Sellers shut down by ATF find other ways

[struggle4progress]

By David S. Fallis
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 14, 2010

About a hundred times a year, regulators strip gun dealers of their licenses for violations of federal law, an extreme step taken only when repeated infractions are deemed a threat to public safety ...

"We'll just have to play musical licenses," the owner of the Highland Gun Barn in Michigan said when a federal inspector served him with a final notice to surrender his license.

A California sports shop had its license revoked after inspectors from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the 87-year-old owner's repeated violations of gun laws showed she was unable to run a gun business. Before she forfeited her license, the woman's son obtained a permit to sell guns at the same shop. He said he would be at the shop two days a week and that his mother would "exclusively direct all day-to-day business."

A Maryland gun store that ATF said lost track of weapons and failed to do background checks was forced to surrender its license after the owner lost a court battle. Six months later, ATF issued the dealer's wife a license at his old shop in Fallston, Md ...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/13/AR2010121306190.html

[one-eyed fat man]

1. Explain something

So they revoked licenses? If dealers breaking the law is what prompted the ATF to revoke the license why are they not in prison?

Maybe I am missing it, but if they are selling guns to prohibited persons, selling guns off the books, facilitating straw buyers, these are CRIMES and felonies at that! Why haven't they been hauled off in irons to stand in the dock before a Federal judge for violations of Title 18 US Code?

Are these revocations administrative actions penalizing a dealer for sloppy paperwork? Is the ATF too incompetent to make a criminal case against a rogue gun dealer so they pull his license? Maybe it is the US Attorney who declines to prosecute?

Then they turn around and issue a new license to one of his associates or family members? You think they could at least make them run their "criminal empire" from prison?

If there is criminal activity why is there not an arrest and a trial? If you can't arrest them, then how much of a crime did they commit?

Speeding and drunk driving are both violations of traffic law. Speeding might get your license revoked. Drunk driving will get you arrested. Traffic manslaughter will get you hard time.

Just what did these dealers do that all they face was a simple license revocation and nothing else?

[Katya Mullethov]

4. 100 times a year

somebody gets a screwin' from ATF .

[Euromutt]

2. Already covered

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=118x351070

You are not the only person who reads the WaPo.

[RSillsbee]

3. Your Google Fu is weak Grasshopper

You're two days late w/ this

[AtheistCrusader]

5. Onehandle beat you by daaaaays