Smith & Wesson Says Politicians, Media 'Partners' At Fault For Surge In Violence

Weeks after a House committee subpoenaed firearm manufacturer Smith & Wesson for questioning regarding its sales and marketing of AR-15 style firearms, its CEO Mark Smith released a scathing statement on social media, blaming politicians and their media "partners" for what he said is a "surge of violence and lawlessness."

According to a report by The Hill, Smith & Wesson manufactured the semiautomatic rifle used by the accused gunman at a shooting in Highland Park, Illinois, early last month. Seven people were killed and dozens of others were wounded during the July 4^th shooting.

The House committee had summoned two other firearm manufacturers as well.

In a statement on the gunmaker's Twitter page published Tuesday, Smith wrote that a "number of politicians and their lobbying partners in the media" have sought to blame Smith & Wesson and other firearm manufacturers for the "crime wave that has predictably resulted" from "destructive policies." For Smith, politicians and their media partners "are the ones to blame for the surge in violence and lawlessness."

Smith argued that politicians who "vilified, undermined and defunded law enforcement for years" should not have the "audacity" to blame Smith & Wesson and other gun manufacturers for the surge in crimes.

He went on to point out in the statement that no firearm made by Smith & Wesson has ever "broken into a home," nor "assaulted a woman out for a late-night run in the city," nor has any firearm made by the company ever "carjacked an unsuspecting driver stopped at a traffic light."

The Massachusetts-based gun manufacturer's President and CEO said the company will continue to work with law enforcement and "community leaders and lawmakers who are genuinely interested in creating safe neighborhoods." He ended the statement with a declaration that Smith & Wesson "will never back down in our defense of the 2^nd Amendment."

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

Earlier this month, the U.S. House Oversight Committee subpoenaed Smith & Wesson to request for more details about the sales and marketing of its AR-15 style firearms after Smith previously refused to appear before lawmakers for a July hearing that included two other gunmaker CEOs, Reuters reported. The gunmaker said it had no documents to provide to the committee regarding its sales and marketing system on AR-15-style guns.

The late July hearing included the CEOs of Daniel Defense and Sturm, Ruger & Co. Lawmakers asked the CEOs of the two manufacturers about how assault-style weapons reportedly used in the Uvalde shooting in May and a grocery store in New York were marketed. Twenty-one people, including 19 children, had died in the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde County, Texas.

Chair of the panel, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said at the time that the subpoena on Smith & Wesson "was made necessary by your unwillingness to voluntarily comply with the Committee's investigation." Maloney said Smith & Wesson had "troubling business practices."