3 parties file to halt Oregon gun law

PORTLAND, Ore. — A gun rights group, a sheriff and a gun store owner filed an emergency motion in federal court late Wednesday seeking to stop enforcement of one of the strictest gun control laws in the nation.

The measure narrowly approved by Oregon voters is set to take effect Dec. 8. U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut on Thursday scheduled a hearing on the motion for Dec. 2. The state has until Wednesday to respond to the emergency motion for preliminary injunction.

The Oregon Firearms Foundation, Sherman County Sheriff Brad Lohrey and Adam Johnson, owner of Coat of Arms Firearms, filed a federal lawsuit against the Oregon governor and attorney general Nov. 18 saying Measure 114 is unconstitutional.

The measure requires residents to obtain a permit to purchase a gun, bans magazines that hold more than 10 rounds except in some circumstances and creates a statewide firearms database.

“Banning magazines over 10 rounds is no more likely to reduce criminal abuse of guns then banning high horsepower engines is likely to reduce criminal abuse of automobiles,” the lawsuit says.

“To the contrary, the only thing the ban … ensures is that a criminal unlawfully carrying a firearm with a magazine over 10 rounds will have a potentially devastating advantage over his law-abiding victim.”