Robert Lasnik
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2016 - Present
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Robert S. Lasnik is a federal judge on senior status with the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. He joined the court in 1998 after being nominated by former President Bill Clinton (D). Lasnik served as chief judge of the court from 2004 to 2011.
Early life and education
A native of Staten Island, New York, Lasnik graduated from Brandeis University with his bachelor's degree in 1972, from Northwestern University with master's degrees in 1973 and 1974, and from the University of Washington School of Law with his J.D. in 1978.[1]
Professional career
- 2016 - Present: Senior judge
- 1998-2016: Judge
- 1990-1998: Judge, King County Superior Court
- 1978-1990: Attorney, King County, Washington prosecutor's office[1]
Judicial career
Western District of Washington
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| Nominee Information |
| Name: Robert S. Lasnik |
| Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Washington |
| Progress |
| Confirmed 163 days after nomination. |
 Nominated: May 11, 1998
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| ABA Rating: Substantial Majority Qualified, Minority Qualified
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| Questionnaire: |
| Hearing: October 1, 1998
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| QFRs: (Hover over QFRs to read more) |
| Reported: October 8, 1998
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| Confirmed: October 21, 1998
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| Vote: Voice vote
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Lasnik was nominated to the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington by President Bill Clinton on May 11, 1998, to fill a seat vacated by Carol Dimmick. The American Bar Association rated Lasnik Substantial Majority Qualified, Minority Qualified for the nomination. Hearings on Lasnik's nomination were held before the Senate Judiciary Committee on October 1, 1998, and his nomination was reported by U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) on October 8, 1998. Lasnik was confirmed on a voice vote of the U.S. Senate on October 21, 1998, and he received his commission the next day. From 2004 to 2011, Lasnik served as chief judge of the district court. He elected to take senior status beginning on January 27, 2016.[1][2][3]
Noteworthy events
Judge Robert Lasnik of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington issued a decision on July 31, 2018, that prevented the U.S. Department of State from allowing the nonprofit organization Defense Distributed to release digital blueprints online for the manufacture of firearms using a 3-D printer. Lasnik scheduled another hearing in the case for August 10, 2018, in order to further examine arguments related to the First Amendment.[4][5]
The State Department had reached a settlement with Defense Distributed in June 2018 to reverse an Obama-era regulation that prohibited the release of the blueprints in the interest of national security and foreign policy. Defense Distributed, founded by Cody Wilson, argued that the prohibition violated Wilson's First Amendment right to free speech and Second Amendment right to bear arms. Defense Distributed, according to its website, is a nonprofit "defense firm principally engaged in the research, design, development, and manufacture of products and services for the benefit of the American rifleman." Other defendants in the case include the Second Amendment Foundation and Conn Williamson.[5][6][7]
State attorneys general in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Maryland, New York, Washington, and the District of Columbia filed the lawsuit against the State Department on July 30, 2018. The lawsuit alleges that the State Department violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) by failing to provide 30 days' notice of the regulatory reversal to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The states further argue that the State Department failed to provide any analysis to support its decision to reverse the regulation. The lawsuit also claims that the regulatory change violates the Tenth Amendment by contradicting state-level firearms laws and potentially allowing for the manufacture and possession of firearms by unlawful individuals.[8]
A State Department spokesperson defended the regulatory change, stating that the regulation concerned the the export of firearms and associated technical information rather than domestic firearms laws. The department also stated that it had consulted with the U.S. Department of Justice before reaching the settlement.[8]
Reaction
Prior to Lasnik's decision, President Donald Trump (R) had weighed in on the case via Twitter:
I am looking into 3-D Plastic Guns being sold to the public. Already spoke to NRA, doesn’t seem to make much sense!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2018
A White House spokesman later stated that it is illegal "to own or make a wholly plastic gun of any kind, including those made on a 3-D printer."[5]
Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association's (NRA) Institute for Legislative Action, issued the following statement: "Regardless of what a person may be able to publish on the Internet, undetectable plastic guns have been illegal for 30 years."[5]
Wilson's attorney, Josh Blackman, issued a statement prior to Lasnik's ruling arguing that an injunction would violate the First Amendment. "Granting the proposed injunctive relief would not only silence the three named defendants, but it would immediately censor over three hundred million Americans,” stated Blackman. “Today, the validity of nationwide injunctions is subject to a robust debate. But never before has any court entertained a global injunction on the freedom of speech of all Americans."[8]
See also
- United States District Court for the Western District of Washington
- United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Federal Judicial Center, "Biography of Judge Robert S. Lasnik," accessed May 19, 2017
- ↑ United States Congress, "PN 1085 — Robert S. Lasnik — The Judiciary." accessed May 19, 2017
- ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III judicial nominees, 105th Congress," accessed May 19, 2017
- ↑ The New York Times, "Judge Blocks Attempt to Post Blueprints for 3-D Guns," July 31, 2018
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 New York Post, "Trump sides with judge who blocked release of 3-D printed gun blueprints," August 1, 2018
- ↑ Defense Distributed, "About," accessed August 2, 2018
- ↑ Townhall, "Multiple States Filed A Lawsuit Against The Trump Administration. Here's Why." July 31, 2018
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 New York Law Journal, "Federal Judge to Consider Temporary Restraining Order on 3D-Printed Guns," July 31, 2018
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Carol Dimmick |
Western District of Washington 1998–2016 Seat #7T |
Succeeded by: Lauren King
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