In a move that shouldn’t surprise anyone, a federal judge has blocked release of Defense Distributed 3D gun files. A consortium of states had filed suits in various jurisdictions looking for judge to stop the scheduled release.
After the company’s settlement with the Department of Justice over their long-pending lawsuit, the files were set to go up on their site at midnight tonight. But a Clinton appointee has issued a temporary restraining order pending a full hearing on August 10.
U.S. District Court Judge Robert Lasnik’s ruling comes a day after Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a suit challenging the Trump administration’s decision to allow the release of the blueprints, saying the move would provide broad unregulated access to dangerous weapons.
Ferguson is the lead attorney general in the multistate lawsuit that was filed in federal courts in eight other states including New York, Oregon and the District of Columbia.
You can read the case’s docket sheet here (PDF). Here is the salient part:
MINUTE ENTRY for proceedings held before Judge Robert S. Lasnik- Dep Clerk: Kerry Simonds; Pla Counsel: Jeff Rupert, Jeff Sprung, Kristin Beneski, Todd Bowers; Def Counsel: Joel Ard, Josh Blackman, Eric Soskin, Tony Coppolino; CR: Nancy Bauer; Time of Hearing: 2:00 p.m.; Courtroom: 15106; Motion Hearing held on 7/31/2018 re 2 MOTION for Temporary Restraining Order filed by State of Washington. The Court addresses the parties. After hearing the arguments of counsel, and for reasons stated on the record, the Court GRANTS the Motion for Temporary Restraining Order and schedules a hearing for 8/10/2018 at 9:00 AM in Courtroom 15106 before Judge Robert S. Lasnik. An order shall issue. (KERR) (Entered: 07/31/2018)