Supreme Court blocks Mexico's lawsuit against U.S. gunmakers
The Supreme Court rejected on Thursday Mexico's $10 billion lawsuit against U.S. gun makers that alleged the companies' loose controls allowed for the weapons to be illegally trafficked in the Latin American nation.
Why it matters: The unanimous ruling ends a years long legal battle in the first-of-its kind suit that saw the Mexican government try to hold U.S. gunmakers accountable for drug cartels' high rates of gun violence in parts of the country.
State of play The Supreme Court ruled that the six gun manufacturers, including Smith & Wesson and Glock, and a distributor were shielded under the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA).
Congress enacted this law in 2005 "to halt lawsuits attempting to make gun manufacturers pay for harms resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of firearms," wrote Justice Elena Kagan.
"In asserting that the manufacturers intentionally supply guns to bad-apple dealers, Mexico never confronts that the manufacturers do not directly supply any dealers, bad-apple or otherwise."
Kagan said the Mexican government had not pinpointed, "as most aiding-and-abetting claims do, any specific criminal transactions that the defendants" were alleged to have assisted."
What they're saying: Smith & Wesson in a statement Thursday called the ruling a" big win for Smith & Wesson," the weapons industry, "American sovereignty and, most importantly, every American who wishes to exercise his or her Second Amendment rights."
The company added, "This suit, brought by Mexico in collaboration with U.S.-based anti-Second Amendment activist groups, was an afront to our nation's sovereignty and a direct attack on the Constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans."
The other side: Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in a statement it "strongly disagrees" with the Supreme Court's decision and it will continue to do "everything in its power to curb illicit arms trafficking, exhausting all available legal and diplomatic remedies."
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