Comer Issues Subpoenas to Biden-Harris Administration for Possible Collusion with Anti-Second Amendment Groups on Litigation Against Firearm Manufacturer

WASHINGTON—House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) is today issuing subpoenas to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which is overseen by Vice President Harris, for refusal to provide information in response to the Committee’s records requests. The Committee is investigating potential collaboration between the Biden-Harris Administration and anti-Second Amendment plaintiffs, specifically in the pending litigation City of Chicago v. Glock et al.

“The Committee has learned that on December 20, 2023, the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention met privately with representatives from Glock, during which the Administration requested that Glock change their pistol designs…”   Chairman Comer wrote to White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention Director Feldman. “Plaintiff’s counsel has publicly shared details of a private meeting that your office had with Glock, Inc., the defendant in the lawsuit, which raises serious concerns about whether you or your staff abused the authority of your office and committed ethical violations by colluding with outside parties to initiate a lawsuit against a politically disfavored private entity.” 

Chairman Comer first wrote letters to the White House Office on Gun Violence Prevention and ATF on June 14, 2024 requesting documents and communications related to private meetings between Glock and the White House. The Committee has failed to receive any responsive documents in response to its requests.

“Having been informed by a whistleblower that you communicate on a daily basis with White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention Deputy Director Rob Wilcox via mobile device(s), the Committee previously wrote to you requesting communications between you and Mr. Wilcox to determine whether these communications have been improperly used to coordinate and share information with plaintiff’s counsel. The Committee requested that you provide these records by August 28, 2024. Given that you have so far refused to provide any information in response to the Committee’s records requests, the attached subpoena is being issued pursuant to the authority delegated to the Chairman of the Committee under Rule XI, clause 2(m)(1)(B) of the Rules of the House of Representatives and Rule 12(g) of the Committee’s Rules,” Chairman Comer wrote to ATF Director Dettelbach.

The subpoena requires the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention to produce the following documents and communications that are in its possession, custody, or control, from September 22, 2023, to the present, in unredacted form:

• All documents and communications between any individual at the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Everytown for Gun Safety; or Everytown Law, related to “auto sear(s)”, “Glock switches”, “machinegun conversion device (“MCD”), and “Chicago litigation”; and

• All documents and communications between Deputy Director of the White House Office for Gun Violence Prevention Rob Wilcox and Everytown for Gun Safety President John Feinblatt.

The subpoena requires the ATF to produce the following documents and communications that are in its possession, custody, or control, from September 22, 2023, to the present, in unredacted form:

• All text, SMS, iMessage, or any other messaging communications to include messages transmitted via encrypted communication apps including but not limited to Signal or WhatsApp between certain phone numbers and any and all cellular devices associated with White House Office for Gun Violence Prevention Deputy Director Rob Wilcox, and/or any other officials within that office, and

• A printout of the log of all telephone calls between certain phone numbers and any cellular device associated with White House Office for Gun Violence Prevention Deputy and/or any other officials within that office.

Read the subpoena cover letter to White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention Director Stefanie Feldman here.

Read the subpoena cover letter to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Director Steven Dettelbach here.