This week, New York Attorney General Letitia James sent letters to sixteen online gun marketers, ordering them to stop advertising and selling assault weapon components to New York consumers.  She gave them five days to comply with the order.  

James alleged that the marketers are all selling components that, after simple modifications, can be used to assemble illegal assault weapons.  James said, “There is only one purpose for the products that these companies are selling -- to manufacture illegal and deadly assault weapons.”  

She also charged the marketers with advertising their products -- including lower receivers -- specifically for use in evading law enforcement, including with statements such as, "If they don't know you have it, they can't take it."

James alleged that the marketing and sale of the products not only violates New York's ban on the sale of assault weapons, but it violates the state's consumer protection statutes.  She said, " Any misrepresentation or omission on your website that it is a criminal offense under New York State law to manufacture and/or possess assault weapons—the very purpose for which those products are intended and designed—is a deceptive trade practice . . . ."