Smith & Wesson fired back at the House Oversight and Reform Committee subpoena filed by Democrats, which seeks details on its modern sporting rifles (MSR), issuing a stinging rebuke of crime in Democrat-run cities with strict gun control on law-abiding citizens and "soft-on-crime policies."
"A number of politicians and their lobbying partners in the media have recently sought to disparage Smith & Wesson," CEO Mark Smith wrote in a statement Monday. "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," Smith continued. "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 Second 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 Second 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."
In addition to requesting data on MSRs, the House Oversight Committee chaired by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., sought crime and death data.
"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," Smith's statement continued.
"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."
Smith's statement concluded the subpoena was merely an effort to score "political points" while Democrats were failing on the crime issue.
"We will continue to work alongside law enforcement, community leaders and lawmakers who are genuinely interested in creating safe neighborhoods," it read. "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 Second Amendment."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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