U.S. judge backs ATF multiple rifle sales reporting

[imschur]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Friday, in a victory for the Obama administration, upheld new federal rules requiring gun dealers in four states bordering Mexico to report the sales of multiple semi-automatic rifles, despite a challenge by the gun industry.

The administration issued the reporting requirements last year despite opposition from the gun industry as part of a stepped-up effort to clamp down on the weapons flowing across the border to violent drug cartels in Mexico.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ordered more than 8,000 gun dealers in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California to report the sale within five business days of two or more semiautomatic rifles to the same person.

That includes rifles with a caliber greater than .22 and with the ability to accept a detachable magazine.

Mexican officials have complained bitterly about guns coming illegally from the United States. Tens of thousands of Mexicans have been killed in the drug wars since 2006 when Mexico's government decided to take on the cartels.

Judge Rosemary Collyer, appointed to the bench by Republican President George W. Bush, found that the ATF's requirement was sufficiently narrowly tailored and that it was rational by focusing on the states that border Mexico.

"Congress has effected a delicate balance between ATF's regulation of firearms and the right to privacy held by lawful firearms owners," Collyer wrote in a 21-page ruling. The ATF's reporting requirement "did not disturb that balance."

Gun dealers backed by the National Rifle Association, a powerful lobbying organization, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation, challenged the requirements, arguing they would effectively require national registration of firearms sales, which they said the ATF was not authorized to do.

The gun industry has also said the rules will have no impact on the cartels but rather burden law-abiding retailers and that the reporting requirement was overly burdensome.

"If President (Barack) Obama gets a second term, I think law-abiding gun owners are going to see a lot more of it," Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA, told Reuters.

"These drug cartels ... rape, they rob, they murder they throw people into lions' pits, they're not going to be deterred by a form. That must be some form," he said. The groups plan to appeal the ruling.

One gun shop manager in Douglas, Arizona, a city a mile from the Mexico border, said it would not make much difference to him because he had already become very selective about such sales.

"I'm very selective of who I will sell even one paramilitary-type rifle to anymore, because of the hassle," said Lynn Kartchner. "If it ends up in Mexico, I have to go and testify."

Some 36,000 reports of multiple handgun sales were made from the four border states in fiscal 2010, according to the ATF.

The decision came as the ATF has been under scrutiny in recent months after a sting operation to track guns being smuggled to Mexican cartels went awry. The weapons were not tracked beyond the initial purchase.

The ATF welcomed the court decision, saying in a statement that it was "an effort to increase ATF's ability to detect and disrupt the illegal firearms trafficking networks responsible for diverting firearms from lawful commerce into the hands of criminal gangs that threaten law abiding citizens."

[98Z5V]

It's too bad that this piece of poop current administration started Gun Walker JUST so they could makes rules like this - and it worked. 

The plan they set in motion accomplished one of the goals that they set out for.

It's sickening.

[imschur]

yep, everything is broken. God help our grand children

[98Z5V]

I'm training my son to be John Connor...  <thumbsup>

[jlaw]

I'm training my son to be John Connor...  <thumbsup>

Haha! Want some more anti gun fun???!! Check this out.  Even more fundamentally wrong in my book.

http://gilspencerblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/from-dept-of-dumb-ideas.html

[98Z5V]

That's why I will never live in New Jersey. 

That Mayor would poop his britches if he decided to visit Arizona.  :o

If he saw some of the open carry here, his head would explode like that guy in Scanners...

[jlaw]

Lmao!!

[jlaw]

It's funny that this is happening where it is happening, when it is happening. Here's a article I copied and pasted from infowars.com --->

Confirmed: ATF Plotted to Use Fast And Furious To Demonize Second Amendment

 

“ATF created the problem so they could be the solution to it”

Paul Joseph Watson

Infowars.com

December 7, 2011

As we postulated when the scandal broke, the Fast and Furious program that saw the ATF deliver guns into the hands of Mexican drug gangs was admittedly exploited to demonize the second amendment and push new gun control regulations.

“Documents obtained by CBS News show that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) discussed using their covert operation “Fast and Furious” to argue for controversial new rules about gun sales.”

Emails obtained by the network show ATF agents discussing how they could tie guns involved in Mexican violence to gun dealers based in the U.S. to justify the implementation of Demand Letter 3, a regulation that would require U.S. gun stores to report the sale of multiple rifles.

One of the emails states, “Bill – can you see if these guns were all purchased from the same (licensed gun dealer) and at one time. We are looking at anecdotal cases to support a demand letter on long gun multiple sales. Thanks.”

The emails show ATF members congratulating each other for blaming border violence on guns bought from U.S. dealers despite the fact that the feds were the ones delivering them straight to Mexican criminals under the program.

Other emails document how gun dealers involved in the program expressed concern that their firearms were ending up in the hands of “the bady guys,” only to be reassured by the ATF “there’s nothing to worry about.”

One law enforcement source told CBS News that the emails suggested the ATF created the problem itself as part of a political ploy.

“It’s like ATF created or added to the problem so they could be the solution to it and pat themselves on the back. It’s a circular way of thinking,” the source said.

Un freaking believable ...!

[98Z5V]

poop man, we called that here as soon as the news of Gun Walker broke.  Not kidding.  This stuff is easy to see, of you're a firearms enthusiast - it's REALLY HARD to see if you're one of the Sheeple that just follow along with what's broadcast in the news media.  Those people can't make the connection. 

This was a current-administration plan from the get-go  - it doesn't take a tin-foil hat to see that, just some insight into this industry.  The American public was set-up, and most of them STILL can't understand that...  <dontknow>

[jlaw]

Looks like I joined the right forum ! Couldn't be said much better than that.

[planeflyer21]

"Over .22 caliber with a detachable magazine."

This will be amended, mark my word, to include "sniper scope sales", multiple magazine sales, more than one box of ammo sales, etc.

I told folks when Heller passed, it opened the door for tons of poop like this. "So what if we have your name registered?  You have enough gun for your defense."

Better get unorganized folks.

Jon

[MaDuce]

The good thing is that they are pulling the same garbage they were when everyone was clueless now when everyone knows better. All they are accomplishing in the long run is a permanent state of distrust between government and citizens. When all is said and done, they'll be washing car windshields with newspapers for a living.

[unforgiven]

Even a Republician was in favor of this bullpoopy,sickening >:(

[survivalshop]

I can see this issue going before the Supreme court .