# NY AG threatening companies for selling "ghost guns". Isn't this perfectly legal in NY?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-threatening-companies-for-selling-ghost-guns-isnt-this-perfectly-legal-in-ny/840724>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [September 23, 2019, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-threatening-companies-for-selling-ghost-guns-isnt-this-perfectly-legal-in-ny/840724 "2019-09-23T20:36:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-threatening-companies-for-selling-ghost-guns-isnt-this-perfectly-legal-in-ny/840724/81 "2019-10-01T00:40:26Z")

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> [@Bone](#):
>
> It doesn’t make any difference. The goal is to harass and cost these companies money.

Well, it does make a difference if that goal is invoked to get them to stop doing something illegal or to get them to stop doing something legal.

> [@Bone](#):
>
> You seem to be avoiding the merits, avoiding the reasoning, and assuming that the AG has positive intent.

No, as I keep saying, I don’t see any way (for a layperson) to independently **tell** for certain whether the AG has positive intent. I’m not assuming that she does, but I’m not just taking your word for it that she doesn’t.

> [@Bone](#):
>
> But if you understand the purpose of a SLAAP lawsuit, it should be pretty clear the potential for abuse here.

I certainly do see how the practice of AGs sending cease-and-desist letters is open to potential abuse. What you haven’t demonstrated—as opposed to just asserted—is whether or not such abuse is actually being committed in this case.

> [@Bone](#):
>
> You don’t have to be a lawyer to see that it’s BS.

As a non-lawyer myself, I try to be pretty conservative in estimating what non-lawyers can be confident of understanding correctly about legal issues. YMMV.

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**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2019, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-threatening-companies-for-selling-ghost-guns-isnt-this-perfectly-legal-in-ny/840724/82 "2019-10-03T00:07:58Z")

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If it isn’t a “firearm”, then the 2nd Amendment wouldn’t apply. Ban them.

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**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-ag-threatening-companies-for-selling-ghost-guns-isnt-this-perfectly-legal-in-ny/840724/83 "2019-10-04T20:42:23Z")

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> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#):
>
> If it isn’t a “firearm”, then the 2nd Amendment wouldn’t apply. Ban them.

The 2nd Amendment may apply in future cases about manufacturing a firearm for personal use, should a state decide to ban that.

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