Cody Wilson, the founder of Defense Distributed, a non-profit hoping to make its 3-D printed pistol designs available to anyone who wants it, had won a legal battle against the U.S. government. Now, his win has been crushed by the U.S. justice system.
After the Barack Obama administration kept Defense Distributed’s firearm designs from being distributed online, arguing that uploading the files would make Wilson an illegal firearm exporter, he sued.
Under President Donald Trump, the government reversed its position and settled on June 29, going as far as paying $40,000 in legal fees. The settlement effectively allowed Defense Distributed to carry on with its plans.
But on Tuesday, just hours before the blueprints were supposed to be published online, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Lasnik put a temporary restraining order on Defense Distributed’s ability to make the files available.
With 21 attorneys general signing a letter asking Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to withdraw from the settlement, and eight attorneys general and the District of Columbia arguing that making these blueprints available posed a national security threat, it’s clear that officials are not in the business of upholding the Constitution.
It is also clear that these bureaucrats are not even interested in putting the public’s safety first, as people hoping to download the blueprint to produce a weapon for self-defense will no longer have access to it.
Instead, these government officials want nothing but to keep making Americans believe they rely on them for security, period. Why print a gun when you can call the cops?
After the restraining order, Cody Wilson’s attorney, Josh Blackman, said that the action is a violation of protected First Amendment rights.
“We were disappointed in the ruling and view it as a massive prior restraint of free speech,” he said.
But despite their protests, it’s unlikely that their side will get any sympathy.
Freedom Is Popular So Government Stands Against It
While officials did everything in their power to keep Defense Distributed from sharing any plans online, some blueprints had already been made available on Friday. It was with a heavy heart that Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said that 1,000 people had already downloaded the plans for AR-15-style rifles. After the order, however, the company agreed to not release any more plans.
In order to scare everyone who managed to grab a hold of these blueprints, Deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidley said that making or owning a ‘“wholly plastic gun of any kind” was against the law. Despite the administration’s sudden support for blocking Defense Distributed, Gidley said the administration “will continue to look at all options available to us to do what is necessary to protect Americans while also supporting the First and Second Amendments. … The President is committed to the safety and security of all Americans and considers this his highest responsibility.”
Clearly, that’s a lie. But then again, not surprising.
Politicians will say and promise whatever necessary to get elected. But promises don’t translate well into actions while in office.
A promise to uphold the Second Amendment should mean upholding the individual’s right to self-defense, plain and simple. No ifs or buts. By restricting Wilson, the administration made it clear once again that upholding the Constitution isn’t easy when the priority is to undermine Americans’ civil rights.
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