Just about everyone in the United States—and maybe most of the Western World— has heard about the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-day-the-fbi-raided-donald-trump">raid on former President Trump’s personal residence, Mar-a-Lago</a>, in Palm Beach, Florida. While many across <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/08/politics/mar-a-lago-search-warrant-fbi-donald-trump/index.html">legacy</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelSteele/status/1556816227695214595">social</a> media have taken this as an opportunity to shout their usual partisan rhetoric, one thing is readily apparent—unchecked federal agencies, and not just the FBI, are being weaponized against Americans at an alarming rate.
On August 8, 2022, the FBI raided former-President Trump’s home, purportedly to recover certain classified files, or out of concern for how Trump was storing some classified files, or to corroborate which classified files Trump had in his possession. One thing we do know is that the U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland “<a href="https://twitter.com/PhilipWegmann/status/1557806274456289282">personally approved the decision to seek a warrant.</a>”
In modern history, no former president has been raided by an executive branch agency. To make matters worse, the agency is controlled by the opposing party, maybe the very individual Trump would be running against. And the warrant was approved by Merrick Garland, who <a href="https://ballotpedia.org/Supreme_Court_nomination_of_Merrick_Garland">would almost certainly be sitting on the Supreme Court, but for Trump’s election in 2016</a>.
The lack of transparency and even the appearance of abuse here is highly problematic. But to be clear, this isn’t just a problem with the FBI, or even this particular administration. This is what happens when the federal government grows unchecked, with near unlimited authority, and claims the power to tread upon every person’s life for any reason what-so-ever.
Let’s start with the FBI. Beyond just the Bureau’s raid on Mar-a-Lago, the FBI doesn’t exactly have a good track record. Who could forget when U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland <a href="https://www.ifs.org/blog/fbi-targets-outspoken-parents-school-boards-silence-them/">ordered the FBI to investigate parents</a> at school board meetings across the country because they were being labeled as a threat for trying to protect their children. Or when the FBI <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/04/03/surveillance-court-cites-lack-confidence-fbi-surveillance/2944403001/">seemingly repeatedly lied to the ever-secretive surveillance court</a> in order to illegally conduct electronic surveillance. There is also Waco and Ruby Ridge, but you can’t talk about those incidents without the <a href="https://www.projectveritas.com/news/fbi-whistleblower-leaks-bureaus-domestic-terrorism-symbols-guide-on-militia/">FBI now labeling you potential Militia Violent Extremist</a>.
Beyond just the FBI, recently we learned that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/guns-body-armor-spy-gear-heres-what-bidens-beefed-up-irs-investigation-unit-will-pack">received funding to add 87,000 additional agents to its ranks</a>, which will be <a href="https://www.atr.org/irs-has-4600-guns-and-five-million-rounds-of-ammo-will-dem-bill-grow-arsenal/">armed with the IRS’s expansive arsenal</a> and must be willing to “<a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/washington-secrets/irs-seeks-armed-accountants-ready-for-deadly-force">carry a firearm, and be willing to use deadly force, if necessary</a>.” This is the same IRS, mind you, that <a href="https://www.npr.org/2017/10/27/560308997/irs-apologizes-for-aggressive-scrutiny-of-conservative-groups">admitted to targeting conservative organizations</a> using “heightened scrutiny and inordinate delay.” And while the IRS says that it will “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/irs-we-will-absolutely-not-target-everyday-americans-with-new-army-of-agents">absolutely not” target “small businesses or middle-income Americans</a>,” it’s pretty telling the IRS feels it necessary to even say as much.
Then there is everyone’s favorite federal agency from the past two and a half years, the Center for Disease Control (CDC). At this point, it almost seems silly to recount the numerous guidance documents and regulations that the CDC has issued since the start of the pandemic that completely upended the lives of millions of supposedly free people, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/causing-coronavirus-confusion-again-cdc-flip-flops-on-guidance-regarding-covid-19-spread/">flip flopping</a> on its position the whole time. This all culminated into the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cdc-majorly-eases-covid-restrictions-ahead-of-school-year">CDC changing its guidance just this week</a> to drop most quarantine recommendations, to recommend ending testing on non-symptomatic people, and to treat vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals the same.
Last, and possibly worse, we have the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the agency that is currently in the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/04/26/2022-08026/definition-of-frame-or-receiver-and-identification-of-firearms">process of trying to re-define the word “firearm” through an agency rulemaking</a>. This isn’t Congress passing a new law.  This is a federal agency <a href="https://www.firearmspolicy.org/fpc-files-new-lawsuit-challenging-atf-frame-or-receiver-rule">changing its “interpretation” of federal law in order to expand its power</a>.  The agency did the same thing in 2018 when it <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/department-justice-announces-bump-stock-type-devices-final-rule">said that a bump stock </a>attached to a semi-automatic firearm magically converts the firearm into a machinegun—even though it plainly <a href="https://www.firearmspolicy.org/fifth-circuit-brief-semi-automatic-firearms-bump-stocks-are-not-machine-guns">doesn’t meet the definition of a machinegun</a> established by Congress. And don’t forget, if you violate one of the ATF’s vague and nonsensical regulations (not laws) <a href="https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/924">you can be charged with a felony and spend up to 5 years in prison</a>—per offense.
Let’s be perfectly clear, the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago is hugely problematic. Even if it were justified, the agency’s handling of the scenario exposes the severe lack of trust federal agencies have rightfully earned for themselves over the past half-century (or more). We the People have allowed the federal government too much control. When the FBI can conduct a surprise raid on a political opponent, when the IRS can employ and arm tens of thousands of tax-agents willing to use deadly force, when the CDC can stop you from earning a living, and when the ATF can dictate how you get to protect yourself, we have a government that has run off the tracks.
It’s time to end federal agency overreach. It’s time to stop allowing bureaucrats to run our lives unchecked. The silver-lining from the Mar-a-Lago search is not just a great awakening to federal agency encroachment, but a seeming willingness to actually do something about it, to remove the power these agencies have hoarded for themselves to dangle over everyday Americans. And anyone who isn’t willing to step up to that challenge doesn’t deserve to be a representative of We the People.
Cody J. Wisniewski (<a href="https://twitter.com/TheWizardofLawz">@TheWizardofLawz</a>) is a Senior Attorney for Constitutional Litigation with <a href="https://www.firearmspolicy.org/">Firearms Policy Coalition</a>. His work has appeared in the Washington Times, the Washington Examiner, National Review, Daily Wire, and more. He primarily focuses on Second Amendment issues but is happy so long as he is reminding the government of its enumerated powers and constitutional limitations.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Weaponizing Federal Agencies

Weaponizing Federal Agencies And The Danger Of Unchecked Government

Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF)

Federal Government

Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

Gun Laws

Merrick Garland

Readers Pass

Several cities across the United States are delaying or canceling <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/4th-of-july">Fourth of July</a> fireworks shows due to widespread <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/supply-chain">supply chain</a> issues, according to a report from <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/fourth-of-july-fireworks-may-not-happen-on-july-fourth-11656541201?mod=hp_lead_pos13">The Wall Street Journal</a>.
The city of Ottawa, <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/kansas">Kansas</a>, is rescheduling its show for the day before Labor Day because the fireworks ordered in February are stranded in a ship bound from <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/china">China</a>. “We hate to break tradition,” Tiffany Evans, who co-chairs the city’s festival, told the outlet. “Even though it’s out of our control, it feels like we’re letting the community down.”
COVID <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/apple-shifts-ipad-manufacturing-away-from-china-due-to-harsh-covid-lockdowns">lockdowns</a> closed manufacturing facilities and logistics hubs across the world as the virus began to spread. By the end of 2021, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supply-chain-crisis-worsens-number-of-ships-off-california-coast-hits-new-record">hundreds of shipping vessels</a> carrying thousands of containers were stranded off the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/california">California</a> coast as the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach struggled to keep up with demand. Persistent lockdowns in China and other Asian economies continue to limit the availability of consumer goods in the United States — a factor behind rising <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/inflation">inflationary</a> pressures.
<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/phoenix">Phoenix</a>, <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/arizona">Arizona</a>, canceled its shows altogether due to a lack of fireworks, while <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/minneapolis">Minneapolis</a>, <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/minnesota">Minnesota</a>, nixed its celebration because there were not enough workers to secure the site from which the fireworks were supposed to launch.
Some cities are keeping their shows during the holiday weekend, yet rescheduling from the Fourth of July because of a deficit of people available to run the pyrotechnics. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/fairfax-county">Fairfax</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/virginia">Virginia</a>, is delaying its show by one day, while Fountain Hills, Arizona, will run its display on the first of the month.
“A lot of these shooters, they could be doctors or dentists by day, and for two days a year they’re a pyrotechnician who’s shooting a firework show,” National Fireworks Association President Steve Houser told The Wall Street Journal, noting that many people avoid getting their licenses because of “hassle” involved with professional training and clearances with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/firearms-and-explosives-atf">ATF</a>).
Though the agency does not regulate consumer fireworks, federal law <a href="https://www.atf.gov/explosives/fireworks-safety-and-security#:~:text=The%20regulations%20at%2027%20CFR,ATF%20for%20the%20specific%20activity.">requires</a> that any person receiving “display fireworks” must obtain an explosives license or permit “for the specific activity.”
Beyond fireworks, other economic challenges are placing a damper on celebrations. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average cost of a Fourth of July <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/last-year-biden-bragged-about-16-cents-in-fourth-of-july-cookout-savings-this-year-prices-rose-by-double-digits">summer cookout</a> for a party of 10 is currently $69.68 — 17% higher since last year. Prices for barbecue staples such as chicken breasts, pork chops, potato salad, lemonade, and hamburger buns are more elevated than last year.
“Despite higher food prices, the supply chain disruptions and inflation have made farm supplies more expensive; like consumers, farmers are price-takers not price-makers,” AFBF Chief Economist Roger Cryan explained. “Bottom line, in many cases the higher prices farmers are being paid aren’t covering the increase in their farm expenses. The cost of fuel is up and fertilizer prices have tripled.”
Last year, however, President Biden’s White House <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-brags-about-saving-americans-16-cents-on-july-4-food-our-economic-plan-is-working">tweeted</a> that his administration managed to save Americans $0.16 on their Independence Day cookouts. At the time, year-over-year inflation was 5.3% and rising. As of last month, inflation was 8.6% — the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inflation-reaches-8-6-setting-new-four-decade-high">highest level</a> in four decades.

fireworks

Multiple Cities Delay Fourth Of July Fireworks Shows Due To Supply Chain Issues

Supply Chain Issues Press Cities To Cancel Fireworks Shows

4th of July

Supply Chain

According to reports, President Biden’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) failed to disclose a media appearance on Chinese state media to the U.S. Senate, which “may have been used as propaganda by the communist state to cover up a mass stabbing of children.”
“Biden&#8217;s ATF nominee David Chipman appeared on a Chinese state-run media network, China Global Television Network (CGTN), previously known as CCTN, in December 2012 to discuss the government&#8217;s response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, one of the deadliest shootings in U.S. history that killed 28 people and injured two,” reported <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-atf-chipman-senate-china-propaganda">Fox News</a>. 
Fox News added that CGTN reaches 30 million households in the U.S. alone, and “is an arm of China’s propaganda machine,” according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/business/cctv-china-usa-propaganda.html">The New York Times</a>.
“It is controlled by the Communist Party and serves as part of what Mr. Xi has called Beijing’s ‘publicity front,’” The New York Times added.
Chipman appeared on the network in 2012, and did not disclose this appearance “in written responses to the Senate&#8217;s <a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Chipman%20-%20SJC%20Questionnaire.pdf">questions for the record</a>.” The interview discussed the Newtown Massacre, with Chinese media covering the shooting and widely ignoring the Henan school attack which occurred on the same day.
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As <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-attack-media/chinas-own-primary-school-attack-prompts-soul-searching-idUSBRE8BI0E920121219">Reuters reported</a> in 2012, &#8220;On the same day as the Newtown shooting, a crazed man broke into a school building in central China, stabbing and slashing 23 pupils in an attack that, although not fatal, lit up the Internet — but barely registered with official state media.&#8221; 
Fox News added that “Chipman included a disclaimer before listing his media appearances, writing, ‘I have done my best to identify all interviews given, including through a review of my personal files, and searches of publicly available electronic databases. Despite my searches, there may be other materials that I have been unable to identify, find, or remember.’”
&#8220;Earlier this week, news reports indicated that Mr. Chairman had failed to disclosure to our colleagues on the Judiciary Committee a TV appearance he made several years ago,&#8221; <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mcconnell-slams-atf-nom-chipman-over-chinese-propaganda-hit-racist-remarks-profoundly-misguided-nomination">stated</a> Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell. &#8220;And this wasn&#8217;t just any TV appearance. Mr. Chipman had granted the interview to a propaganda network overseen by the Chinese government.&#8221;
&#8220;The Senate has spent quite enough time flirting with this profoundly misguided nomination. The American people deserve a trustworthy steward leading the ATF, with a record of respecting their rights and respecting his or her colleagues,” McConnell concluded. &#8220;It is long past time the Biden administration revisit this decision and send us somebody who fits that description.&#8221;
Chipman raised eyebrows in late May when he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-bidens-nominee-to-lead-atf-admits-to-ted-cruz-that-he-supports-a-ban-on-ar-15s">admitted</a> to Senator Ted Cruz that he supported a ban on AR-15s, the most popular rifle in the country.
“Mr. Chipman, a minute ago Senator Whitehouse asked you if any of your views on guns are out of step with the majority of the American people,” Sen. Ted Cruz said. “The AR-15 is one of, if not the most popular rifle in America.”
“It’s not a machine gun, it’s a rifle,” Cruz continued. “Your public position is that you want to ban AR-15s, is that correct?”
“Senator, thank you for the question, and thank you for our visit yesterday, and offering me a Dr. Pepper, it made me reminisce about my time in central Texas,” Chipman responded. “But now to your question, with respect to the AR-15, I support a ban as has been presented in a Senate bill, and supported by the president.”
“The AR-15 is a gun I was issued on ATF’s SWAT team,” Chipman added. “And it’s a particularly lethal weapon, and regulating it as other particularly lethal weapons, I have advocated for.”
“As ATF director, if I’m confirmed, I would simply enforce the laws on the books, and right now there is no such ban on those guns.”
“So, you want to ban the most popular rifle in America,” Cruz fired back.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: Sen. Ted Cruz gets Joe Biden’s ATF Director nominee David Chipman to admit that he wants to BAN the AR-15, the most popular rifle in America. 
“With respect to the AR-15, I support a ban.” <a href="https://t.co/6nDgalAkRj">pic.twitter.com/6nDgalAkRj</a>
&mdash; Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/1397585833138528262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Holds Hearing

Biden’s ATF Nominee Failed To Disclose China-Backed Propaganda Network Interview, May Have Been Used ‘To Cover Up A Mass Stabbing Of Children’

David Chipman

Starting on Wednesday morning, David Chipman — Joe Biden’s nominee to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) — will appear in front of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee as part of his confirmation hearing.
For critics, Chipman’s controversial history as a staunch gun control advocate is cause for grave concern in the context of the Biden administration’s broader war on the Second Amendment.
Before working as a gun control activist, Chipman was a special agent with the ATF for 25 years. He was reportedly one of the agents involved in the Waco siege and massacre in 1993, an accusation <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/david-chipman-looks-to-become-the-second-permanent-head-of-the-atf-in-15-years/2021/05/25/bae71380-bd8d-11eb-b26e-53663e6be6ff_story.html">disputed</a> by Leftist outlets. After the ATF attempted to serve a search and arrest warrant at Mount Carmel Center ranch in Axtell, Texas — home to Branch Davidians, a religious sect — a fierce gunfight ensued. After 51 days, a siege ended with the Mount Carmel Center engulfed in flames as federal agents stormed the building. The fire resulted in the deaths of 76 members of the sect, including 25 children and two pregnant women.
As the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9454603/Biden-ATF-nominee-anti-gun-lobbyist-Waco-lied-cult-shooting-helicopters.html">Daily Mail</a> reported, Chipman later “blatantly” lied about the events that transpired during the siege. “Notably, Chipman falsely claimed in a 2020 Reddit post that during the Waco standoff between Branch Davidian religious sect members and ATF agents that cult members shot down two helicopters — something that blatantly did not happen,” wrote the Daily Mail.
In one answer during an “Ask Me Anything” Reddit thread, “Chipman said during the ATF standoff with the Branch Davidians, &#8216;cult members used 2 .50 caliber Barretts to shoot down two Texas Air National Guard helicopters.&#8217;”
As the Daily Mail noted, Chipman was also involved in the 11-day “Ruby Ridge” standoff in 1992.
“The event started because a man, Randy Weaver, received three conflicting court dates for a bench warrant related to firearms charges. He suspected there was a conspiracy against him and refused to surrender when government agents came down on him,” the Mail explained. After federal agencies, including the ATF, became involved, Weaver and his three daughters surrendered, but “Weaver&#8217;s 14-year-old son, his wife Vicki and their dog were all killed by Marshals and FBI agents.”
Dudley Brown, the President of the National Association for Gun Rights, referenced Chipman’s role in ATF scandals as part of the reason why his nomination would be deeply problematic.
“David Chipman has been on the leading edge of ATF scandals for decades, all the way back to Waco — and now he shills for gun confiscation with Gun Control Inc.,” Brown said, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-gun-control-atf-david-chipman-assault-weapons-nra">Fox News</a>. “Chipman has embraced every hair-brained gun control scheme proposed, so of course Biden and Harris chose him — he&#8217;ll fit right in with their corrupt administration.”
Not only is Chipman’s alleged scandal-laced history a concern, he became an outspoken gun control activist in the years following his ATF service.
“His most recent employer — Giffords, part of a gun safety organization founded by Rep. Gabby Giffords — has pushed this year for stripping gun manufacturers of protection from lawsuits if their guns are used in crimes, requiring permits for the purchase of all types of guns, and limiting magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition,” reported The <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/who-is-david-chipman-bidens-pick-to-lead-atf">Washington Examiner</a>. 
Listed as a &#8220;Giffords Expert,&#8221; Chipman is <a href="https://giffords.org/people/david-chipman/">described</a> as a &#8220;senior policy advisor&#8221; at the gun control advocacy group, and is an outspoken advocate for gun control, particularly regarding so-called &#8220;assault weapons.&#8221;
In 2019, Chipman <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/04/08/985198566/biden-to-nominate-gun-control-advocate-law-enforcement-veteran-to-lead-atf">spoke</a> before the House Judiciary Committee on the subject of mass shooting events, and spoke of finding a balance between his view of gun rights and the prevention of gun violence as one between &#8220;the rights of individuals and the rights of all Americans, and a human right not to get shot.&#8221;
&#8220;Our nation&#8217;s current gun violence crisis has made two things very clear: one, it is far too easy for violent people to get their hands on violent weapons,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Two, the American people overwhelmingly want Congress to act now to make their communities safer.&#8221;
Chipman was also a <a href="https://www.nssf.org/articles/heres-why-david-chipman-is-a-terrible-choice-for-atf-director/">lobbyist</a> for former presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg&#8217;s &#8220;Everytown for Gun Safety&#8221; initiative. During his time as an activist, Chipman has lobbied Congress for &#8220;universal background checks, handgun licensing and registration, banning modern sporting rifles (MSRs), instituting age-based gun bans and to establish a national firearm transfer delay period.&#8221;

Who Is David Chipman? What You Need To Know About Biden’s Controversial ATF Nominee

Second Amendment

On Tuesday, a group of 20 Republican attorneys general sent a letter to Senate leadership opposing President Joe Biden&#8217;s nominee for director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), David Chipman.
According to the letter, which the <a href="https://dailycaller.com/2021/05/25/states-attorneys-general-joe-biden-atf-nominee-gun-control/">Daily Caller</a> first obtained, the attorneys general are concerned about Chipman&#8217;s past as a gun control advocate. Per a report from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/records-indicate-bidens-pick-for-atf-director-was-a-registered-gun-control-lobbyist">The Daily Wire</a>, Champan previously worked for the gun control organizations Everytown for Gun Safety and Giffords as a registered lobbyist. In those roles he advocated for a number of key anti-Second Amendment pieces of legislation, including an Assault Weapons Ban, implementation of Extreme Risk Protection Orders (commonly referred to as &#8220;red flag laws&#8221;), a ban on bump stocks, and against concealed carry reciprocity (where concealed carry permits are recognized in all 50 states). Early on in the COVID lockdown, the ATF nominee also advocated for firearms dealers not to be classified as &#8220;essential businesses.&#8221;
Chipman&#8217;s resume also includes other possibly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-pick-for-atf-director-has-a-questionable-past-that-deserves-a-second-look">problematic positions</a>, including serving as the case agent in the Branch Davidian trial. In that situation, the ATF was interested in bringing down a religious cult in Waco, Texas for stockpiling illegal firearms. The sting resulted in a 51-day standoff with cult leader David Koresh, who refused to turn over his firearms. In that <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Waco-siege">standoff</a>, 76 Davidians died, 25 of whom were children. Chipman later denied the ATF was responsible for the botched raid, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-pick-for-atf-director-has-a-questionable-past-that-deserves-a-second-look">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported.
In the letter, the 20 attorneys general made it clear the right to keep and bear arms is not about shooting as a hobby. It&#8217;s about preserving a way of life.
&#8220;Firearms are far beyond a hobby or a passion. They are a part of our national heritage and everyday life for tens of millions of Americans, particularly those of us who live in rural areas. We use them to hunt, protect livestock, and provide peace of mind when law enforcement may be miles away,&#8221; the coalition wrote. &#8220;This is why Mr. Chipman’s past affiliation with anti-gun organizations and his extreme positions on commonly owned firearms is so concerning to us as attorneys general and why he is unfit to be confirmed as head of the ATF.&#8221;
The state leaders also expressed concern over the potential for a firearms registry, depending on the type of anti-gun rules and regulations Chipman would put in place.
&#8220;Given Mr. Chipman’s radical views and disdain for the facts, it is not a stretch to wonder if he wants owners of any type of firearm placed in a government registry,&#8221; the letter indicated.
According to the coalition, if Chipman is confirmed as the ATF head, Americans will have little faith in his ability to &#8220;be an unbiased enforcer of current laws.&#8221;
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20 State AGs Oppose Biden’s Nominee For ATF Director Because Of His ‘Extreme Positions’

Joe Biden

A young couple from the Washington, D.C., area was indicted and arrested for allegedly selling multiple illegal explosive devices to an undercover agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Southern Maryland News Net <a href="https://smnewsnet.com/archives/481634/maryland-couple-arrested-for-selling-explosive-devices-to-undercover-atf-agent/">reported</a> that 29-year-old Brittany Nicole Adams of Landover, MD, and 30-year-old Anthony Benson, Jr. of Washington, D.C., were arrested for “conspiracy to distribute explosive devices and three counts of distribution of explosive devices.”
The investigation into the couple began when ATF found advertisements for explosive devices being offered for sale. The ad listed the explosives as “dynamite.” An undercover ATF agent inquired about the explosives and agreed to meet with the seller in Washington, D.C.
“In June of 2020, ATF agents conducted an undercover controlled purchase of suspected explosive devices after Adams and Benson met with the undercover agent in response to communication related to the sale advertisement,” News Net reported. “At the meeting, Adams provided the undercover agent with eleven suspected illegal explosive devices in exchange for U.S. currency. Subsequently, on two additional occasions in July of 2020, Adams and Benson met with the undercover agent and again provided to the undercover agent illegal explosive devices in exchange for U.S. currency.”
The charge comes months after the ATF investigated a man who allegedly threw an “incendiary object” at a federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/suspect-arrested-for-allegedly-tossing-incendiary-object-at-portland-courthouse">reported</a>. Oregon Live <a href="http://oregonlive.com/crime/2020/07/18-year-old-accused-of-attempted-arson-at-mark-o-hatfield-us-courthouse.html">reported</a> at the time that ATF discovered the identity of the suspect by reviewing video and photographic evidence and comparing it to social media accounts:
<blockquote>According to court documents, at approximately 11:50pm on July 28, 2020, security cameras at the Hatfield Federal Courthouse captured footage of a large incendiary object enter the building’s portico area and land near plywood sheeting affixed to the building’s façade. A few seconds later, the object exploded, igniting a fire near the building’s main entrance. Federal law enforcement personnel collected various items near the site of the explosion and sent them to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) laboratory for further analysis.
ATF investigators reviewed social media posts from the night of the explosion and located videos of the incendiary object being thrown. The individual depicted throwing the object, later identified to be Agard-Berryhill, was a young, Caucasian male wearing a green colored vest, camouflage pants, and a mask. Investigators observed the person in other protest-related videos posted online wearing the same vest and attempting to hold a shield in front of a naked woman.</blockquote>
An online product review for the vest also showed a picture of the person matching the description of the suspect. The review was from his grandmother.
“I got this [vest] for my grandson who’s a protestor [sic] downtown, he uses it every night and says its [sic] does the job,” the review noted.
Gabriel Agard-Berryhill, 18, turned himself in for the crime, Oregon Live reported:
<blockquote>[He] told federal officers that an unknown man in a ski mask handed him what he thought was a spinner-type firework that would rotate with varied colors when lit.
….
He admitted he lit the device, described as the size of a piece of chalk, and threw it over the fence, according to Amanda Johnson, an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.</blockquote>

Dynamites On Wooden Crate

Couple Arrested After Allegedly Selling Explosives To Undercover ATF Agent

Crime

Federal investigators late last year attempted to illegally purchase firearms online after congressional members asked them to assess how well the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives was doing with the enforcement of existing laws.
The findings were stunning.
Investigators with the United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) were dispatched to see whether private online sellers were engaging in selling firearms to people who are prohibited from owning firearms. The investigators attempted dozens of times to illegally purchase firearms from online sellers on the &#8220;surface web&#8221; (i.e. not the dark web), but were completely unsuccessful — going 0 for 72.
Key takeaways from the GAO&#8217;s <a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/690/688535.pdf">report</a>:
<ul>
<li>The GAO attempted 72 times to illegally purchase a firearm on gun forums and other classified ads.</li>
<li>They were unable to obtain any firearms.</li>
<li>29 sellers stated they would not ship the firearm.</li>
<li>27 refused after they learned that the attempted buyer was prohibited from buying.</li>
<li>In 5 instances, the accounts the GAO set up were frozen by the websites, which prohibited them from even accessing the forums.</li>
</ul>
Investigators also attempted to purchase firearms on the &#8220;dark web,&#8221; which is not used by most people and cannot be accessed through standard internet browsers. In these attempts, they did not disclose any information about whether they were prohibited from purchasing firearms.
The GAO attempted seven purchases on the dark web and successfully obtained two firearms, an AR-15, and an Uzi. The GAO did not make any recommendations in their report about any actions the ATF should take.

FAIL: Investigators Tried To Illegally Buy Guns Online. Here’s How Many They Obtained.

Gun Control

Gun Sales

Tobacco

CBS made up a bogus term to describe the ammunition that was used by the Las Vegas shooter during the rampage &#8211; calling the ammunition he used &#8220;automatic rounds.&#8221;
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) confirmed to the Daily Wire that there is no such thing as &#8220;automatic rounds,&#8221; which contradicts CBS&#8217;s claim about ATF rules.
CBS <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/915622557306548224">tweeted</a> a link to their report, saying, &#8220;While the guns Stephen Paddock used in Las Vegas fired automatic rounds, they were perfectly legal under ATF rules.&#8221;
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
While the guns Stephen Paddock used in Las Vegas fired automatic rounds, they were perfectly legal under ATF rules <a href="https://t.co/K8RlG5v282">https://t.co/K8RlG5v282</a> <a href="https://t.co/pdewa9BOwU">pic.twitter.com/pdewa9BOwU</a>
&#8212; CBS News (@CBSNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/915622557306548224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
&#8220;Yet while the guns that Stephen Paddock used to shoot more than 500 people in Las Vegas fired automatic rounds, they were perfectly legal, according to rules established by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF),&#8221; the <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/las-vegas-shooting-stephen-paddock-bump-stock-made-his-guns-even-deadlier/">CBS</a> report falsely stated.
CBS later updated their report but they failed to mention their correction anywhere in the article.
2nd Amendment advocates slammed the liberal network for their bogus &#8220;automatic rounds&#8221; claim over social media:
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&#8220;automatic rounds??&#8221;
Yet again <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CBSNews</a> demonstrates they know nothing about the subject they write on. <a href="https://t.co/cAAFRIazti">https://t.co/cAAFRIazti</a>
&#8212; Sebastian Gorka DrG (@SebGorka) <a href="https://twitter.com/SebGorka/status/915665338808832001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
TH is an &#8220;automatic round?&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/mdGDjQleOF">https://t.co/mdGDjQleOF</a>
&#8212; Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) <a href="https://twitter.com/DLoesch/status/915691443091623936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
WTF is an &#8220;automatic round&#8221;? <a href="https://t.co/vcrjoITjy8">https://t.co/vcrjoITjy8</a>
&#8212; Brandon Darby (@brandondarby) <a href="https://twitter.com/brandondarby/status/915644642753961994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>
<div class="embed tweet">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
&gt;&#8221;automatic rounds&#8221;
Calling for an immediate ban on checkmarks expressing opinions on guns until they figure out what the hell is going on <a href="https://t.co/NT9HNxffeM">https://t.co/NT9HNxffeM</a>
&#8212; Virginia Dare (@vdare) <a href="https://twitter.com/vdare/status/915645398479507456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
</div>

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