BY
The city of Los Angeles was ordered this week to pay nearly $150,000 to the National Rifle Association (NRA).
U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson, a Reagan appointee, issued the 36-page order following a legal challenge by the NRA against Los Angeles for an ordinance that required companies and individuals to disclose whether they had contracts with or sponsored the association.
If contractors did not disclose all links to the NRA, the ordinance enabled the city to revoke contracts.
The ordinance went into effect on April 1, 2019, after unanimous approval by the Los Angeles City Council.
NRA lawyers filed a lawsuit later that month, alleging the ordinance violated the U.S. Constitution’s First and Fourteenth Amendments.
In a statement at the time, Democrat Mayor Eric Garcetti said he supported the policy.
“I’m confident in it, and we’re not going to be bullied by the NRA,” he said.
Wilson granted a preliminary injunction against the ordinance late last year.
“Even though the ordinance only forces disclosure of activity that may not be expressive, the clear purpose of the disclosure is to undermine the NRA’s explicitly political speech,” he wrote, citing public statements made by Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, a Democrat who had said he supported boycotts of businesses that dealt with the NRA.
The judge ruled the NRA was likely going to prove the law violated the Constitution.
The city council voted in January to repeal the ordinance.
“The same city officials who vowed to defend this ordinance are on the run,” Jason Ouimet, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action, said in a statement after the vote. “In addition to the NRA members they wronged, city officials must now answer to voters and taxpayers for their failed experiment, and explain why they recklessly subjected the city to legal and financial exposure.”
Wilson’s new order noted that plaintiffs sought to recover over $472,000 in attorneys’ fees. He granted the motion in part, ordering the city of Los Angeles to pay $143,160.74. He said some of the billing hours appeared unreasonable, so reduced the amount.
The city was also told to pay over $1,000 more in costs.
Garcetti’s office and the office of Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer didn’t respond to requests for comment.
NRA spokeswoman Amy Hunter told The Epoch Times via email, “Violations of any constitutional rights by government officials should carry consequences. The courts have rightfully imposed those consequences upon Los Angeles.”
“The NRA will continue our fight and, as always, work to hold politicians accountable,” she added.
In a response filing, city attorneys asked for the costs amount of $1,073.55 be reduced to $244.65.
Republished with Permission The Epoch Times SUBSCRIBE
Get Citizensjournal.us Headlines free SUBSCRIPTION. Keep us publishing – DONATE
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More here on that Topic: citizensjournal.us/los-angeles-ordered-to-pay-nearly-150000-to-the-nra/ […]
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More: citizensjournal.us/los-angeles-ordered-to-pay-nearly-150000-to-the-nra/ […]
Meanwhile the city streets are overflowing with trash, the mentally ill wander in and out of traffic, there are homeless encampments all along the freeways, just goes to show you where this mayors priorities lie.
Thank you very much for everything
May GOD BLESS YOU ALL
If you don’t like his policies, vote him (and Newsom)OUT!
The liberal voters put him in,so they should have to pay.
Should make the money come out of Garcetti’s own paycheck! The taxpayers should not have to pay the bill! His and the city councils actions! Not the citizens of LA!