New law Chicago is using to sue Glock being challenged in state, federal courts

(The Center Square) – The city of Chicago is using a recently enacted state law to sue a firearms manufacturer.

Last year, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a law that allows lawsuits against the firearms industry for a variety of reasons.

“We hold opioid manufacturers accountable,” Pritzker said last summer. “We hold vaping companies accountable. We hold predatory lenders accountable. Gun manufacturers should not be able to hide from the law and now they won’t be able to.”

Separate federal and state-level lawsuits are pending challenging the law.

Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson announced his administration was using the law to sue firearms manufacturer Glock.

“The City of Chicago is encountering a deadly new frontier in the gun violence plaguing our communities because of the increase of fully automatic Glocks on our streets,” Johnson said. “Selling firearms that can so easily be converted into automatic weapons makes heinous acts even more deadly, so we are doing everything we can in collaboration with others committed to ending gun violence to hold Glock accountable for putting profits over public safety.”

Johnson said Glock should be held accountable and responsible for third-party switches criminals are using illicitly to turn semi-automatic firearms into full-auto.

Glock did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In federal court last year, the National Shooting Sports Foundation sued over the firearms industry liability law. That lawsuit is pending.

Separately in Madison County, Piasa Armory sued. That case also involves a challenge to the state law that limits where people can sue the state. A Madison County judge recently found limiting where people can sue the state is unconstitutional.

Senate Minority Leader John Curran, R-Downers Grove, said the law goes too far.

“That is another broad overreach that is really questionable constitutionally and that was brought up and talked about extensively during debate,” Curran told The Center Square. “This case is really interesting because this case could actually strike down two of the governor’s initiatives from last session because the underlying case is the suit challenging the civil liability for firearms manufacturers.”

Curran said Democrats should take note to not pass unconstitutional measures.