Posted on 02/17/2006 11:16:14 AM PST by SonofLiberty1
Excellent post BTW... kudos.
Class III is on my list as well. As soon as the unConstitutional '34 NFA, '68 GCA, '86 FOPA, and the '89 Import bans all go the way of the Jim Crow laws.
Ping...
Something needs to be done about the BATFE. They are out of control and apparantly believe that they are above the law.
Hopefully these hearings will generate some serious backlash but I won't hold my breath.
Mike
Somehow "john doe" apearrances and seazures seem to violate some 4th amendment thingy.
This smacks of police pulling over beautiful blonds in red sports cars more often.
(I also wonder if these ATF agents want to "auction" the guns to themselves.)
Actually, they are among the smartest....
which speaks poorly for average ATF agent's IQ. LOL
Actually the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security membership is:
Hon. Coble
Chairman
(R) North Carolina, 6th
Hon. Lungren
(R) California, 3rd
Hon. Green
(R) Wisconsin, 8th
Hon. Feeney
(R) Florida, 24th
Hon. Chabot
(R) Ohio, 1st
Hon. Keller
(R) Florida, 8th
Hon. Flake
(R) Arizona, 6th
Hon. Pence
(R) Indiana, 6th
Hon. Forbes
(R) Virginia, 4th
Hon. Gohmert
(R) Texas, 1st
Hon. Scott
Ranking Member
(D) Virginia, 3rd
Hon. Jackson Lee
(D) Texas, 18th
Hon. Waters
(D) California, 35th
Hon. Meehan
(D) Massachusetts, 5th
Hon. Delahunt
(D) Massachusetts, 10th
Hon. Weiner
(D) New York, 9th
Actually, tell them that they are in violation of the McKlure/Volkmer act. (forgive the spelling).
Part of FOPA was designed to prevent exactly this- "Agents of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), allegedly acting without warrants or legislative authority to do so, seized firearms from at least 50 gun show patrons in Virginia according to congressional testimony and an agency document made public Wednesday."--- from happening.
These agents were in direct violation of FOPA and should be charged with that by the people they harrassed.
On the other hand, I agree with you. I'd refuse to surrender my firearms, I'd cite FOPA then hold out my hands for arrest. They would not like what I would throw at them at all.
Mike
Odd how actual jackboot BATF tactics are less remarked than non-existen patriot act THEORETICAL abbuses.
Ah, thank you! :o)
I don't see how warrantless wire taps (domestic or not) is not an abuse. Also, note that the Patriot Act allowed for warrantless searches of 4473 records of firearms dealers. There are two serious issues that should concern EVERY American greatly. Why our Government is allowed to continue with this crap is beyond me. I wish people would wake up and vote these creeps out of office before they take these "theoretical" abuses to the extreme.
Mike
Here's something of real interest about the ATF.
Subguns.com NFA Firearms Discussion Board
ATF compliance inspections now exclude NFA...
Posted By: Eric M. Larson
Date: 1/17/06 16:07
For the past several weeks, ATF has apparently instructed its Inspectors not to review any NFA records during compliance audits---they are to examine Title I records only. I've heard enough from sources I deem reliable to post this.
What's going on? A number of things. First, I am sure y'all recall the post-Waco phrase: "We don't want Special Agents going around talking or providing information, because we don't want to create any evidence that could be
subpoenaed."
Second, the timing coincides with the public release and posting of the sworn testimony of ATF Inspector George Semoniak (see the "Resources" page at www.nfaoa.org, more specfically: http://www.nfaoa.org/documents/SemonickTestimony.pdf) at the Wrenn trial. Specifically, as the summary posted with this document states: In the case United States vs Wrenn (Cr. No. 1:04-045), District of South Carolina, Aiken Division, ATF Inspector George Semonick testified under
oath that "there was a discrepancy" between firearms records maintained by defendant Wrenn and those maintained in the NFRTR by ATF. Inspector Semonick also confirmed "that the records, the records kept by ATF, were
deficient." Defendant Wrenn was not charged with any record-keeping violations.
Third, I've also heard chatter that ATF suspending record-keeping checks of Class III dealer records on Title II firearms/devices, is a prelude to ATF swooping down and seizing/forfeiting a bunch of NFA firearms/devices. I
strongly believe ATF is NOT going to seize/forfeit any NFA firearms/devicesunder the present conditions because, among other reasons, the NFRTR is under a Congressional microscope at the moment. For ATF to seize/forfeit
any NFA firearms/devices at this time would likely invite further destruction of ATF as an institution.
Note that I said "further destruction." The reason is that ATF is currently doing what the military calls a "damage-limiting operation." ATF is seriously damaged right now, and ATF's top executives are trying to limit that damage.
There are things going on regarding ATF's administration of the NFA that go far beyond and are apart from anything I've posted here regarding the NFRTR. Those things are in progress right now, and I'll leave it to others
who are directly involved in them to comment publicly on them in their own way(s) and time(s).
Finally, as always, I'd like to urge any of you who are concerned about the foregoing or anything else pertaining to the NFRTR, to consider contacting your Congressional representatives. Be sure and request your Congressional representatives to contact Sen. Arlen Specter, Chairman,
Senate Committee on the Judiciary, which is currently involved in matters involving oversight of ATF.
Apparently, a sealed subpoena has been servedby the Committee on ATF. I am endeavoring to find out more details, but think some others who are following this may scoop me, which is OK. There's plenty of information to go around.
Respectfully Submitted,
Eric M. Larson
arsone@starpower.net
Not a problem.
All but one of the politicos instigating this investigation are R's. This wouldn't even be happening under a Rat majority.
Ann Coulter ought to go to one of these shows then write her story.
It is a shopping list for me!
And swine become airborn.
"Every woman that makes a purchase, every woman who comes to my table to buy a gun was automatically [treated as] a straw purchaser," White said. (A "straw purchaser" is a person who can otherwise legally purchase a firearm, but who does so with the intent to illegally provide it to an ineligible buyer such as a convicted felon or an illegal alien. "Straw purchases" are illegal.)
Those b@stards!"
"Oh man, this is just p!ssing me off!..."
Not in defense of ATF tactics, but a little background on why they were doing what they were doing.
In the Pittsburgh area, the big gun show is at the Expo Mart in Monroeville. I attended many of these show. I have friends who are dealers who set up there.
What was happening was some obvious gang members were coming to the show with their ladies. They would all go to tables and look at guns together. A while later the lady who was with them would come back to the table alone and attempt to purchase a handgun.
To the dealers at the tables it was obvious what was going on. The dealers I know refused to sell the guns to the lady as they strongly suspected that she was purchasing the guns the gang members were interested in for them.
The gang members and their babes were all "persons of color".
I guess that explains some of the ATF's actions, but the way the ATF went about things was mostly all wrong.
But I hope I have explained to you why the ATF was taking an interest in things.
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