I was just informed that Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto and Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald are conspiring to unseat Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Judge Joseph M. James because of his decision this week ruling – consistent with Article 1, Section 21 of the Pennsylvania Constitution and the binding precedent – that the City of Pittsburgh’s firearm ordinances were unlawful.

Apparently, Mayor Peduto and Chief Executive Fitzgerald will be filing a frivolous ethics complaint and taking other action against Judge James, in a disgusting attempt to unseat him, for upholding the Pennsylvania Constitution and binding precedent, even after Mayor Peduto, on December 14, 2018, acknowledged publicly that the City of Pittsburgh lacked the legal authority to enact Ordinances 2018-1218, 2018-1219, and 2018-1220. Likewise, on January 7, 2019, City Councilwoman Strassburger declared

My council colleagues and the mayor and I are aware of the state laws that are on the books, and we happen to strongly disagree with them [referring to Pennsylvania’s preemption law prohibiting municipalities from regulating firearms]. If there’s not political will to make change, we’re ready and willing to make changes through the court system

As these actions by Mayor Peduto and Chief Executive Fitzgerald are beyond the pale, we are calling upon District Attorney Zappala to open an investigation into this matter and are requesting that everyone show support for Judge James upholding the rule of law by sending letters of support to his Chambers, while letting Mayor Peduto and Chief Executive Fitzgerald know that the citizens of this Commonwealth will not tolerate such abuse of the judiciary and legal process. We are also asking that you contact your state representatives, inform them of this disgusting attempt, and demand that they immediately enact HB 1066 – enhancing our state firearms and ammunition preemption statute to provide for attorney fees and costs, where a municipality violates the law – and support HR 426, the resolution calling for the impeachment of Mayor Peduto. Lastly, please consider contacting District Attorney Zappala and demanding that he open an investigation into this matter.

You can reach Judge James at the following:

The Honorable Joseph M. James

City Council-Building

707 City-County Building

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

You can reach County Executive Fitzgerald at the following:

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald

101 County Courthouse

436 Grant Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

executive@alleghenycounty.us

Or on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

You can reach Mayor Peduto at the following:

Office of Mayor William Peduto

414 Grant Street, 5th Floor

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

You can reach District Attorney Zappala at the following:

District Attorney Stephen Zappala

Room 303 Courthouse

436 Grant Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Twitter and Facebook

If you or someone you know has been the victim of an unlawful municipal firearm or ammunition regulation or ordinance, contact FICG today to discuss your options.

Firearms Industry Consulting Group® (FICG®) is a registered trademark and division of Civil Rights Defense Firm, P.C., with rights and permissions granted to Prince Law Offices, P.C. to use in this article.