Richard Blumenthal in Reason magazine


On Gun Control: Sued gun manufacturers to withdraw gun designs

The Clinton administration pressured Smith & Wesson into accepting gun control in the form of a lawsuit settlement. The S&W deal contemplates withdrawing standard gun designs from the market after enough makers sign on. They counted on S&W's status as the number one gun maker. They figured they could leverage S&W's market share through what amounts to a tying arrangement: If dealers and gun shows wanted to stock the dominant manufacturer's line, they'd have to agree to stop promoting disfavored, competitive product lines. Several of the most combative state attorneys general, including Connecticut's Richard Blumenthal and New York's Eliot Spitzer, announced that they were going to sue the gun industry for not cooperating with S&W. On antitrust grounds, no less. This may be the first antitrust action in history aimed at smaller companies that refused to enter into tying arrangements with the dominant manufacturer in their market.
Source: Walter Olson in Reason Magazine Jun 1, 2000

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