WASHINGTON (AP) — In an effort to stem the illicit flow of weapons into Mexico, the Justice Department announced Monday that all gun shops in four Southwest border states will be required to alert the federal government to frequent buyers of high-powered rifles.
The new policy comes amid criticism of a failed federal probe aimed at dismantling large-scale arms trafficking networks along the Arizona border with Mexico.
In the probe, called Operation Fast and Furious, several agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives say they were inexplicably ordered by superiors to stop tracking some small-time "straw" buyers who purchased large numbers of weapons apparently destined for drug cartels.
Under the new policy, federal firearms licensees in Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico must report purchases of two or more of some types of rifles by the same person in a five-day span. The requirement applies to purchases of semi-automatic rifles that have detachable magazines and a caliber of greater than .22.
ATF estimates it will generate 18,000 reports a year.
Deputy Attorney General James Cole said the new reporting measure will improve the ATF's ability to disrupt illegal weapons trafficking networks that funnel firearms to criminal organizations
One of the critics of Operation Fast and Furious called the new policy "the height of hypocrisy." The Obama administration is restricting the gun rights of border state citizens, "when the administration knowingly and intentionally allowed guns to be trafficked into Mexico," said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas.
"Limiting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens is not going to solve the problem," Smith said.
ATF estimates the requirement will cover nearly 8,500 gun store operators in the four states, though less than 30 percent of those operators are expected to have multiple sales to report.
ATF will retain the information and if no investigative leads have been realized after two years, it will be purged.
Holders of federal firearms licenses already report multiple sales of handguns. The results go to the National Tracing Center, and ATF says it has led to successful prosecutions for firearms trafficking.
az2008 posted at 2:15 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
This is an example of how gun-rights activists undermine the right to arms. How is it a limitation on that right to require gun stores to notify the ATF of frequent buyers? They're already required to do that for handguns. It doesn't stop anyone from buying a handgun.
How many people are going to buy 5-10 rifles in a 90 day period? If I were doing that, I'd be surprised if it *didn't* attract attention.
That's why gun-rights extremists undermine the right for everyone else. Most people are ok with "reasonable" controls like this. Extremists defend privacy of large-scale buying, which contributes to gun violence, which in turn contributes to public perception that the right has outlived its usefulness.
AmericanPatriot posted at 2:29 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
Let's see now, In an effort to stem the illicit flow of weapons into Mexico and to improve the ATF's ability to disrupt illegal weapons trafficking networks that funnel firearms to criminal organizations, they're going to restrict our 2nd amendment rights but only in 4 border states? The federal government is the only criminal organization I know of that is funneling guns to Mexico. Why just these 4 states? Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma and Louisiana will become the places to buy guns to ship to Mexican Cartels? Is the federal justice dept trying to deflect attention from their own little gun running effort to ban semi auto rifles all together? This new rule comes from an Obamanation that is trying to concentrate more power in the executive branch to make it into a totalitarian dictatorship. I hope the congress has something to say about this overreach. Me thinks Caesar is reaching too far.
Just Me posted at 2:42 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
The story should read....In an effort to keep the borders open and illegals as well as cartels free to enter and rape and pillage our society, the government will now again infringe upon our constitutional rights to be sure not to offend the Mexican citizens committing illegal acts at and beyond our borders. This is typical left wing ignorance and the criminals will find a way around it like they always do. Political correctness put our citizens at risk every day so that the criminals wont be offended. Obama, Pelosi, Reid and Nappy all think the taxpaying citizens of this country are expendable and their deaths are worth the illegal vote as well as the illegal supporters. Personally when I look into the face of illegal and open border advocates I see murderers. Their stupidity and racist regimes are directly responsible for every rape, molestation, armed robbery and death illegals commit.
az2008 posted at 2:43 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
AmericanPatriot wrote: "Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Oklahoma and Louisiana will become the places to buy guns to ship to Mexican Cartels?"
That's like saying we shouldn't criminalize possession of hand grenades because criminals can use high-capacity firearms to do the same thing. Or, we shouldn't have a speed limit because it won't do anything to stop people from driving recklessly at lower speeds. ("You're punishing the safe driver at 120 MPH").
It's an infantile form of reasoning. If large-scale buyers were reported nationwide, you'd complain about that too. It's the pro-gun mentality.
AmericanPatriot posted at 3:01 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
I remember when they first brought out the patriot act and told us that they can now search your house without a judge issuing a warrant or you even being home. They can arrest you and hold you indefinitely, denying your habeas corpus rights. Now the Obamanation says he can legally assassinate an American citizen. I remember my brother, when I ask him what he thought of that, said "I have nothing to hide". lol, fortunately my brother's eyes are open now and he sees the dangers more clearly. These gun bans are only the beginning of an attempt to ban private ownership of guns altogether and they don't accomplish anything else. The cartels main source of guns isn't America. They can get fully automatic AK-47's for a very cheap price on the international black market and don't need American straw buyers at all. Don't let the seemingly innocent nature of this new dictatorial proclamation fool you. It's just the start.
NothingButTheTruth posted at 3:08 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
Interesting. This may be a good time to make my purchase of twenty Barrett 82A1 50BMG Semi Auto Rifles. Then if they ask what happened to them I'll say I sold them to people I don't know but had current Arizona drivers licenses and told me they weren't felons or others not legally allowed to possess firearms. That is why this rule makes no sense at all to me. What will it accomplish except put my name in a federal database as having purchased multiple high power semi automatic rifles.
AmericanPatriot posted at 3:16 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
az2008, that was a stupid response. I expected better than that of you. It's not pro-gun mentality. It's pro 2nd amendment mentality. A subtle difference but a difference none the less. No az2008, lets just make hand grenades illegal in those 4 states. Lets just have a speed limit in those 4 states. Can you see how retarded that sounds now? If they did make it nation wide I would still oppose it but at least it wouldn't seem so dense. Leave it to this Obamanation to come up with such a retarded rule as this ruling that only affects 4 states. Lets all put ourselves in their database just to fill it up and make it useless.
RationalHuman posted at 3:23 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
What a joke!
The only criminal organization supplying guns to the drug cartels is the ATF!
When will they be held responsible for the acts of terrorism and murder committed with weapons THEY caused to be there?
And why no mention of the Military Grade weapons (unavailable to gun shops or private citizens) the ATF sold to the drug cartels?
This entire PR piece sounds like someone is trying to cover something up...and not doing a very good job.
AmericanPatriot posted at 3:27 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
az2008, doesn't it bother you at all that this Obamanation's justice dept is bypassing congress in making this proclamation in the midst of their being probed over allowing hundreds of these same high power rifles to fall into Mexican cartel hands and that two of these same guns were responsible directly for the deaths of two American cops, and possibly hundreds of Mexicans?
RationalHuman posted at 3:35 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
If the DOJ REALLY wanted to stop the flow of illegal weapons, the caption would read:
"In an effort to stem the illicit flow of weapons into Mexico, the Justice Department announced today that the ATF will be disbanded and all personnel involved in the illegal gun running will be charged with acts of domestic terrorism."
NothingButTheTruth posted at 3:46 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
az2008, I just read your analogy above and have to tell you that you are comparing apples to oranges. I hate using that phrase but it's true. When AP says that states other than the 4 states will become the states to get guns for the cartels, how is that like saying we shouldn't make hand grenades illegal to own because criminals can use high-capacity firearms to do the same thing? Me thinks you reach too far. Are you Obama? lol
In_God_We_Trust posted at 4:03 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
Right next to this article it says
Related Stories
* Related: Federal agents allowed gun sales that armed Mexican drug cartels.
Doesn't get any funnier than this administration. It's like the Marx brothers are running the show.
In_God_We_Trust posted at 4:14 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
Hey RationalHuman, you do know that Holder takes his orders from Obama right? The article should say that Obama is being impeached for murder. This situation isn't much different than the Iran/Contra affair. Only diff is that there wont be a Colonel North to take the blame unless Holder wants to.
In_God_We_Trust posted at 5:01 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
This Holder guy's a funny dude. Holder Launches Witch Hunt Against Biased Banks. Paul Sperry, Investor's Business Daily, July 8, 2011
In what could be a repeat of the easy-lending cycle that led to the housing crisis, the Justice Department has asked several banks to relax their mortgage underwriting standards and approve loans for minorities with poor credit as part of a new crackdown on alleged discrimination, according to court documents reviewed by IBD.
And I thought the housing crisis was all Pearce's fault lol
Prosecutions have already generated more than $20 million in loan set-asides and other subsidies from banks that have settled out of court rather than battle the federal government and risk being branded racist. An additional 60 banks are under investigation, a DOJ spokeswoman says.
Just another spread the wealth scheme I would have attributed to Jesse Jackass or Rev Sharpless.
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/577794/201107081851/DOJ-Begins-Bank-Witch-Hunt.htm
Settlements include setting aside prime-rate mortgages for low-income blacks and Hispanics with blemished credit and even counting “public assistance” as valid income in mortgage applications.
Absolutely amazing! We got to get rid of this joke of a president before he runs the country into the ground.
In_God_We_Trust posted at 5:06 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
I wonder when Obama will start giving white owned homes to blacks like Mugabe is doing in Zimbabwe. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article6869581.ece
truthin7 posted at 5:34 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
Let's see... I go to one gun shop buy one weapon, go to another and buy one, go to another and buy one. Hmm that is 3 ak's I have just purchased! The next day I buy a bunch of ammo from one gun shop, then go buy more at another.... The Government is trying to stop something that is unstoppable. Into Mexico out of Mexico You can't stop illegal people what makes you think you can stop weapons. Ships along the baja coast, ships along the the eastern Mexican border, weapons from central and south America. GIVE ME A BREAK. YOU ARE WASTING TAX PAYER MONEY !
NothingButTheTruth posted at 8:36 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
Yes truthin7, it's a pointless step, but at least it's a step towards a total gun ban that is their desire. Also I'm sure they hope it may deflect the scrutiny they are getting over their involvement in running hundreds of guns to Mexican cartels that used the guns to kill two American cops and hundreds of Mexicans. This administration is dirty up to it's neck and we ain't letting go.
RationalHuman posted at 9:56 pm on Mon, Jul 11, 2011.
Thanks for the laughs In_God_We_Trust! I find irony hilarious.
Especially your last comment - did you even realize when you chose Zimbabwe as an example that Zimbabwe, UNLIKE the United States, is officially a Christian nation?
Poorman posted at 5:41 am on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
What they really mean is the big bad assault type weapons ya think? I love the way the single out 22cal. I don't know about anyone else,but i have a couple of very high power 22cal weapons. I wonder if they IRS meant rim fire,Ya thunk?
In_God_We_Trust posted at 10:02 am on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
RationalHuman, is this what you mean by Christian Nation?
In a politico-religious context, dominionism (also called subjectionism) is the tendency among some conservative politically-active Christians, especially in the United States, to seek influence or control over secular civil government through political action. The goal is either a nation governed by Christians, or a nation governed by a conservative Christian understanding of biblical law. The use and application of this terminology is a matter of controversy.
Not very clear at all what you mean when you say Christian Nation. Mugabe is a dictator and Zimbabwe is a autocratic regime.
It is estimated that between 60 and 70 percent of Zimbabweans belong to mainstream Christian denominations such as the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist Churches; however, over the years a variety of indigenous churches and groups have emerged from these mainstream denominations. Evangelical denominations, primarily Pentecostal churches and apostolic groups, were the fastest growing religious groupings in the period 2000-2009.
While the country is overwhelmingly Christian, the majority of the population continues to believe, to varying degrees, in indigenous religions as well. Religious leaders also reported an increase in adherence to traditional religion and healers.
Islam accounts for 1 percent of the population while the remainder of the population includes practitioners of Greek Orthodoxy, Judaism, and traditional indigenous religions. There are also small numbers of Hindus, Buddhists, Baha'is, and atheists.
While political elites tend to be associated with one of the established Christian churches, there is no correlation between membership in any religious group and political or ethnic affiliation.
RationalHuman posted at 12:06 pm on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
LOL...look at the backpeddling trying to obscure the FACT that Zimbabwe is a Christian nation...sure it's a dictatorship, name a theocratic country that isn't!
The REALLY funny part is where you use some of the same arguments used by Christian apologists to claim the U.S. IS a Christian nation!
Ah, good old unintentional humor...you just can't make this stuff up!
In_God_We_Trust posted at 12:30 pm on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
I'm not trying to be funny. I'm just trying to figure out how you define an entire country as a christian nation or not. Could you please define christian nation for us and using your definition show how the United States isn't and Zimbabwe is a christian nation.
In_God_We_Trust posted at 1:09 pm on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Do you define "Christian Nation" as a theocracy?
Do you define “Christian Nation” as a nation in which a Christian denomination(s) is the established religion of that nation?
Do you define “Christian Nation” as a nation in which the BASIC principles of Christianity, found clearly written and promulgated in the Scriptures, are the foundation of the form of government and the quality of society and culture?
Just how do you define "Christian Nation"?
In_God_We_Trust posted at 1:26 pm on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Here's an article that might clarify what Zimbabwe is or isn't in regards to Christianity.
http://www.thestandard.co.zw/opinion/25741-sundayview-christianity-and-constitutional-reform-in-zimbabwe.html
NothingButTheTruth posted at 8:06 pm on Tue, Jul 12, 2011.
Issa, a California Republican, blasted the administration in an interview with The Daily Caller.
“This political maneuver seems designed to protect the careers of political appointees at the Justice Department and not public safety,” Issa said. “It’s disconcerting that Justice Department officials who may have known about or tried to cover-up gunwalking in Operation Fast and Furious are continuing attempts to distract attention from clear wrongdoing.”
In a statement defending the administration’s new gun dealer reporting standards in border states, Deputy Attorney General James Cole said, “Federal, state and foreign law enforcement agencies have determined that certain types of semi-automatic rifles — greater than .22 caliber and with the ability to accept a detachable magazine — are highly sought after by dangerous drug trafficking organizations and frequently recovered at violent crime scenes near the Southwest Border.”
Ya that and all the high powered rifles the feds can give them. lol
Sen. Chuck Grassley, Iowa Republican, said documents he and Issa obtained during their investigations of Operation Fast and Furious show the administration’s new rules would do nothing to solve the problem. Grassley believes this new policy is a “distraction” from the current administration’s “reckless” decision to allow guns into the hands of drug cartels.
“We’ve learned from our investigation of Fast and Furious that reporting multiple long gun sales would do nothing to stop the flow of firearms to known straw purchasers because many Federal Firearms Dealers are already voluntarily reporting suspicious transactions,” Grassley said.