OLYMPIA, Wash. — A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the Trump Administration violated federal law in its efforts to allow 3D-printed gun files to be released on the internet.
The lawsuit, filed by Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson in July 2018, argues that the Trump Administration’s effort to allow the distribution of data files for downloadable, 3D-printed firearms violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution.
Judge Robert Lasnik ruled that the Trump Administration’s decision to allow the unlimited distribution on the internet of data files for untraceable, undetectable 3D-printed guns was arbitrary, capricious and unlawful. The case will not go to trial.
“It is baffling that the Trump Administration continued to work so hard to allow domestic abusers, felons and terrorists access to untraceable, undetectable 3D-printed guns,” Ferguson said in a statement. “Even the president himself said in a tweet that this decision didn’t make any sense — one of the rare instances when I agreed with him. I’m thankful the court agrees, too.”
In 2015, Defense Distributed, an organization dedicated to the open-source distribution of 3D-printed guns, sued the federal government after the U.S. State Department forced the removal of the files from the Internet.
On June 29, 2018, the federal government abruptly reversed and settled the case. As part of the settlement, the Trump Administration agreed to allow unlimited public distribution on the internet of the downloadable files for 3D-printed guns.
Shortly after, Trump tweeted:
Ferguson has filed 51 lawsuits against the Trump Administration, none of which, according to his office, have been lost.
Last session the state Legislature passed legislation that bans undetectable guns and limits untraceable firearms.
