ATF and Wyoming
Over at The Gun Blogs, Nylarhotep brings our attention to more shady ATF goings on:
The U.S. District Attorney’s Office in Cheyenne is reviewing a lawsuit filed Monday against the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives by the state of Wyoming.
“We need to evaluate what the case is and what we’re going to do with it,” said spokesman John Powell.
The lawsuit essentially centers on who has the authority to restore gun rights to people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence offenses. But a bigger issue could be the BATF’s threat to deem Wyoming-issued concealed weapon permits invalid at federally licensed firearms dealers.
May 11th, 2006 at 12:45 am
I noticed a couple of errors in the story. First off, the DV misdemeanor restriction was passed by Newt “No New Gun Control” Gingrich and the Republican Congress in 1996. Prior to that, persons with DV misdemeanor convictions were not restricted from owning guns.
Second, the ATF itself has says on its website “However, a conviction would not be disabling if it has been expunged, set aside, pardoned, or the person has had his or her civil rights restored (if the law of the applicable jurisdiction provides for the loss of civil rights under such an offense) AND the person is not otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.” (http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/domestic/opltratf.htm)
So I’m kinda confused as to what this dispute is really all about. Unless, of course, the ATFE is ignoring its’ own stated policy, in which case it would be business as usual.
May 11th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
The BATFE has, since Bush Mk. 1, not ever processed a releif from disability … for anyone.
Yes, they are not following their own rules, by executive order.
I think that the State of Wyoming should retaliate by declaring all CCW holders to be LEOs, and allow them to purchase post-86 NFA firearms as duty weapons via State of Wyoming Police Form 10 tax-free transfers … something similar to Swiss citizen militia duty firearms.
Heh … if the BATFE wants to be a bunch of shits, a State can use the second amendment to really screw them.