Firearm Industry Requests Seat At Mayors' Summit In a letter faxed today to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office, NSSF officially requested a seat at the table at tomorrow’s national mayors’ summit on illegal guns. Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel, said the firearm industry shares the mayors’ concerns about further reducing crime by keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. “Our industry has developed programs that are working to reduce criminal misuse of firearms, as well as reduce firearms accidents. We would welcome the opportunity to educate mayors about these programs, including Don’t Lie for the Other Guy, the straw purchase deterrence initiative developed in partnership with ATF,” said Keane. While the industry is committed to cooperation, it does not hold out much hope for constructive dialogue given the overheated rhetoric from city hall. Bloomberg recently asserted in testimony before a Congressional subcommittee that, in effect, every firearm traced by law enforcement was the consequence of a “bad” sale by a firearms dealer. “That assertion is demonstrably false,” said Keane. “Corrupt firearms dealers should be prosecuted, but the mere fact that a trace has occurred does not mean that anyone in the chain of commerce has done anything wrong.” Bloomberg has threatened to sue firearms retailers using such gun trace data.