House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., is escalating the panel's investigation into whether Biden administration officials improperly coordinated with gun control advocates in connection with a lawsuit against Glock Inc. by the city of Chicago.
In a letter to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives on Wednesday, Comer demanded documents detailing communications between White House aides and Everytown for Gun Safety, the influential gun control organization founded by billionaire Michael Bloomberg. The committee first requested these records from the National Archives and Records Administration in April, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
The probe centers on whether officials from the now-defunct White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention worked with Everytown to facilitate a lawsuit Chicago filed against Glock in March 2024. That lawsuit, which lists Everytown's legal arm as plaintiff's counsel, alleges the gun manufacturer sold pistols it knew could be easily converted to fire like machine guns.
What the Right Is Saying
Comer argues the records could reveal whether Biden officials shared nonpublic information about their private meeting with Glock, which was then used to help craft litigation against the manufacturer. The Kentucky Republican wrote that the documents will inform the committee 'as to whether the Biden Administration and Everytown colluded to attack private gun manufacturing companies through lawfare to circumvent Second Amendment rights.'
House Oversight Republicans have pointed to a social media post by John Feinblatt, president of Everytown, as evidence of potential coordination. After Chicago sued Glock in March 2024, Feinblatt wrote on X that federal officials had recently contacted Glock about modifying its pistols to make switches harder to install, adding that 'Glock has falsely insisted there is no solution.'
The committee has also highlighted that Biden aide Rob Wilcox worked at Everytown for eight years before joining the WHOGVP. Comer noted in his letter that Feinblatt appeared to have information about the private White House meeting with Glock that was not publicly disclosed, raising questions about how he obtained those details.
What the Left Is Saying
Democratic defenders of the administration have characterized the WHOGVP's engagement with outside groups as standard government outreach on a major public health issue. Gun violence prevention advocates argue that meeting with stakeholders and discussing potential industry solutions represents legitimate policy work, not improper coordination.
Supporters note that federal officials regularly convene with advocacy organizations across the political spectrum to gather input on regulatory matters. They point out that the WHOGVP was established to address an epidemic of gun deaths that kills roughly 40,000 Americans annually and say engaging with public health-focused groups falls within normal executive branch functions.
Some progressive commentators have dismissed Comer's inquiry as a partisan exercise designed to shield gun manufacturers from accountability measures. They note that Glock has faced similar lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions and argue the company should address documented safety concerns rather than challenge the legal standing of those raising them.
What the Numbers Show
The Chicago lawsuit against Glock was filed March 2024, three months after a reported 2023 meeting between WHOGVP officials and Glock representatives. A Cook County judge denied Glock's motion to dismiss the case in September 2025, allowing the litigation to proceed.
Everytown for Gun Safety was founded by Michael Bloomberg in 2014 and has spent more than $100 million on gun safety advocacy, according to its financial disclosures. The organization operates as a 501(c)(4) social welfare nonprofit.
The WHOGVP was established by executive order and operated until the end of the Biden administration. President Joe Biden headlined Everytown's Gun Sense University conference in June 2024, where he reiterated his support for an assault weapons ban.
Neither the ATF nor Everytown complied with previous committee subpoenas for communications related to their 'potential collaboration efforts,' according to Comer's letter.
The Bottom Line
The investigation marks a continuation of House Republican oversight efforts into Biden-era executive branch activities. Comer has argued the probe will help lawmakers evaluate whether new legislation is needed to prevent officials from sharing nonpublic information with politically aligned outside groups or violating recordkeeping requirements.
What happens next: ATF has received the letter and must decide whether to comply with the document request, dispute its scope, or decline to respond. The committee retains subpoena authority if agencies continue to withhold records.
The Glock lawsuit continues moving through Illinois courts, where it could set precedents for holding firearms manufacturers liable for criminal misuse of their products. That case is separate from but potentially affected by any findings from Comer's investigation into executive branch coordination with outside groups.