The following is a press release from the Firearms Policy Coalition:
Today, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced a victory in its case against the City of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Mayor Bill Peduto. FPC was joined by co-plaintiffs Firearm Owners Against Crime (FOAC), Firearms Policy Foundation (FPF), and three individual gun owners. The plaintiffs were represented by Joshua Prince of Civil Rights Defense Firm, P.C. The opinion and order issued by Judge Joseph M. James, holding that “Ordinances 2018-1218, 2018-1219, 2018-1220 are void and unenforceable,” is available online at PittsburghCase.com.
“I am delighted that Judge James’ decision today appropriately struck down the City of Pittsburgh’s unlawful firearm ordinances and signage,” said attorney Joshua Prince. “The City’s gun control sought to eviscerate the inviolate right of the residents of the Commonwealth to keep and bear arms and ensnare law-abiding citizens through a patchwork of laws. Today, Judge James made clear that Mayor Peduto and the Pittsburgh City Council are neither above the law nor a special class of citizens that may violate the law with impunity.”
“We look forward to Judge James issuing a decision on Allegheny County Sportsmen’s League’s contempt petition against the City of Pittsburgh and District Attorney Zappala filing criminal charges against Mayor Peduto and the City Council Members who enacted these illegal ordinances,” Prince concluded.
“Pennsylvania’s preemption statute serves an important purpose, to ensure that Pennsylvanians are not subjected to a patchwork of illogical and inconsistent rules and regulations pertaining to the firearms they chose to employ,” explained FPC Director of Legal Strategy, Adam Kraut.
“The City of Pittsburgh, along with support from the billionaire funded Everytown for Gun Safety, decided to waste City taxpayers’ money by knowingly violating Pennsylvania law,” Kraut continued. “Fortunately for those who favor individual liberty and the rule of law, the Court held what everyone already knew to be true—state law ‘preempts any local regulation pertaining to the regulation of firearms.’ ”
“We are gratified to have partnered on this important case and successfully defended the rights of those who reside in or visit Pittsburgh against corrupt, anti-rights politicians and the evil gun control lobby,” said FPC President Brandon Combs. “We are prepared to defeat the City and Everytown once more should they decide to appeal this ruling.”
In a prior statement, FOAC President Kim Stolfer said, “Peduto and his ‘gun-grabbing gang of six’ at the City Council know that they violated the Pennsylvania Constitution and statutory law. These political puppets of the gun control lobby have victimized the people of Pittsburgh and burdened the taxpayers with an unconstitutional and unlawful pile of radical garbage.”
The City was represented by Everytown Law, the litigation arm of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, a gun control group, as well as Carlson Lynch LLP and the City’s Department of Law.
Firearms Policy Coalition (www.firearmspolicy.org) is a 501(c)(4) grassroots nonprofit organization. FPC’s mission is to defend the People’s rights—especially the fundamental, individual Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms—advance individual liberty, and restore freedom.
Firearms Policy Foundation (www.firearmsfoundation.org) is a 501(c)3 grassroots nonprofit organization. FPF’s mission is to defend the People’s rights and promote individual liberty through research, education, and legal action programs.