Latest news with #RareBreedTriggers
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
States sue to block Trump administration plan to distribute machine-gun conversion devices
Caso's Gun-A-Rama in Jersey City, New Jersey, has been open since 1967. (Photo by Aristide Economopoulos/NJ Monitor) Attorneys general in 16 jurisdictions sued Monday to block a Trump administration plan to redistribute thousands of devices that convert guns to machine guns, including distribution in states where such devices are banned by state law. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland, said the plan would not only expose residents of those states to greater amounts of deadly violence, but it would be contrary to federal law that calls for the seizure of machine-gun conversion devices. And it would cause federal officials to 'aid and abet violations of state law' by distributing the devices in states where they are outlawed, the suit said. The decision to return almost 12,000 forced reset triggers — which allow shooters to fire hundreds of rounds a minute with one pull of the trigger — was announced in a settlement last month between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and gun manufacturers and gun-rights groups. 'These devices enable firearms to fire up to 900 bullets per minute. The increased rate of fire allows carnage and chaos to reign on the streets,' said Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown in a virtual press briefing Monday with fellow Democrats, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin and Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings. 'Everyone nearby becomes vulnerable to serious injury or death. These are battlefield weapons that have no place in our communities,' Brown said. Under the Biden administration, ATF classified forced reset triggers as 'prohibited machine guns under federal law … and conducted extensive retrieval operations, seizing nearly 12,000 FRTs from the field,' according to the lawsuit. But the new administration reversed course after a Feb. 7 executive order from President Donald Trump on 'Protecting Second Amendment Rights.' On May 16, the Justice Department announced a settlement with Rare Breed Triggers, a manufacturer of the devices based in Wichita City, Texas. Under the deal, the company agreed not to develop or design such triggers for handguns, to promote safe and responsible use of its products, and to enforce its patents to 'prevent infringement that could threaten public safety.' In exchange, the government agreed not to enforce any policy where an FRT is 'contended to be' a machine gun, and to return by Sept. 30 any reset triggers seized or 'taken as a result of a voluntary surrender.' 'We won,' Lawrence DeMonico, president of Rare Breed Triggers, said in a video posted online the day settlement was announced. 'With the Trump administration's renewed focused on justice and their commitment to correcting the weaponization of the DOJ under the Biden administration, we were finally able to secure a deal that brought this fight to a close.' Representatives with Rare Breed Triggers and the Justice Department did not respond to email requests for comment Monday. The National Association of Gun Rights, which was also a party to the settlement, said it a statement that the deal will survive any challenge from the 'anti-gun attorneys general.' 'A federal court already ruled the government unlawfully seized thousands of legal triggers from law-abiding Americans — a decision that the ATF now acknowledges and accepts,' said Hannah Hill, vice president for the association. 'These states lack standing to file this lawsuit, and they know it. This suit is just reckless political lawfare.' But the states' lawsuit highlights the impact of gun violence in their jurisdictions, where it said there were nearly 47,000 gun-related deaths in 2023. Illinois had the most such deaths that year, at 1,691. Of the states represented at Mondays briefing, Maryland recorded 737 gun-related deaths in 2023, New Jersey had 430 and Delaware had 124, according to the suit. The suit also spells out the financial burden that comes with gun violence, for medical bills, police, court and prison costs. It said one fatal shooting in Baltimore can cost $2.4 million and a nonfatal shooting costs $1.5 million. In Newark, New Jersey, the cost is nearly $2.2 million for a fatal shooting and $1 million for a nonfatal shooting. 'This is not a partisan issue. It is a public safety issue,' Delaware's Jennings said. 'The Trump administration's deal to redistribute these deadly devices violates the law, full stop. It undermines public safety and ties the hand of law enforcement.' Platkin recalled the shooting death in March 2022, just two months after he took office, of SeQuoya Bacon-Jones, who was a bystander to a shooting when she was struck and killed. Platkin said SeQuoya would have celebrated her 13th birthday last Saturday. 'She had dreamed of becoming a law enforcement officer, but instead she was killed by a single stray bullet while she was playing hide-and-seek in the courtyard of her apartment complex,' Platkin said. 'I wish the Trump administration … would put little kids like Sequoya's interests ahead of the gun lobby's. But since they don't seem to care, we're going to make them care.' Besides Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey, other jurisdictions on the suit are the District of Columbia and the states of Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. All but Maine and Vermont currently have state laws prohibiting forced reset triggers or guns modified with them. This story was originally published by Maryland Matters. Like Maine Morning Star, Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: editor@ SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colorado joins lawsuit against ATF over deal ending ban on rapid-fire triggers for rifles
DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado is one of 16 states that have sued the Trump administration over its plan to allow the sale of forced-reset triggers that make semiautomatic rifles fire more rapidly and return devices already seized to their owners. The suit announced Monday argues that returning the triggers would violate federal law, pose a threat to residents and law enforcement and worsen gun violence. It was filed in federal court in Maryland. Governor signs bill requiring training for semiautomatic guns, banning rapid-fire conversion devices 'It's hard enough for our local law enforcement officials to protect Colorado communities from gun violence without the federal government willfully ignoring the law,' said Attorney General Weiser. 'The law is clear: machine guns, and devices that turn a semiautomatic weapon into a machine gun, are illegal. We're suing to stop the ATF and the administration from making our communities more dangerous by distributing thousands of devices that turn firearms into weapons of war. These weapons have no place in our communities, and I will continue to fight to keep Coloradans safe from gun violence.' The Colorado law banning the sale of rapid-fire conversion devices, including forced-reset triggers, was signed into law in April and will go into effect on Aug. 1, 2026. Second Amendment supporters have called on the U.S. Attorney General to investigate the measure as an infringement on the U.S. Constitution. Weiser said in a release announcing the state's participation in the lawsuit that machine gun conversion devices like the forced-reset triggers are frequently used in violent crimes and mass shootings. The state attorney general said that by using these devices, firearms can exceed the rate of fire of many military machine guns. 'ATF has noted a significant rise in the use of these types of devices, leading to incidents of machine-gun fire increasing by 1,400% from 2019 through 2021,' Weiser said in a press release. There had been several legal battles over the devices, which replace the typical trigger on an AR-15-style rifle. The Biden administration had previously argued the triggers qualify as machine guns under federal law because constant finger pressure on the triggers will keep a rifle firing, essentially creating an illegal machine gun. The ATF previously classified the triggers as machine guns, but under a directive from the Trump Administration, the bureau signed the settlement agreement that promises to stop enforcing federal law against the devices. New requirements begin July 1 for Colorado concealed carry permits Rare Breed Triggers, the maker of the devices, had argued that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was wrong in its classification and ignored demands to stop selling the triggers before being sued by the Biden administration. The Justice Department reached a deal announced last month with Rare Breed Triggers to allow the sale of forced-reset triggers. The company was previously represented by David Warrington, Trump's current White House counsel. Under the settlement, Rare Breed Triggers agreed not to develop such devices to be used on handguns, according to the Justice Department. The settlement requires the ATF to return triggers that it had seized or that owners had voluntarily surrendered to the government. The states' lawsuit is being led by the attorneys general of Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey. Other states involved are Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, along with the District of Columbia. The attorneys general in those states are all Democrats, though the office in Hawaii is technically nonpartisan. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Euronews
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
16 states sue Trump over deal ending ban on rapid fire triggers
Sixteen states have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration regarding its proposal to permit the sale of forced-reset triggers, which enable semiautomatic rifles to fire at an increased rate, and return devices already seized to their owners. The lawsuit, which was announced on Monday, argues that the return of the triggers would violate federal laws, endangering both residents and law enforcement personnel, as well as potentially worsening gun violence. The suit was filed in a federal court in Maryland. There had been several legal battles over the devices, which replace the typical trigger on an AR-15-style rifle. The Biden administration had previously argued the triggers qualify as machine guns under federal law because constant finger pressure on the triggers will keep a rifle firing, essentially creating an illegal machine gun. Rare Breed Triggers – the manufacturer of the devices – says that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) misclassified them and disregarded requests to cease sales of the triggers prior to being sued by the Biden administration. The Justice Department announced a deal last month with the company permitting the sale of forced-reset triggers. Previously, the company was represented by David Warrington, who currently serves as Trump's White House counsel. As per the settlement, Rare Breed Triggers has agreed to refrain from manufacturing the devices for handguns, according to the Justice Department. The settlement also requires the ATF to return triggers that were either confiscated or voluntarily surrendered by their owners to the government. The lawsuit initiated by the states is being spearheaded by the attorneys general from Delaware, Maryland, and New Jersey. Other participating states include Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, as well as the District of Columbia. All attorneys general from these states are affiliated with the Democratic Party, although the office in Hawaii is officially nonpartisan. US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has fired every member of a vital scientific committee, that advises the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on how to use vaccines, pledging to replace them with his own staff. His actions have come under the radar with various groups having criticised his decision, which they feel may endanger the future use of vaccines in the US. Major physicians in the country have slammed the decision to oust all 17 members of the panel. Tom Frieden, president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives and former director of the CDC, accused Kennedy of 'politicising' the Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices (ACIP), warning that it could undermine public trust established through years of commitment and hard work. 'We'll look back at this as a grave mistake that sacrificed decades of scientific rigour, undermined public trust, and opened the door for fringe theories rather than facts,' he added. But Kennedy insists the decision was taken on merit since several members had many conflicts of interest while they were holding a position on the board. Members are currently required to declare any potential such conflicts, as well as business interests, that arise during their tenure. They also must disclose any possible conflicts at the start of each public meeting. Although it's typically not viewed as a partisan board, the entire current roster of committee members were Biden appointees. The health secretary said in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal that the Trump administration would not have been able to appoint new members until 2028 without removing the current roster. 'A clean sweep is needed to re-establish public confidence in vaccine science,' said Kennedy Jr. Frieden says the health secretary's actions were based on false conflict of interest claims and sets 'a dangerous and unprecedented action that makes our families less safe' by potentially reducing vaccine access for millions of people. Georges Benjamin of the American Public Health Association (APHA) called the ouster 'a coup.' Bruce Scott of the American Medical Association (AMA) warned the decision could lead to lower vaccination rates and more disease outbreaks. Scott also called the ACIP a trusted source of science- and data-driven advice and said Kennedy's move, coupled with declining vaccination rates across the country, will help drive an increase in vaccine-preventable diseases. Kennedy has long been a staunch critic of vaccination programmes, gaining popularity as one of the nation's leading anti-vaccine activists, prior to his appointment as top US health official. Last month, he changed the CDC's COVID-19 guidelines – without first consulting the committee – removing it as a recommended vaccination for children and pregnant women, leaving that decision in the hands of patients.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
16 states sue to block Trump administration plan to distribute machine-gun conversion devices
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) at a July 2024 news conference. Brown on Monday joined 15 other attorneys general suing the Trump administration over its plan to distribute thousands of machine-gun conversion devices. (Photo by Elijah Pittman/Maryland Matters) Attorneys general in 16 jurisdictions sued Monday to block a Trump administration plan to redistribute thousands of devices that convert guns to machine guns, including distribution in states where such devices are banned by state law. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland, said the plan would not only expose residents of those states to greater amounts of deadly violence, but it would be contrary to federal law that calls for the seizure of machine-gun conversion devices. And it would cause federal officials to 'aid and abet violations of state law' by distributing the devices in states where they are outlawed, the suit said. The decision to return almost 12,000 forced reset triggers — which allow shooters to fire hundreds of rounds a minute with one pull of the trigger — was announced in a settlement last month between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and gun manufacturers and gun-rights groups. 'These devices enable firearms to fire up to 900 bullets per minute. The increased rate of fire allows carnage and chaos to reign on the streets,' said Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) in a virtual press briefing Monday with New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin (D) and Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings (D). 'Everyone nearby becomes vulnerable to serious injury or death. These are battlefield weapons that have no place in our communities,' Brown said. Under the Biden administration, ATF classified forced reset triggers as 'prohibited machine guns under federal law … and conducted extensive retrieval operations, seizing nearly 12,000 FRTs from the field,' according to the lawsuit. Maryland Supreme Court upholds gun possession ban in some non-felony cases But the new administration reversed course after a Feb. 7 executive order from President Donald Trump (R) on 'Protecting Second Amendment Rights.' On May 16, the Justice Department announced a settlement with Rare Breed Triggers, a manufacturer of the devices based in Wichita City, Texas. Under the deal, the company agreed not to develop or design such triggers for handguns, to promote safe and responsible use of its products, and to enforce its patents to 'prevent infringement that could threaten public safety.' In exchange, the government agreed not to enforce any policy where an FRT is 'contended to be' a machine gun, and to return by Sept. 30 any reset triggers seized or 'taken as a result of a voluntary surrender.' 'We won,' Lawrence DeMonico, president of Rare Breed Triggers, said in a video posted online the day settlement was announced. 'With the Trump administration's renewed focused on justice and their commitment to correcting the weaponization of the DOJ under the Biden administration, we were finally able to secure a deal that brought this fight to a close.' Representatives with Rare Breed Triggers and the Justice Department did not respond to email requests for comment Monday. The National Association of Gun Rights, which was also a party to the settlement, said it a statement that the deal will survive any challenge from the 'anti-gun attorneys general.' 'A federal court already ruled the government unlawfully seized thousands of legal triggers from law-abiding Americans — a decision that the ATF now acknowledges and accepts,' said Hannah Hill, vice president for the association. 'These states lack standing to file this lawsuit, and they know it. This suit is just reckless political lawfare.' But the states' lawsuit highlights the impact of gun violence in their jurisdictions, where it said there were nearly 47,000 gun-related deaths in 2023. Illinois had the most such deaths that year, at 1,691. Of the states represented at Mondays briefing, Maryland recorded 737 gun-related deaths in 2023, New Jersey had 430 and Delaware had 124, according to the suit. The suit also spells out the financial burden that comes with gun violence, for medical bills, police, court and prison costs. It said one fatal shooting in Baltimore can cost $2.4 million and a nonfatal shooting costs $1.5 million. In Newark, New Jersey, the cost is nearly $2.2 million for a fatal shooting and $1 million for a nonfatal shooting. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE 'This is not a partisan issue. It is a public safety issue,' Delaware's Jennings said. 'The Trump administration's deal to redistribute these deadly devices violates the law, full stop. It undermines public safety and ties the hand of law enforcement.' Platkin recalled the shooting death in March 2022, just two months after he took office, of SeQuoya Bacon-Jones, who was a bystander to a shooting when she was struck and killed. Platkin said SeQuoya would have celebrated her 13th birthday last Saturday. 'She had dreamed of becoming a law enforcement officer, but instead she was killed by a single stray bullet while she was playing hide-and-seek in the courtyard of her apartment complex,' Platkin said. 'I wish the Trump administration … would put little kids like Sequoya's interests ahead of the gun lobby's. But since they don't seem to care, we're going to make them care.' Besides Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey, other jurisdictions on the suit are the District of Columbia and the states of Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. All but Maine and Vermont currently have state laws prohibiting forced reset triggers or guns modified with them.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Delaware leading lawsuit against Trump administration over gun trigger settlement
Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings is co-leading a group of state attorneys general suing the Trump administration for a settlement last month that permits "machine gun conversion devices" for semiautomatic rifles − and the administration's plan to return all previously-seized devices to their owners. The lawsuit stems from the Trump administration's May 13 settlement, which resolved lawsuits brought during the Biden administration. Those suits challenged President Joe Biden's ban on certain "forced-reset triggers." Forced-reset triggers are aftermarket devices used in semi-automatic firearms that mechanically reset the trigger after each shot. They're sometimes called machine gun conversion devices because they allow semiautomatic weapons to shoot as fast as machine guns. They do not, however, convert semi-automatic guns to fully automatic weapons. According to the Delaware Department of Justice, the lawsuit, filed in Maryland, argues that forced-reset triggers are illegal under federal law. "Although ATF previously classified FRTs as machine guns, the agency – under directive from Trump Administration leadership – signed a settlement agreement that promised to stop enforcing federal law against FRTs and redistribute thousands of FRTs that ATF had previously seized," a June 9 news release from the state justice department said. Jennings said the Trump administration's settlement seeks "to reintroduce weapons of war to our communities." The Delaware DOJ said machine gun conversion devices like forced-reset triggers allow firearms "to exceed the rate of fire of many military machine guns, firing up to 20 bullets in one second." In 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives notified firearms licensees that it had determined some forced-reset triggers constituted illegal machine guns under the National Firearms Act, Reuters reported last month. This was because constant finger pressure on the trigger would keep a rifle firing, essentially creating an illegal machine gun, the Biden administration argued. A year later, the federal Department of Justice sued a company that made and distributed such devices nationwide, Rare Breed Triggers. A New York judge ultimately blocked the company from selling the devices. While the New York case was pending, however, the National Association for Gun Rights filed a lawsuit in Texas challenging the Biden-era ban, leading a judge to conclude the ban was unlawful and barring its enforcement. The Trump administration's settlement resolved those lawsuits, which were on appeal, with an agreement to return all forced-reset triggers seized or surrendered to the government to their owners. The Trump administration agreed to not apply the machine gun ban to such devices so long as they are not designed for use with handguns. It's not clear how many, if any, forced-reset triggers were seized from Delaware residents during the Biden administration ban or how many would be returned under the Trump settlement. Nate Raymond with Reuters contributed to this report. Got a tip? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@ For all things breaking news, follow her on Twitter at @izzihughes_ This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware sues Trump administration over gun trigger settlement
