ATF has been hammering FFLs so much, a blowback might be coming

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Suck My Glock
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ATF has been hammering FFLs so much, a blowback might be coming

#1

Post by Suck My Glock »

https://thefederalist.com/2022/06/03/50 ... ver-typos/

500 Percent Spike In Biden Administration Shutting Down Gun Retailers Over Typos

Firearm license revocations for retailers have increased greatly, and overzealous inspectors risk retailers’ cooperation with law enforcement.


President Joe Biden is overzealously targeting firearm retailers to drive them out of business. Federal firearm license revocations for retailers have increased 500 from previous years. That’s got gun control groups excited, but it is casting a pall over the cooperative relationship firearm retailers maintain with law enforcement.

President Biden never hid the fact that he intended to use the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to drive his gun control agenda. He campaigned on a platform of targeting the firearm industry instead of focusing on criminals.

“Our enemy is the gun manufacturers, not the NRA, the gun manufacturers,” President Biden said from the presidential campaign debate stage.

That hostility produced a platform that turned the ATF from the bureau that regulates the firearm industry and enforces federal gun laws into the hammer and anvil by which the Biden administration is pummeling flat firearm retailers. Instead of compliance inspections by ATF Industry Operations Investigators to work to ensure firearm retailers remain within federal firearm regulations, those inspections are now driving firearm retailers out of business.

Revocations

Lee Williams, an independent investigative reporter specializing in covering firearms, revealed that ATF once revoked the licenses of federal firearms licensees (FFLs) at a rate of about 40 each year. “But, in the 11 months since Joe Biden declared war on ‘rogue gun dealers,’ the ATF has revoked 273 FFLs — an increase of more than 500%,” Williams reported. “However, rather than targeting the true rogues, Biden’s ATF is revoking FFLs for the most minor of paperwork errors, which were never a concern for the ATF until Biden weaponized the agency.

That’s due to the Biden administration’s “zero tolerance” inspection policy. That means inspectors are revoking federal firearms licenses for even minor clerical errors that previously would warrant a warning letter.

ATF has the authority to revoke licenses for even these minor clerical errors but used to be more interested in compliance. That changed under the Biden administration and the Department of Justice (DOJ) led by Attorney General Merrick Garland. National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is providing retailers with guidance to be prepared for these inspections.

Misplaced Priorities

The White House budget request clearly identified that driving gun stores out of business was a higher priority than pursuing criminals. President Biden proposed earlier this year to spend $20.6 billion on the Justice Department for federal law enforcement, crime prevention, and intervention.

Tucked into that spending proposal were plans for the ATF to hire 140 special agents and another 160 Industry Operations Investigators. That’s more inspectors to revoke licenses than special agents to actually lock up criminals. The Biden administration refuses to get tough on crime but is zealous in targeting the firearm industry.

Thomas Brandon, former ATF acting director, told USA Today that the goal of inspections is to get dealers compliant, not to penalize them. “The high majority of FFLs are good hardworking people running businesses, and they’re our front-line of defense for intelligence for diversion of firearms with straw purchases,” Brandon said, referring to when someone attempts to purchase a firearm for someone else who can’t.

The firearm industry absolutely wants firearm retailers that flout the law to be held accountable, but addressing the rare instances of criminal activity at the gun counter neglects the larger problem of criminal misuse of firearms. Indeed, that policy of targeting “rogue gun dealers” could have unintended consequences.

Unintended Consequences

Firearm retailers willingly cooperate with ATF special agents on suspect attempts to purchase firearms. They are often the ones providing tips to special agents on suspected straw purchases. Now, those same retailers are forced to consider the consequences of inviting ATF into their retail locations. When a potential tip to criminal activity by a random person wandering into their store could result in a business owner losing a license and income, that threatens the ability of the ATF to enforce the law.

That’s got special agents in the field concerned. Agents in ATF field offices who chose to remain anonymous have told NSSF the “zero tolerance” policy will do more harm than good. It will dry up their most valuable source of intelligence on criminal activity — the local gun store owner who wants criminals to be locked up.

Now, owners are forced to consider the unintended consequences of trying to do the right thing. Tips of suspect activity could lead to an inspection and a misplaced entry in a record book could put that gun store owner out of business.

There’s little reason to believe the policies will be reversed. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee questioned President Biden’s nominee to become ATF director, Steve Dettelbach, in a confirmation hearing last week. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) confronted Dettelbach about the “zero tolerance” policy and the Biden administration’s policy of rooting out “rogue dealers.” Dettelbach demurred on defining a “rogue dealer,” adding only that federal firearm license revocations should be reserved for “willful violations” and not “inadvertent errors.”

“The key to enforcement programs, it has to be fair, it has to be consistent, and it has to be effective,” Dettelbach told Sen. Grassley. The Biden administration’s “zero tolerance” policy to decimate firearm retailers is proving to be counterproductive.


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Re: ATF has been hammering FFLs so much, a blowback might be coming

#2

Post by cool arrow »

this administration will come at us from every possible angle, angles that we never considered before, until they either wear us down, or crush us....this was their plan all along.
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Re: ATF has been hammering FFLs so much, a blowback might be coming

#3

Post by Noshoot »

cool arrow wrote: June 6th, 2022, 10:49 am this administration will come at us from every possible angle, angles that we never considered before, until they either wear us down, or crush us....this was their plan all along.

^^This^^

They are doing exactly what they said they would. They’ve been saying it for years, so this should be no surprise.
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Re: ATF has been hammering FFLs so much, a blowback might be coming

#4

Post by Quake_Guy »

Looks like Mr Silencer has had its FFL revoked.
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Re: ATF has been hammering FFLs so much, a blowback might be coming

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Post by Suck My Glock »

Quake_Guy wrote: June 16th, 2022, 12:22 pm Looks like Mr Silencer has had its FFL revoked.
Have any details? How did ATF justify the revocation?
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Re: ATF has been hammering FFLs so much, a blowback might be coming

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Post by QuietM4 »

Suck My Glock wrote: June 16th, 2022, 4:26 pm
Quake_Guy wrote: June 16th, 2022, 12:22 pm Looks like Mr Silencer has had its FFL revoked.
Have any details? How did ATF justify the revocation?
No real details, just "paperwork compliance errors".

Their FB post;
"Some may have noticed a disturbance in the force around MR SILENCER and our usual social media antics. We have received over 800 approved expedited stamps the last two weeks and have 500 to go. We have sold every NFA item in the shop not bolted down. This was not our choosing, rather the AFT. Check out ammoland.com for some sweet data points on the shennanigans the dark side is pulling in Build Back Communism. We fell victim, no fines no arrest, no explanation of where the secret narrative rules came from. But we know….. It’s Biden’s America, and the constitution doesn’t matter. If you have an FFL, make sure your compliance is better than sub-MOA, ‘cause if they ain’t touching, ATF is revoking. Up 500% this year and growing steadily under a back room memo, a memo never published, no public comment period, no congress, no constitutional justification. All our firearms were accounted for and no “rogue” dealings. Just paperwork compliance errors and software generated/related issues, issues common to every FFL. Stay tuned for updates. Currently business as usual with 50 stamps a day leaving these halls. Thanks for your support. We hope the MR SILENCER brand will rise from the ashes and shine again as Arizona’s #1 silencer dealer and NFA expertise. No more transfers, no new serialized inventory, but all the accessories you have always gotten and 200+ firearms and receivers left to sell by mid August. Pray for us as we fight the good fight. Thank You from the MOP Closet and the bottom of our hearts as we built this thing with love and dedication the last 13 years."
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Re: ATF has been hammering FFLs so much, a blowback might be coming

#7

Post by 87slosohc »

QuietM4 wrote: June 16th, 2022, 5:22 pm
Suck My Glock wrote: June 16th, 2022, 4:26 pm
Quake_Guy wrote: June 16th, 2022, 12:22 pm Looks like Mr Silencer has had its FFL revoked.
Have any details? How did ATF justify the revocation?
No real details, just "paperwork compliance errors".

Their FB post;
"Some may have noticed a disturbance in the force around MR SILENCER and our usual social media antics."
So for sure their ffl is being pulled? Temporarily or permanently?

Saw the post on IG and wondered but didn’t look too far into it.

Edited part of the quote to keep the posts short on my post.
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Re: ATF has been hammering FFLs so much, a blowback might be coming

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Post by That Guy »

I know how much some of you folks like to run around with your hair on fire yelling about conspiracy theories at the top of your internet lungs every time the wind blows, but before you pour more napalm on your head and wail, OH MY LAWD HOW COULD THIS EVER HAPPEN!?” maybe y’all wanna take a look at this:
https://projects.thetrace.org/inspectio ... -0178-B1B/

According to the ATF in their final review dated September 27, 2016:
“Final review
Signed by MSMITCHEM – Director, Industry Operations
Warning conference
The licensee was subject to a full scope compliance inspection May 18, 2016 through July 6, 2016. As a result of the inspection the licensee was cited for nine violations, one of which is a repeat violation. Of the nine violations, one merits Revocation. Specifically, the licensee was cited for 27 CFR 478.128(c) - The licensee knowing made false statements and/or representation with res he information required by the provisions of the Gun Control Act by recording false information into the A&D Record. The licensee recorded redacted uppressors into the A&D Record as acquisitions without actually receiving them. Of the other eight violations, three merit a Warning Conference, one merits a Warning Letter, and the other four merit a ROV only. There were no firearms reported missing. The licensee has never been previously cited for violating 27 CFR 478.128(c). The licensee has only been subject to one previous compliance inspection which resulted in a ROV only. Therefore, I am making an alternate recommendation of DIO Led Warning Conference in lieu of Revocation. DIO Warning Conference was held with the licensee on October 20, 2016. Post DIO Warning Conference Letter was sent to the licensee on November 8, 2016.”

Yeah, yeah, yeah-and just when I was on the cusp of my “reputation” moving from a -4 back up to a -3. Dang!
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Re: ATF has been hammering FFLs so much, a blowback might be coming

#9

Post by kenpoprofessor »

That Guy wrote: June 26th, 2022, 1:30 pm I know how much some of you folks like to run around with your hair on fire yelling about conspiracy theories at the top of your internet lungs every time the wind blows, but before you pour more napalm on your head and wail, OH MY LAWD HOW COULD THIS EVER HAPPEN!?” maybe y’all wanna take a look at this:
https://projects.thetrace.org/inspectio ... -0178-B1B/

According to the ATF in their final review dated September 27, 2016:
“Final review
Signed by MSMITCHEM – Director, Industry Operations
Warning conference
The licensee was subject to a full scope compliance inspection May 18, 2016 through July 6, 2016. As a result of the inspection the licensee was cited for nine violations, one of which is a repeat violation. Of the nine violations, one merits Revocation. Specifically, the licensee was cited for 27 CFR 478.128(c) - The licensee knowing made false statements and/or representation with res he information required by the provisions of the Gun Control Act by recording false information into the A&D Record. The licensee recorded redacted uppressors into the A&D Record as acquisitions without actually receiving them. Of the other eight violations, three merit a Warning Conference, one merits a Warning Letter, and the other four merit a ROV only. There were no firearms reported missing. The licensee has never been previously cited for violating 27 CFR 478.128(c). The licensee has only been subject to one previous compliance inspection which resulted in a ROV only. Therefore, I am making an alternate recommendation of DIO Led Warning Conference in lieu of Revocation. DIO Warning Conference was held with the licensee on October 20, 2016. Post DIO Warning Conference Letter was sent to the licensee on November 8, 2016.”

It wasn't until 1968 that the 4473 was even used. Cash and carry, period. But, guy like yourself likes to bootlick I suppose.

Clyde
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Re: ATF has been hammering FFLs so much, a blowback might be coming

#10

Post by oldslurrydog1 »

Ahh yes. The great Regan Admin. Took more from the 2A than any other along with the Fairness Doctrine.
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