United States v. Michael Flynn

admin Constitutional Law, Litigation, U. S. District Court, District of Columbia

On behalf of Citizens United, Citizens United Foundation, and The Presidential Coalition, our firm filed an amicus brief supporting the dismissal of charges against General Michael Flynn. Our brief also opposes the court’s inquiry into bringing contempt and perjury charges against General Flynn. The case against General Flynn is currently pending in both the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, where we filed this brief, and in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit where we earlier filed a brief for General Flynn.

Link to CU/CUF/TPC Amicus Brief
Link to Motion for Leave to File

Lynchburg Range & Training v. Northam (Circuit Court Litigation)

admin Circuit Court for the City of Lynchburg, Virginia, Firearms Law, Health Law, Litigation

Today our firm filed a complaint in Lynchburg (Virginia) Circuit Court to enjoin the provision Governor Northam’s Executive Order 53 which closed “indoor shooting ranges.”

Link to Complaint
Link to Exhibits
Link to Proposed Injunction Order
Link to Mitch Tyler Affidavit
Link to Philip Van Cleave Affidavit
Link to Erich Pratt Affidavit

FOIA Complaint — Public Advocate v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

admin FOIA Law, Litigation, U. S. District Court, District of Columbia

Today we filed a complaint against the CDC for their refusal to respond to our Freedom of Information Act request for copies of records related to the CDC’s 2014 “Acting Against AIDS” campaign.

Link to Complaint
Link to Exhibit A
Link to Exhibit B
Link to Exhibit C
Link to Exhibit D
Link to Exhibit E
Link to Exhibit F
Link to Exhibit G
Link to Exhibit H

Reply to Virginia’s Response in Opposition filed in Virginia Supreme Court on Virginia Governor Northam’s Gun Ban EO

admin Constitutional Law, Firearms Law, Litigation, Statutory Construction, Virginia Supreme Court

After we filed our Emergency Petition for Review last night, this morning at about 9:15 am, the Solicitor General of Virginia filed his Response in Opposition.  We filed our Reply to that Opposition about 1:00 pm.  The Virginia Supreme Court issued an Order denying our Petition for Review about 6:15 pm.

Emergency Petition for Review filed Against Virginia Governor Northam’s Gun Ban EO

admin Constitutional Law, Firearms Law, Litigation, Statutory Construction, Virginia Supreme Court

About 6:00 pm this evening, we filed in the Virginia Supreme Court an Emergency Petition for Review asking the Court to enjoin Governor Northam’s Executive Order banning firearms on the grounds of the Virginia Capitol, as unauthorized by law, in violation of law (Virginia Code section 44-146.15) , and unconstitutional.  (See next entry.)

Complaint & Application for Temporary Injunction Against Virginia Governor Northam’s Gun Ban EO

admin Constitutional Law, Firearms Law, Litigation, Richmond Circuit Court, Statutory Construction

About noon on Wednesday, January 15, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam declared a state of emergency in Virginia and issued Executive Order 49,  which temporarily bans the possession or carrying of firearms in Richmond on Lobby Day (Monday, January 20).  Today, Thursday, January 16, about noon, on behalf of Gun Owners of America and Virginia Citizens Defense League, and three individuals, our firm filed a Complaint and Application in the the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond, seeking a temporary injunction against the Governor’s order.   In this case, we are working with David G. Browne, Esquire of Spiro and Browne,  in Richmond.  A hearing was held before Judge Joi Jeter Taylor from 1:30 to 2:30 pm.  Judge Taylor issued an Order denying our Application at 4:31 pm.  (This led to our filing an Emergency Petition for Review in the Virginia Supreme Court about 6:00 pm (see next entry).

FOIA Bombshell Disclosure — CU v. U.S. Department of State

admin FOIA Law, Litigation, Press Coverage

Today we obtained for Citizens United, from FOIA litigation against the State Department, key documents concerning the FISA Warrants against Trump Campaign workers. For the first time, these documents demonstrate that even before the first FISA Application was filed, the FBI and Justice Department were on notice that the Steele dossier was unverifiable, contained errors, was politically generated, Read More

FOIA: Public Advocate of the United States v. U.S. Department of Justice

admin FOIA Law, Litigation, U. S. District Court, District of Columbia

On April 9, 2019, we filed suit on behalf of Public Advocate of the United States against the U.S. Department of Justice seeking to obtain certain records that the Department refused to disclose. Specifically, Public Advocate sought “copies of all records demonstrating compliance or noncompliance with the DOJ’s implementation of the Sessions USA Memo directive to appoint [religious liberty] Read More

Bump Stocks: GOA Files 28(j) Letter in Sixth Circuit

admin Firearms Law, Litigation, U. S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

Today our firm filed a 28(j) letter with the Sixth Circuit, citing additional information in the D.C. Circuit cases of Guedes and Codrea.  We point out that although the courts have issued stays in these and similar cases, the stays only apply to the specific appellants in each case, and do not grant the nationwide relief to bump stock owners being sought by Gun Owners of America, et al.

Link to letter

Bump Stocks: Emergency Petition for Writ of Mandamus Filed in Sixth Circuit

admin Firearms Law, Litigation, U. S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit

The ATF reclassification of bump stocks as machineguns will take effect on Tuesday, March 26.  The federal district court in which we challenged this classification change has yet to rule on our motion for an injunction.  Therefore, we were forced to file this emergency petition in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Link to petition

Bump Stocks: Gun Owners of America files Motion for Preliminary Injunction Against Bumpstock Regulations

admin Administrative Law, Litigation, U. S. District Court, Western District of Michigan

Today, our firm filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, seeking to stop the Bumpstock regulations from going into effect on March 26, as planned.

(Plaintiffs’) Motion for Preliminary Injunction (December 26, 2018)

(Plaintiffs’) Memorandum in Support of Motion for a Preliminary Injunction (December 26, 2018)

(Plaintiffs’) Party Declarations (December 26, 2018)

Read More

Bump Stocks: Gun Owners of America files Challenge to ATF Bumpstock Regulations

admin Administrative Law, Litigation, U. S. District Court, Western District of Michigan

Today, ATF published in the Federal Register its final regulations imposing a total ban on private ownership of bumpstocks, overruling numerous prior ATF decisions.  Later that same day, our firm filed a chellenge to this regulation on behalf of Gun Owners of America, Guy Owners Foundation, Virginia Citizen Defense League, and three individuals — Matt Watkins, Tim Harmsen and Rachel Malone.  Read More

Colorado Appellate Court Reverses Trial Court as to Some Colorado Gun Restrictions

Michael Harless Litigation

Our firm has been pleased to be co-counsel on a state constitutional challenge to the 2013 Colorado firearms gun control laws restricting possession of “high capacity” magazines and requiring background checks for private sales.  The Colorado Court of Appeals reversed the trial court, holding that we were entitled to a hearing on the magazine issue, but affirmed the background check issue.  Read More

United States v. Robert G. Arwady and Richard P. Medrano
Verdict in — Both defendants Not Guilty on all counts

Michael Harless Firearms Law, Litigation, U. S. District Court, Southern District of Texas

Rob Olson has called in to report that after two hours of deliberation, the jury has come back with a Not Guilty verdict on all counts.

Bob Arwardy and Richard Medrano were accused of participating in a “straw purchase” of firearms on February 27, 2014 and other firearms offenses in an eight count indictment.   After significant motions practice, including work by both Rob Olson and Read More

Hedgepath v. Bentley — Chief Justice Roy Moore Response to Motion to Dismiss

Michael Harless Constitutional Law, Litigation, U. S. District Court, Southern District of Alabama

Today, representing Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore, our firm joined with Alabama local counsel Douglas McElvy in filing a Motion to Dismiss a suit filed against certain Alabama state officials seeking to penalize their opposition to same sex marriage. A Brief in Support of the Motion was also filed.