What to Know Today
Senators to FTC: Investigate gun industry advertising. A group of 12 Democratic senators sent a letter to Lina Khan, chair of the Federal Trade Commission, urging her to “undertake an investigation and consider regulation of the unfair and deceptive advertising practices used by the firearms industry.” The senators cite Daniel Defense, the company that made the rifle used in the Uvalde, Texas, mass shooting, as an example of gunmakers touting their ties to the military in an effort to market weapons of war to the general public. “Time and again, these practices have had deadly consequences,” the letter reads. Read the full text here.
San Diego gun shop owner convicted in straw purchase ring involving law enforcement. Giovanni “Gio” Tilotta, the owner of Honey Badger Firearms, was found guilty in federal court of assisting a former San Diego County Sheriff’s captain in a scheme to conduct straw purchases. According to federal prosecutors, Tillota collaborated with Marco Garmo, former captain of the Sheriff’s Rancho San Diego station, to buy and sell guns on the behalf of other people, who often were prohibited from gun ownership. Tilotta also helped Garmo sell “off roster” law enforcement guns to private citizens.
12 days of September. 30 mass shootings. The Gun Violence Archive says it is on track to record more than 60 mass shootings — defined as four or more people shot — in the month of September. Over the weekend alone, there were at least six such incidents, which together left 22 injured and three dead. For a full breakdown, click here.
“It’s the biggest middle finger to the ATF.” Our friends at VICE News spoke to several manufacturers of ghost gun parts about how they’re evading the Biden administration’s new rule to limit the sale of homemade weapons. One, named Ethan Middleton, a Wisconsin-based 3D-printed gun file designer, is distributing blueprints for what are known as jigs, tools that aid in the assembly of homemade guns. “Whatever [the ATF is] going to do, we’re going to try to find a way around it,” he said. VICE’s report backs up Alain Stephen’s story from last week, which highlighted how many dealers are continuing business as usual, despite the new rules.
Gun-rights group challenges post-Sandy Hook laws. The National Association for Gun Rights has sued Connecticut over the state’s ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines, arguing the policies employ “politically charged rhetoric” and violate the Second Amendment. State Democrats quickly fired back. “Connecticut cannot and will not allow these weapons of war back into our communities,” Attorney General William Tong said in a news release. ICYMI: Marlene Pratt feared New Haven after her son’s killing. But organizing a memorial garden reestablished her bond with the city.
Data Point
57 percent — the proportion of Chinese tourists for whom mass shootings and other violent crime are cause for concern when they consider visiting the U.S. [Axios]
