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Friday 24 January 2020

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In connection with the holiday, Betico Croes Day, Aru-
ba Today will not be published on
Saturday, January 25th, 2019. We will resume our pub-
lication on Monday, January 27th, 2019.

In this Aug. 1, 2018, file photo, Cody Wilson, with Defense Distributed, holds a 3D-printed gun
called the Liberator at his shop in Austin, Texas.
Associated Press

Coalition of states sue over rules

governing 3D-printed guns
Born: January 25, 1938 - Died: November 26, 1986

By MICHAEL BALSAMO and ing the accessibility of the tion numbers that could be
CHRIS GRYGIEL blueprints. used to trace them.
WASHINGTON (AP) — At- Proponents have argued A federal judge in Novem-
torneys general in 20 states there is a constitutional ber blocked an earlier at-
and the District of Colum- right to publish the mate- tempt by the Trump admin-
bia filed a lawsuit Thurs- rial, but critics counter that istration to allow the files to
day challenging a federal making the blueprints read- be released online, arguing
regulation that could allow ily accessible online could that the government had
blueprints for making guns lead to an increase in gun violated the law on pro-
on 3D printers to be posted violence and put weapons cedural grounds. But the
on the internet. in the hands of criminals administration published
New York Attorney General who are legally prohibited formal rules on Thursday
Tish James, who helped from owning them. that transfer the regulation
lead the coalition of state Washington state's attor- of 3D-printed guns from the
attorneys general, argued ney general Bob Ferguson State Department to the
that posting the blueprints said a previous multi-state Commerce Department,
would allow anyone to go lawsuit led a federal judge which could open the door
online and use the down- last year to strike down the to making the blueprints
loadable files to create administration's earlier at- available online. The state
unregistered and untrace- tempt to allow the files to attorneys general argue
able assault-style weapons be distributed. the government is break-
that could be difficult to "Why is the Trump adminis- ing the law and say such
detect. tration working so hard to deregulation will "make it
The lawsuit, joined by Cali- allow domestic abusers, far easier for individuals in-
fornia, Washington and 17 felons and terrorists access eligible to possess firearms
other states, was filed in to untraceable, undetect- under state or federal law
U.S. District Court in Seattle. able 3D-printed guns?" Fer- to obtain a deadly weap-
It is likely to reignite a fierce guson said in a statement. on without undergoing a
debate over the use of 3D- For years, law enforce- background check," ac-
printed firearms and is the ment officials have been cording to the lawsuit. They
latest in a series of attempts trying to draw attention also argue that the Com-
by state law enforcement to the dangers posed by merce Department lacks
officials to block the Trump the so-called ghost guns, the power to properly regu-
administration from eas- which contain no registra- late 3D-printed guns. q