Firearm dealers told to ignore federal law, begin de facto registration of gun owners
By Coach Collins, on January 19th, 2013
by Doug Book, staff writer
Barack Obama's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has sent an open letter to all Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders/licensed gun dealers in the United States, recommending they "...enhance public safety and assist law enforcement by encouraging and facilitating transfers of firearms between private individuals through their business." In short, FFL holders are being told to perform background checks and keep records of private gun sales between American citizens, EVEN THOUGH federal law may NOT require that they do so! (1)
According to current federal law, gun sales between private individuals must be handled by FFL holders ONLY if the private parties are residents of different states. Residents of the same state may conclude the sale of a firearm without submitting to a background check, having the sale recorded or paying a fee to a FFL holder/licensed gun store. Yet in the ATF's January 16th letter to gun dealers, this vitally important distinction in federal law is ignored.
Why would the ATF suddenly "suggest" to gun dealers that they unnecessarily intrude themselves into private sales not currently controlled by federal law?
It gets good HERE