We are the KGBATF...

From what I've read on this incident, the "Pawn Shop" law was a local law of Mesa, AZ. WTF is the BATF doing enforcing local laws or ordinances? Or did I just get the wrong info.?
 
I sent a link to this thread to WBAP radio morning talk show host Mark Davis.
Tomorrow (Nov. 2) he's supposed to have Wayne LaPierre on for a half hour Q&A session.
You can listen to the broadcast on WBAP.COM, but I doubt that Davis has the balls to broach the subject; he claims conservatism but only when it does not offend.
Listen on the net tomorrow, and if he does'nt bring it up, email him about it. We need things like this in front of the national media now and forever. The web is just as useful a tool as a video camera, so lets use it.
 
I have heard that the BATF will hammer any FFL if he is not in compliance with local ordinances, from licensing to fire code, to security devices to Haz-Mat, to...now, I guess requiring a $100 pawn license even though consignment is not pawning (that is, no loan, no interest no secured paper).

Mesa is the home of the largest consignment furniture store in the country (Terry's Consign and Design located in other Phx locations). I am unaware of her being a pawnshop.

This is more of the BATF pushing the envelope with test cases. They have a mandate from the Clinton adminstration to harrass as many FFLs into turning over their licenses (and customers' 4473) as possible. With the election coming and Gore likely to be defeated next Tuesday if we turn out for Bush, the BATF wants as many cases "settled" or on the docket as possible before a President Bush/Cheney adminstration cleans house.

One can hope, can't he?

Rick
 
Changes in the Federal Firearms
Licensing System
In 1993,the Administration and Congress
focused on efforts to keep firearms out of the
hands of criminals and regulate the illegal
flow of guns.Noting that it was often easier
to acquire a gun dealer license than a driver ’s
license,the President directed a review of gun
dealer licensing in August 1993,aimed at
ensuring that only those engaged in a legiti-
mate firearms business are licensed.At that
time,ATF estimated that 46 percent of li-
censed dealers conducted no business at all,
but used their licenses to buy and sell fire-
arms across State lines at wholesale prices,
often in violation of State and local zoning or
tax laws.
In modifying the Federal firearms licensing
system in 1993 and 1994,Congress added
more safeguards to ensure that only legiti-
mate gun dealers obtained Federal licenses.
The 1993 Brady Act increased the dealer
licensing fee from $10 per year to $200 for
tional three-year period.The Brady Act also
requires license applicants to certify that they
informed their Chief Law Enforcement Of-
ficer (CLEO)of the locality in which their
premises will be located of their intent to
apply for a license.Subsequently,under the
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement
Act of 1994 (Crime Act),licensees were re-
quired to submit photographs and finger-
prints as part of their application,and to
certify that their firearms business complied
with all State and local laws,including zon-
ing regulations.
Following these changes,the NLC reviewed
the eligibility of the entire licensee popula-
tion over a three-year period.As licensees
applied for renewal of licenses,they were
required to submit complete new application
packages with photographs,fingerprints and
information about the proposed business.
The majority of these renewal applications,as
well as new applications,were sent to field
offices where inspectors contacted the appli-
cants.Beginning in 1993,ATF field offices
established partnerships with State and local
licensing and zoning authorities to disqualify
the licensees who were operating in violation
of State or local law and to ensure that appli-
cants had notified local CLEOs of their intent
to enter the gun business.
http://www.atf.treas.gov/breakingnews/020400report.pdf
 
My contact with BATF follows

------

I called the Phx BATF branch during lunch at 602-776-5400. I wanted to talk to "Special Agent in Charge" Marvin Richardson, but he was out of the office. Richardson is likely the BATF agent that attended our meeting of the Arizona Firearms Safety Coalition along with a US Atty to push Project Gulag, er Exile.

I left a message for him to call me and pressed zero to get a warm body. I was eventually sent to another agent who asked if I had heard about this on the Arizona Right to Keep and Bear Arms internet list (azrkba@asu.edu). I did.

He said that the part about Jerry not having a Pawn license was true and the BATF acted on that as it is now a violation for an FFL to be in violation of local ordinances. I asked if there was anyone available to comment. He said they were all gone "doing another enforcement action." Oh, joy.

He also said, as was said in www.keepandbeararms.com KABA report, that he had been accused of engaging in straw purchases (which Jerry denies). Jerry is accused of doing a straw purchase with a BATF agent and telling them how straw purchase are done. We know how BATF sets up FFLs in their stings. As well, since when does the 1st amendment not protect discussing how illegal things are done. Hell, you could arrest every criminology professor in the country.

I asked him to send me a copy of the warrant. He said that I could get a copy of the affadavit at the federal court house building and would call me back with the document numbers.

I asked him about the man-handling of $300,000 worth of firearms. He said that the firearms were confiscated but he was unaware of any mishandling. He said they always try to handle them with care.

I feel all warm and fuzzy.

Rick
 
I just sent a e-mail to my senators and representative, with a link to https://www.keepandbeararms.com/newsarchives/XcNewsPlus.asp?cmd=view&articleid=834

I am fortunate to have pro-gun representatives, and look forward to hearing back from them. I'd encourage every one on this forum to contact theirs. We need to bury them with contacts and followups.

Brian
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by RickD:
He said that the part about Jerry not having a Pawn license was true and the BATF acted on that as it is now a violation for an FFL to be in violation of local ordinances. [/quote]

Looks to me like the Federalies were successful in making violation of local laws a violation of federal law. Gee, I wonder if there isn't room for legal challenge/action. Its outrageous! Violation of a local law is now a violation of a federal law!

Put this on the punch list of "Gotta Fix" for a President Dubya.




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Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.

Barry Goldwater--1964
 
...and we're here to help. :rolleyes:

------------------
WARNING: This post may be another "self-aggrandizing attempt to cause needless controversy, argument, distraction"
-*-
Keepin' the FUD Legacy Alive! Check us out @ FUD's Fan Club!
 
The NAZI JACKBOOT THUGS who work for F-TROOP are a disgrace to every decent American who ever raised his or her right hand and swore to "defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign AND DOMESTIC, so help me God". The BATFag filth also took an oath to defend the constitution, yet they call us "constitution fanatics" as they stomp our pets to death, trash our property, and hold our chidren at machine gun point on the ground wearing their black terrorists masks. They are no more or less then the vanguard of tyranny in America, the same as Hitler's SA "Brownshirts" in the early 1930s. Their mission is to drive legal arms dealers out of business by any means, and to test the rest of our reactions to their brutal thuggery. We are watching a "slow motion Kristallnacht", and if we take it as passive sheeple, we will see more and worse. Well I have a reminder for any lurking GESTAPO GOONS: after millions of us took that oath to defend the constitution against "all enemies, foreign AND DOMESTIC, we were marched to rifle ranges and taught HOW TO DEFEND IT! That's what has you peeing your pants in fear: we still have those millions of private rifles, and WE KNOW WHO THE CONSTITUTION'S DOMESTIC ENEMIES ARE!!
 
As a former FFL, and a retired PI, I found this story very interesting. I do some free lance investigative reporting and thought this was a great one for me to work on. Like Angel Shamaya I also went down to the U.S. Courthouse and got a copy of the affidavit for the search warrant. But - that tells a different story about how this Jerry got himself into trouble. It looks like he was selling used guns that he had taken on trade - and that requires a separate license from his city (Mesa). Its also pretty clear that the local cops had visited him personally months ago and told him to stop - and he claimed he would stop immediately. But - he didn't and they got several cases of undercover folks going in an buying used guns after he told the cops he would stop. The cops understandably got ticked 'cause he lied and probably called BATF. It also looks like the details of the straw purchase case could possibly convince a jury
he did it on purpose. If there's one thing I have learned it is this - we have to have credibility and unblemished facts when we take on the BATF. Everytime we write stories or call our Congressmen with too quick and our facts are half-baked (or just not true because we believed somebody in trouble who wanted to stir us up to get on his side) it comes unraveled on us. We then look like idiots . . . and the next time we come back with some good stuff, nobody wants to hear us. I'm gonna pass on this story because I have concluded for myself this one looks like calling attention to it won't help the cause in anyway.
 
You draw a conclusion by looking at a government document? Your first day here, even.

What do you think about throwing $300,000 worth of collectible firearms in plastic trash cans?

Rick
 
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