The National Rifle Association (NRA) last week filed a lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles over a new law which requires contractors to disclose any times they have with the gun owners group.
The National Rifle Assn. filed a lawsuit Wednesday challenging a new Los Angeles law requiring companies that seek contracts with the city to disclose whether they have ties to the gun rights group.
The suit was filed in federal court on behalf of the NRA, including a John Doe, who is described in court documents as an NRA member and business operator with several L.A. city contracts.
“Plaintiff Doe participates in this action as a Doe participant because he reasonably fears retribution from the city and the potential loss of lucrative contracts should Doe’s identity be known,” the lawsuit says.
Los Angeles councilmen claim that the law is merely for informational purposes and will in no way, shape or form affect the city's contracting decisions.
City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell championed the new law, arguing in a motion he presented last year that city residents and stakeholders “deserve to know” whether taxpayer funds are being spent on contractors with ties to the NRA.
They "deserve to know," but O'Farrell won't me swayed by complaints against an organization that he says is “one of the most significant roadblocks to sensible gun safety reform at every level of government across the nation.”
“The disclosure has no bearing on who does or does not receive a contract with the city,” O’Farrell spokesman Tony Arranaga said Wednesday. “This is for information only, not retaliation.”
NRA attorney Chuck Michel on Wednesday issued a statement saying the law represents “modern day McCarthyism.”
“Politicians are free to disagree with the NRA’s pro-freedom, firearm safety, and self-reliance message, but they aren’t free to censor it — as this would do when NRA supporters drop their NRA affiliations for fear of losing work from the city because they get put on this blacklist,” Michel said.
The NRA’s lawsuit states the city law violates the 1st Amendment rights of free speech and association and the 14th Amendment right to equal protection under the law. The lawsuit asks the court to declare the law unconstitutional.
Methinks Los Angeles will be cutting another check for attorneys fees to the NRA before long.
[…] county contractors who are members and subjecting them to the sort of scrutiny and opprobrium that Los Angeles has attempted is sure to result in yet another lawsuit that the supervisors will undoubtedly […]