Block Michael Sullivan to Director of the BATFE

[tomneal]

President Bush has asked that Michael Sullivan be confirmed by the Senate as the Director of the BATFE.

I don't know if you guys are aware of the tricks the BATFE has been using to shut down FFL's. One of my daily reads is:
http://redstradingpost.blogspot.com/ They are trying to shut down Red's for tiny paperwork violations. Red's took them to court and to the court of public opinion.
I spoke to someone last week that informed me that All Six FFL's in Alvin Texas were shut down for trivial paper work violations. These were not errors that would keep anyone from identifying the person on the 4473 (yellow form). The were using abbreviations instead of spelling out Yes, No, Texas and the like.

This is so wrong that congress told them to put a stop to it in the 2007 crime bill.

The BATFE didn't listen to congress so...
They said it again this year.

A couple or three US Senators are holding Sullivan's nomination.

I have written Hutchison and Cornyn asking them to do the same. If you live in Texas, take the time to do the same.

http://www.senate.gov/~hutchison/
http://cornyn.senate.gov/

It's time for the BATFE to start following the will of Congress and the people. Let's start with shutting down the confirmation of the Director and follow it up with shutting down the entire agency.

[txinvestigator]

Sorry, I just don't buy accusations like, " All Six FFL's in Alvin Texas were shut down for trivial paper work violations. These were not errors that would keep anyone from identifying the person on the 4473 (yellow form). The were using abbreviations instead of spelling out Yes, No, Texas and the like."

I have worked for companies with FFLs and I have been thru ATF audits. I have seen the FFL application process.

[308nato]

I'am with you on this as I have always thought the ATF was a little overzealous in there tactics and
go overboard when they do.
They need to be brought down a peg or two and i will write my Reps to put a hold on Sullivan.

[tomneal]

I am glad TXInvestigator has had good dealings with the ATF.
Not everyone has.


http://www.nraila.org/Issues/Articles/Read.aspx?ID=200
http://www.nraila.org/Issues/Articles/R ... &issue=018
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?P ... 1210b.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1634316/posts
http://www.alphecca.com/?p=318
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58353
http://www.blogcatalog.com/post-tag/batfe
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=57074
http://www.constitution.org/col/san930325.htm
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1801943/posts
http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/200 ... deral.html
http://www.therallypoint.org/forum/inde ... 781.0;wap2
http://www.instapundit.com/archives/006619.php
http://www.alphecca.com/mt_alphecca_arc ... 02099.html
http://www.libertypost.org/cgi-bin/read ... 932&Disp=1
http://www2.washingtonmonthly.com/archi ... 000100.php

http://www.geekswithguns.com/modules.ph ... opic&t=596
http://www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/freedo ... s/tag/atf/

It is likely that the person that told me all 6 gun dealers in Alvin, were chased out of business, for minor paper work problems by the BATFE, was Exaggerating.
However, it matches a pattern of behavior that I have read about for years.

Personally, I'd rather close the BATFE and keep the gun stores.

[Liberty]

Its a simple test.
Has he promoted gun ownership for the citizens of the United States.

Sullivan has not, and has bullied his way to those who disagree with him.

We need fewer bullies in authority. And more leaders who are public servants and there to help.

Sullivan is out to help his ego, and the Bradys' Our nation needs more gun dealers not fewer.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Sorry, I just don't buy accusations like, " All Six FFL's in Alvin Texas were shut down for trivial paper work violations. These were not errors that would keep anyone from identifying the person on the 4473 (yellow form). The were using abbreviations instead of spelling out Yes, No, Texas and the like."

I have worked for companies with FFLs and I have been thru ATF audits. I have seen the FFL application process.

Well I buy it! As a member of the NRA Legal Affairs Committee and the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund Board of Trustees I see documented cases of just such practices and they do not appear to be isolated cases. I am personally familiar with one of the Alvin FFL's and the treatment and intimidation he received is reprehensible. BATFE wants to get rid of every small dealer they can and that is their current focus. Perhaps the companies you worked for were larger dealers, or at least had larger volume, and are not yet targeted for extension. When BATFE achieves it goal with the small dealers, the large ones will be next. There is a reason the "fix the BATFE" bill needs to pass.

Chas.

[KD5NRH]

We need fewer bullies in authority. And more leaders who are public servants and there to help.

I'll settle for fewer of both.

Maybe we could drop the hint to Bush that drafting Ron Paul or Fred Thompson into the position would get one of them out of the presidential race...and of course, don't remind him that would also push at least a large percentage of that one's supporters over to the other.

[txinvestigator]

BATFE wants to get rid of every small dealer they can and that is their current focus. Perhaps the companies you worked for were larger dealers, or at least had larger volume, and are not yet targeted for extension. When BATFE achieves it goal with the small dealers, the large ones will be next. There is a reason the "fix the BATFE" bill needs to pass.

Chas.

One of our Members, TC-TX, recently received his FFL he runs from his home. The process was simple, and the ATF was helpful in getting him set up.

I think we are hearing some half-truths and lopsided stories from dealers who have problems even trying to comply with the law.

[KBCraig]

One of our Members, TC-TX, recently received his FFL he runs from his home. The process was simple, and the ATF was helpful in getting him set up.

That's akin to saying no one has ever received an unjustified ticket from a DPS trooper, because the lady at the DPS office was nice when you renewed your DL.

The ATF's National Licensing Center is mostly made up of good, helpful folks. They also have nothing to do with the Compliance branch, who are the inspectors writing up dealers for "willful noncompliance" when they find a 4473 with "y/n" instead of "yes/no", or "TX" instead of "Texas", or "St." instead of "Street".

[lawrnk]

BATFE wants to get rid of every small dealer they can and that is their current focus. Perhaps the companies you worked for were larger dealers, or at least had larger volume, and are not yet targeted for extension. When BATFE achieves it goal with the small dealers, the large ones will be next. There is a reason the "fix the BATFE" bill needs to pass.

Chas.

One of our Members, TC-TX, recently received his FFL he runs from his home. The process was simple, and the ATF was helpful in getting him set up.

I think we are hearing some half-truths and lopsided stories from dealers who have problems even trying to comply with the law.

This very well may be the first compliment ever paid to the BATF on this forum!

[stevie_d_64]

BATFE wants to get rid of every small dealer they can and that is their current focus. Perhaps the companies you worked for were larger dealers, or at least had larger volume, and are not yet targeted for extension. When BATFE achieves it goal with the small dealers, the large ones will be next. There is a reason the "fix the BATFE" bill needs to pass.

Chas.

One of our Members, TC-TX, recently received his FFL he runs from his home. The process was simple, and the ATF was helpful in getting him set up.

I think we are hearing some half-truths and lopsided stories from dealers who have problems even trying to comply with the law.

This very well may be the first compliment ever paid to the BATF on this forum!

You may be right..."Txi", you feelin' ok???

[tomneal]

Just another follow up to the discussion.

I spoke at length to the son of the owner / manager of a small family owned gun range / gun store.

The BATFE compliance department spent 3 weeks at his shop. Minimum of 2 BATFE Agents and max of 5. Every gun was inventoried and records were checked all the way back to the 70's.
Every field of every 4473 record from 2007 was checked. We discussed the mistakes. None of the mistakes would even slightly delay the identification of the person that bought the firearm.

He had an appointment with the Houston office. They were going to decide whither to revoke his license or not. He thought they would not.

It sounded like this was the 1st audit of many to come. When the come back next year to look at 2008, they will try to find other trivial mistakes and because of this audit, any mistakes they find will be considered 'willful'.

Take a look at the Red's Trading Post Blog
http://redstradingpost.blogspot.com/

The NRA is writing letters to the BATFE.
http://www.nraila.org/pdfs/batfesullivan.pdf

I have written to both our Senators and have received responses. I asked them to "Hold" the nomination for Mike Sullivan. Neither has done it.
Please take the time to write our senators.

[KBCraig]

Just another follow up to the discussion.

I spoke at length to the son of the owner / manager of a small family owned gun range / gun store.

The BATFE compliance department spent 3 weeks at his shop. Minimum of 2 BATFE Agents and max of 5. Every gun was inventoried and records were checked all the way back to the 70's.

Sounds exactly like what happened at my favorite NE Texas gun shop (Longtooth knows which one).

ATF spent 21 days there, checking every single item. Only a handful minor errors were found, similar to Red's Trading Post, but they're on "probation" with ATF, with the sword hanging over their necks, if any more mistakes are found. Mistakes like "TX" instead of "Texas", or "Y" instead of "Yes".

[aardwolf]

If this is what happens under someone like Bush, who signed the CHL law, imagine how much worse McCain will be.

[frankie_the_yankee]

If this is what happens under someone like Bush, who signed the CHL law, imagine how much worse McCain will be.

While you're at it, imagine how much worse it would be under President Obama.

Another reason not to vote Slow Wheat, even if it means you have to hold your nose when pulling the lever.

Clinton put in place BATFE policies that reduced the number of FFL's by more than half. And those policies remain in place to this day. Just imagine what B. Hussein Obama would do if he gets the chance.