Giffords gun group sues Trump administration

The gun control group founded by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) is suing the Trump administration over the failure to turn over documents relating to communications between administration officials and the National Rifle Association (NRA).

The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence filed the lawsuit this week against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to force it to comply with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests into the administration’s correspondence with the NRA.

The lawsuit cites two instances of the ATF failing to respond to requests into whether it had been influenced by pro-gun lobbyists and how far they had allegedly influenced the bureau in pursuing “dangerous policies and to oppose common sense gun-violence-prevention measures.” 

{mosads}

Giffords’s group accuses the Trump administration of following the NRA in “lockstep” after recent tragedies such as the Las Vegas shooting, in its emphasis on prayer and support for affected families instead of pushing for new gun legislation. 

In the lawsuit, the group seeks information on the Trump administration’s handling of calls for lethal gun accessories such as bump stocks, which were recovered following the Las Vegas shooting, in relation to gun lobbying organizations. 

Trump has been a vocal supporter of gun rights in the wake of tragedies, including the recent attack on a church in rural Texas.