Mayors, Gun-Rights Activists Face Off in Pennsylvania

Politicians see an opening to attack self-defense rights, but they face organized opposition

Pennsylvania's mayors are waging a running gun battle with the National Rifle Association.

First, mayors backed a statewide law aimed at cracking down on trafficking by forcing residents to report lost and stolen firearms. The NRA opposed it, and it died in the Legislature.

Then, more than two dozen localities, led by Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, passed similar requirements on their own. An NRA-led lawsuit failed, after judges said plaintiffs didn't have standing to go to court.