How Congress gave gun makers immunity from lawsuits—and could derail justice for Sandy Hook famil

[riversedge]

https://www.hillaryclinton.com/feed/how-congress-gave-gun-industry-immunity-lawsuits/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=tw&utm_campaign=20160222feed_guns



How Congress gave gun makers immunity from lawsuits—and could derail justice for Sandy Hook families

Feb 22, 2016 by Corey Ciorciari

And why that's a big, big problem.

Today, several families of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting are in court, waiting to hear whether their lawsuit against Bushmaster—the company that manufactured the military-style gun used to kill their loved ones—can go forward.

The chances are slim.


That’s because the gun industry has a unique legal protection, thanks to their allies in Congress.

Under a law passed by a Republican-controlled Congress in 2005, victims of gun violence cannot legally hold irresponsible gun dealers or manufacturers accountable in most cases where their actions endanger Americans.

Here’s what that means: In the United States, you can sue a toy company for making an unsafe teddy bear—but it’s nearly impossible to sue a company that manufactured an assault rifle used to kill a classroom of elementary school students.

And the family of one of the victims of the Aurora, Colorado, movie theater shooting was legally blocked from suing an online gun dealer that sold 4,000 rounds of ammunition to the shooter without checking his driver’s license. In fact, since the law was passed, nearly every lawsuit filed against gun manufacturers has been dismissed.

The executive vice president of the NRA, Wayne LaPierre, has called the immunity law “the most significant piece of pro-gun legislation in 20 years.”

This law, which has been on the books for more than 10 years, is a startling example of what’s at stake in this election. Because if you agree with President Obama that we need a president who will stand up to the gun lobby, the choice is clear.
Hillary Clinton (and then-Senator Obama) stood up to the gun lobby and voted against shielding firearms manufacturers and dealers from legal liability.



Bernie Sanders voted with the gun lobby. In fact, he did it twice: once in 2005, and once in 2003.

Senator Sanders’s votes to give the gun lobby legal immunity are even more puzzling when you consider this: He voted to reject that same immunity for fast-food restaurants and five other industries.............

[workinclasszero]

1. The absolute worst thing Bernie has done is go along with the NRA

I freakin hate it!

[pandr32]

4. It also shows his own pay-for-play problem

AND..if he has already done it he could do it again.

[workinclasszero]

5. Nooooo not St Bernie!!

You blasphemer! (I agree!)

He's a hypocrite politician acting like he doesn't have the blood of innocents all over his hands and his followers treat Hillary like she is the spawn of satan!

[pandr32]

7. You got that right!

[stonecutter357]

2. Disgusting.

[ismnotwasm]

3. Goddamn them.

[wysi]

6. I'd like to see BS supporters...

... try to justify this, because they can't. BS, in the pocket of the NRA and arms industry.