Buckeye Firearms Foundation sues the City of Cleveland

CLEVELAND -- The Buckeye Firearms Foundation, Inc., an Ohio not-for-profit foundation affiliated with the Buckeye Firearms Association, has filed a lawsuit to stop the city "from prosecuting law-abiding gun owners under local ordinances that restrict gun ownership and concealed carry," a Buckeye Firearms statement reads.

The lawsuit, filed late Tuesday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court and assigned to Judge Brian J. Corrigan, seeks "a temporary restraining order and permanent injunction to stop the city ... and also declare 20 different local ordinances unconstitutional on the grounds of state pre-emption of firearm laws," the statement reads.

Other named defendants include Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, Law Director Robert J. Triozzi, Police Chief Michael McGrath, Director of Public Safety Martin Flask, Administrative Judge Ronald B. Adrine and David Whitehead, President of the Board of Park Commissioners for the Cleveland Metroparks.

House Bill 347, the pre-emption law, became effective in March, 2007.

It was to replace a patchwork of varied and confusing local rules with uniform laws throughout the state regulating the ownership, possession, purchase, other acquisition, transport, storage, carrying, sale, or other transfer of firearms, their components, and their ammunition.

The issue of statewide pre-emption was challenged by the City of Clyde and the case went all the way to the Ohio Supreme Court.

In its decision, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld the state pre-emption law.

Other plaintiffs include Jim Irvine, President of Buckeye Firearms Foundation, and Gilbert Croteau, a Cleveland resident. They are being represented by attorney Kenneth Hanson, of Delaware, Ohio.

Buckeye Firearms Association is a grassroots political action committee dedicated to defending and advancing the right of Ohio citizens to own and use firearms for all legal activities, including self-defense, hunting, competition and recreation.