Chicago uses its gun-buying power to pressure the industry

Chicago didn't pass a new gun law. Its mayor signed an executive order changing how the city chooses which gun companies to buy from, and Jared Yanis argues that could become a new way to pressure the firearms industry without touching what citizens can own.

The short version

Yanis stresses what the order does not do: it bans no firearms, creates no new crime and doesn't stop anyone from buying a gun. Mayor Brandon Johnson's order directs city agencies to write new procurement standards for firearms, ammunition and related equipment the city buys. Companies seeking those contracts would have to disclose their regulatory compliance history, enforcement actions, corrective measures and efforts to prevent illegal trafficking.

Supporters call that responsible use of taxpayer money. Critics, Yanis says, see government using its purchasing power to push private companies beyond what the law requires. He ties the order to a Brady study of police procurement, and worries that dealers could be penalized for crime-gun traces they can't control. With courts making new restrictions on citizens harder, he expects more governments to try contracting instead.

Key points

• What it is: An executive order setting procurement standards for the city's own gun and ammo purchases.
• What it isn't: Not a ban, not a new crime and not a limit on civilian purchases.
• Disclosures: Vendors would report compliance history, enforcement actions and anti-trafficking efforts.
• Why an executive order: Procurement is an area where governments have broad discretion, Yanis notes.
• Legal angle: He says it is less a Second Amendment issue than a question of procurement authority and administrative law.

Bottom line

One city's order won't reshape the industry, Yanis says, but watch whether other cities and states copy it. Manufacturers that depend on government contracts are the ones most exposed.

Source: Jared Yanis