In the lead-up to Wednesday’s Gunwalker hearings, wherein the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (and Really Big Fires) faces the music for its failed attempts to stem U.S. to Mexico gunrunning by doing some gunrunning of their own (go figure), it’s important to remember the ATF is a rogue agency. Spending $1.6b of your hard-earned tax dollars per year, it runs its own “investigations” in its own way, at its own pace, without the slightest regard to efficacy or its [supposedly] limited remit. The ATF are known for bullying other law enforcement agencies, including setting up “stings” without informing the local plod. In other words, the ATF is a law unto themselves. Here’s a quick reminder of that salient fact from batesline.com:
On May 31, 2011 at approximately 10:00 AM, two suspects committed a home invasion in Prue (OK). The victims were approached by two white males dressed as linesmen. The two suspects produced firearms and ordered the two victims into the residence. While in the residence both victims were tied up and items were taken from the house. The suspects then loaded a large number of firearms into victim’s white 1999 GMC safari van bearing Oklahoma 612-FLT . . . After a shootout, the firearms were recovered by Tulsa police.
And then this, from tulsaworld.com:
Agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have requested traces on 86 guns seized after two men allegedly stole the guns in a home invasion leading to a rampage through Tulsa that left two dead, an official said.
Tracing the weapons could take three weeks or as long as a couple months because officials did not request the trace to be an “urgent” return, ATF Agent Jeff Cochran said. “I didn’t feel that was necessary” . . .
Background reports on the guns will help investigators determine whether the guns owned by the victim were legally or illegally obtained.
So the ATF is investigating the victim rather than the criminals, and taking their own sweet time, too. And, of course, all these gun traced are now called “crime guns”, inflating the stats on the number and type of weapons “used by criminals.”
They say pride goeth before a fall. If only.
Actually, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18 KJV).” Both are appropriate for the BATFE.
As much as I dislike the BATFE&RBFs&GHs, and this reeks of theft under color of law, TTAG’s coverage of home invasions has shown that 99% of the time they are criminals targeting other criminals.
Reference please for the 99%. That seems so unlikely as to be an urban legend.
Hyperbole. i would have added that as a footnote but I don’t know how to do it in html. Point being, as much as I don’t like the BATFE&RBFs&GHs there is decent chance that the gun owners are skels. Not that it would justify ignoring the 5thand 4th amendment.
Robert,
Just wanted to stop by and tell ya that I miss your writing over at the TTAC. It’s gone to hell now.
You’re always welcome here. Got gun?
“ATF Death Watch 10: Men At Work”
RF, you put the colon in the wrong place. The headline should read: ATF Death Watch: 10 Men At Work. The other five thousand are busy dodging subpeonas.
That’s 10 men too many IMHO.
The woman looks evil and a little crazy-I didn’t think my second wife had a sister.
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