Folks this has been on my mind for a few days and I'm shocked someone else hasn't posted this. Please call ATF and demand they act. Then contact your federal legiscritter if you don't get action. This from JPFO
ALERT FROM JEWS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF FIREARMS OWNERSHIP
America's Aggressive Civil Rights Organization
February 23, 2005
JPFO ALERT: DID CNN REPORTER COMMIT FELONIES IN GUN BUY?
On February 18, 2005, CNN aired a segment in which reporter
Drew Griffin purchased a .50 caliber rifle. In doing so,
Griffin may have broken one or more federal firearms laws.
And he filmed it to boot.
The video of the transaction can be found at
http://tinyurl.com/5ftnr (look in the upper right corner
for the box labeled "Powerful Rifle Readily Available".
It's in RealPlayer format). A transcript of the show can be
found at http://tinyurl.com/6r26q.
Some pertinent quotes from the clip:
"But before I shelled out $2,500 to buy this gun, I
wanted to make sure I could buy ammunition."
"The transaction at a house in suburban Houston took
about 20 minutes. We walked out with a case holding the gun
... We flew home. [W]hen the bags arrived for our flight, I
simply picked it up and left."
"By going through a private seller, private seller,
private buyer, it's strictly a cash transaction. We made
sure that the two, the buyer and the seller, were in the
same state."
Based on the above quotes, we can extrapolate a few
details:
1) Griffin states that _he_ was going to "shell out $2500"
for the firearm, implying that he was the ultimate
purchaser.
2) The private-party sale took place in Houston. In saying,
"We made sure that the ... buyer and the seller were in the
same state," Griffin seems to imply he had a third party --
a Texas resident -- buy the gun for him.
3) After the sale of the rifle, Griffin flew home and
"picked up" (took possession of) the rifle.
So what laws may have been broken? Griffin purchased a
firearm from a non-licensed party in a state in which he
was (apparently) not a resident. According to 18 U. S. C
922(a) (3) and (5), 922(b) (3), 27 CFR 178.29, that's a
felony, Drew.
Additionally, CNN personnel, from the producer down to the
cameraman, were undoubtedly involved in planning the
purchase. That's conspiracy -- another felony. And if money
were transferred from CNN to the reporter (or the Texas
resident) for the purpose of committing a felony, well...
MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS
Of course, it's perfectly possible that the presumed third-
party Texas resident purchaser retained ownership of the
firearm. If that's the case, it's likely no laws were
broken (although it would mean that CNN deliberately misled
viewers).
So, is Griffin a resident of the state of Texas? Did he
purchase the rifle himself or was a third party involved?
Who provided the money for the purchase? Who has possession
of the rifle currently? The answers to these questions
could mean the difference between Drew Griffin walking free
or sitting behind bars for a decade or more.
PROSECUTE OR NOT?
If Griffin was indeed a non-resident of Texas and purchased
the rifle as the segment implies, should he be arrested,
fined or jailed? JPFO says no -- because _no one_ should
be punished for the simple act of purchasing a firearm. In
our view, these laws are unacceptable infringements on an
innocuous commercial transaction. Furthermore, when they
become commonplace, these laws encourage the careless,
malicious behavior shown by the BATFE agents in our
documentary _BATFE Fails the Test_
(www.jpfo.org/batfevideo.htm).
That being said, if Griffin (and others of his ilk who
bleat about the availability of .50 caliber rifles) really
believes the government needs to "crack down" on gun sales,
it seems only right and proper that he suffer the
consequences of his actions -- the same consequences any
"ordinary" person would suffer.
Prosecute Drew Griffin -- or stop prosecuting anybody who
commits a victimless "gun crime." Fair is fair.
- The Liberty Crew
ALERT FROM JEWS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF FIREARMS OWNERSHIP
America's Aggressive Civil Rights Organization
February 23, 2005
JPFO ALERT: DID CNN REPORTER COMMIT FELONIES IN GUN BUY?
On February 18, 2005, CNN aired a segment in which reporter
Drew Griffin purchased a .50 caliber rifle. In doing so,
Griffin may have broken one or more federal firearms laws.
And he filmed it to boot.
The video of the transaction can be found at
http://tinyurl.com/5ftnr (look in the upper right corner
for the box labeled "Powerful Rifle Readily Available".
It's in RealPlayer format). A transcript of the show can be
found at http://tinyurl.com/6r26q.
Some pertinent quotes from the clip:
"But before I shelled out $2,500 to buy this gun, I
wanted to make sure I could buy ammunition."
"The transaction at a house in suburban Houston took
about 20 minutes. We walked out with a case holding the gun
... We flew home. [W]hen the bags arrived for our flight, I
simply picked it up and left."
"By going through a private seller, private seller,
private buyer, it's strictly a cash transaction. We made
sure that the two, the buyer and the seller, were in the
same state."
Based on the above quotes, we can extrapolate a few
details:
1) Griffin states that _he_ was going to "shell out $2500"
for the firearm, implying that he was the ultimate
purchaser.
2) The private-party sale took place in Houston. In saying,
"We made sure that the ... buyer and the seller were in the
same state," Griffin seems to imply he had a third party --
a Texas resident -- buy the gun for him.
3) After the sale of the rifle, Griffin flew home and
"picked up" (took possession of) the rifle.
So what laws may have been broken? Griffin purchased a
firearm from a non-licensed party in a state in which he
was (apparently) not a resident. According to 18 U. S. C
922(a) (3) and (5), 922(b) (3), 27 CFR 178.29, that's a
felony, Drew.
Additionally, CNN personnel, from the producer down to the
cameraman, were undoubtedly involved in planning the
purchase. That's conspiracy -- another felony. And if money
were transferred from CNN to the reporter (or the Texas
resident) for the purpose of committing a felony, well...
MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS
Of course, it's perfectly possible that the presumed third-
party Texas resident purchaser retained ownership of the
firearm. If that's the case, it's likely no laws were
broken (although it would mean that CNN deliberately misled
viewers).
So, is Griffin a resident of the state of Texas? Did he
purchase the rifle himself or was a third party involved?
Who provided the money for the purchase? Who has possession
of the rifle currently? The answers to these questions
could mean the difference between Drew Griffin walking free
or sitting behind bars for a decade or more.
PROSECUTE OR NOT?
If Griffin was indeed a non-resident of Texas and purchased
the rifle as the segment implies, should he be arrested,
fined or jailed? JPFO says no -- because _no one_ should
be punished for the simple act of purchasing a firearm. In
our view, these laws are unacceptable infringements on an
innocuous commercial transaction. Furthermore, when they
become commonplace, these laws encourage the careless,
malicious behavior shown by the BATFE agents in our
documentary _BATFE Fails the Test_
(www.jpfo.org/batfevideo.htm).
That being said, if Griffin (and others of his ilk who
bleat about the availability of .50 caliber rifles) really
believes the government needs to "crack down" on gun sales,
it seems only right and proper that he suffer the
consequences of his actions -- the same consequences any
"ordinary" person would suffer.
Prosecute Drew Griffin -- or stop prosecuting anybody who
commits a victimless "gun crime." Fair is fair.
- The Liberty Crew
