Certain businesses, such as oil drilling and production, coal mining and firearms manufacturing, have become whipping boys for Democrats and their Far Left allies in the media and activist organizations. On August 1, House Oversight and Reform Committee
Chairwoman Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) sent a letter to firearm manufacturer Smith & Wesson notifying them that she had issued them a subpoena “for documents related to [the] company’s manufacture and sale of AR-15-style firearms.”
As our friends at the NRA-ILA observed, congressional subpoenas are supposed to be limited to acquiring information for a legitimate legislative purpose. A cynic could be forgiven for thinking that Maloney’s purpose is to publicly attack a political adversary for electoral gain. The representative’s actions come amidst a heated Democratic primary with fellow congressman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.).
Amid an unprecedented and unjustified attack on the firearm industry, Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. President & CEO Mark Smith issued the following statement in response to the latest attack on the firearms industry from Democrats in Congress:
“A number of politicians and their lobbying partners in the media have recently sought to disparage Smith & Wesson. Some have had the audacity to suggest that after they have vilified, undermined and defunded law enforcement for years, supported prosecutors who refuse to hold criminals accountable for their actions, overseen the decay of our country’s mental health infrastructure, and generally promoted a culture of lawlessness, Smith & Wesson and other firearm manufacturers are somehow responsible for the crime wave that has predictably resulted from these destructive policies. But they are the ones to blame for the surge in violence and lawlessness, and they seek to avoid any responsibility for the crisis of violence they have created by attempting to shift the blame to Smith & Wesson, other firearm manufacturers and law-abiding gun owners.
It is no surprise that the cities suffering most from violent crime are the very same cities that have promoted irresponsible, soft-on-crime policies that often treat criminals as victims and victims as criminals. Many of these same cities also maintain the strictest gun laws in the nation. But rather than confront the failure of their policies, certain politicians have sought more laws restricting the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens, while simultaneously continuing to undermine our institutions of law and order. And to suppress the truth, some now seek to prohibit firearm manufacturers and supporters of the 2nd Amendment from advertising products in a manner designed to remind law-abiding citizens that they have a Constitutional right to bear arms in defense of themselves and their families.
To be clear, a Smith & Wesson firearm has never broken into a home; a Smith & Wesson firearm has never assaulted a woman out for a late-night run in the city; a Smith & Wesson firearm has never carjacked an unsuspecting driver stopped at a traffic light.
Instead, Smith & Wesson provides these citizens with the means to protect themselves and their families.
We are proud of our 170-year history. We are proud of the commitment of our employees to making a quality product. We are proud to provide law-abiding citizens and law enforcement – our customers – with the tools to provide for their security and independence. We are proud of our responsible business practices.
We will continue to work alongside law enforcement, community leaders and lawmakers who are genuinely interested in creating safe neighborhoods. We will engage those who genuinely seek productive discussions, not a means of scoring political points. We will continue informing law-abiding citizens that they have a Constitutionally-protected right to defend themselves and their families. We will never back down in our defense of the 2nd Amendment.”
However, Smith & Wesson Brands, Inc. President & CEO Mark Smith’s most important inspiration to other business leaders wasn’t in his words, but in his actions.
After scorching cynical and incompetent politicians in his statement Mr. Smith told Congress that Smith & Wesson has no documents to hand over saying exactly how many AR-15-style rifles it sells or how much money it makes selling them.
In short, Smith & Wesson refused to get suckered into the game played by House Oversight Committee Chair Rep Carolyn B. Maloney of New York and offer any analysis of the use of its AR platform and similar rifles in mass shootings or other homicides. It also refused to get suckered into discussing what analysis is done into how its own advertising plays into the shootings. We commend Mr. Smith for wisely and firmly refusing to braid the rope for his own hanging, which is what Maloney and other Democrats have in mind for all firearms manufacturers and owners.
CEO Mark Smith
gun rights
Second Amendment
Smith & Wesson brands
congressional subpoenas
firearms manufacturers
self defense
House Oversight Committee Chair Rep Carolyn B. Maloney