades of NRA assaults on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that have greatly aided criminals seeking to obtain illegal firearms.

• Download the report The NRA: A Criminal's Best Friend
• Read the full press release

NRA BOARD MEMBER RESIGNS AFTER BRADY CENTER EXPOSES MASSIVE LEGAL VIOLATIONS

Notorious lawbreaker and NRA Board Member Sandy Abrams has resigned from the NRA's Board of Directors, leaving in disgrace after the Brady Center exposed his gun shop's massive violations of federal gun laws. Abrams was re-elected to the NRA's Board three times despite his escalating lawlessness, most recently in 2005, after revelations that his shop was cited for 900 violations of federal gun laws. The NRA vigorously defended Abrams, with NRA lawyers suing the government to restore his gun shop's license. Abrams' resignation came only after a Brady Center special report led to television and front-page news coverage on ABC and in the Washington Post and Baltimore Sun.

In a further embarrassment to the NRA, on October 26, 2006, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the NRA's attempt to restore Abrams' firearms license. George H.W. Bush appointee Judge Paul Niemeyer wrote that Abrams "simply does not care about the legal requirements" of federal gun laws and that the government "meaningfully served the public safety" in shutting him down. The NRA is supporting legislation, H.R. 5092, which would prevent similar license revocations for lawbreaking gun dealers.

• Click here to read the Brady Center report - Death Valley: Profile of a Rogue Gun Dealer
• Click here to read the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling against Abrams