Last month, New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney summoned firearms manufacturers to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform committee that she chairs. Ruger CEO Chris Killoy and Daniel Defense’s Marty Daniel appeared and parried, as best they could, the ignorance, misinformation and lies about the guns they make, the companies they run, and the industry of which they are a part.
It was every bit the star chamber affair everyone knew it would be, with committee Democrats attacking both the First and Second Amendments while smearing gun makers with falsehoods and displaying their impressive level of ignorance about the industry and the products gun makers produce.
One intended target, Smith & Wesson CEO Mark Smith, declined Chairwoman Maloney’s “invitation” to participate. He apparently saw no reason to subject himself or his company to the ritual abuse and smears he knew would be directed his way.
Maloney didn’t take the snub well. It seems that telling an endangered legislator that you won’t participate in her made-for-the-media dog-and-pony show can have consequences. A few days later, Maloney issued subpoenas, hoping to extract detailed sales and marketing information from Smith & Wesson on the AR pattern rifles that she can use to harm the publicly traded company and further her goal of limiting Americans’ gun rights.
Yesterday, CEO Smith fired back, issuing the following statement . . .
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.
Smith & Wesson – EMPOWERING AMERICANS.
