In the on-going firearms debate regarding whether the gun laws of the United States are contributing to the rise in violent crime in Mexico, verbal shots are being fired on both sides of the boarder.

Here's the latest take from the National Rifle Association:

In another chapter in the ongoing attempt to blame the American gun community for Mexico's internal strife, CBS News reports that the Mexican government has retained the New York City-based law firm of Reid Collins & Tsai to examine its options for suing U.S. gun manufacturers and distributors.

This report describes Mexico's actions as a "novel approach," in reality, such lawsuits have been used for decades as a tactic by anti-gun groups and governments in their attempts to bankrupt gun manufacturers and circumvent the political process.

That's why Congress passed the "Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act" in 2005.  This act protects firearms manufacturers, distributors, dealers and importers from suits brought about as a result of "the harm solely caused by the criminal or unlawful misuse of firearm products or ammunition products by others when the product functioned as designed and intended." 

The outlook for a Mexican government suit looks dim; since the PLCAA was signed into law by President George W. Bush on Oct. 26, 2005, no federal court has allowed such a suit by a government plaintiff to go forward against a U.S. firearms manufacturer.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com