From: will@rainbow.rmii.com (Will Spencer) To: chan@shell.portal.com Date: Sun, 30 Apr 95 19:25:53 MDT Time For Congress to Rein in BATF American Rifleman April 1995 Heavy-handed raids and abuses against law-abiding citizens, harassment of gun dealers, and the illegal computerization of out-of-business FFL dealer records are hallmarks of this rogue federal agency. Ask Harry and Theresa Lumplugh. This past Ssummer, 15 to 20 armed men burst into their rural Pennsylvaina home. The family cooperates -- opening safes, handing over papers -- but cooperation doesn't ease the intruders' wrath. One holds a submachine gun in their faces. Another utters a racial slur. One empties vial after vial of cancer medicine and crushes it on the bathroom floor. Another stomps a pet cat to death. Who are these intruders? Ask 21-year old Monique Montgomery. Four masked men break into her bedroom at four in the morning. The glaring lights and the timing of the hit are meant to maximize Monique's disorientation as she wakes from a deep sleep. And wake she does, pulling a gun for self-defense, but the intruders already have their guns drawn and let her have it -- four shots, four direct hits. Who are these intruders? Ask Louie Katona II of Ohio -- successful businessman, civic leader, part-time cop, family man, model American. One intruder pushes wife Kimberly against a wall. Kimberly begins bleeding and later miscarries. Who are these armed terrorists? Not a gang of neighborhood toughs. They're agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the incidents described above are not exceptions, but recent examples of the brute force of unchecked, renegade federal power. Who are the victims? People who've broken no law, in homes where nothing illegal is found. The terror often comes at the hands of BATF agents clad in ninja blacks, but the terror doesn't stop there. Even the desk jockeys in the licensing part of the agency get in their licks. Bend to BATF's politics -- or get broken. BATF visits Randy Engelken, a gun-stor owner in Seneca, Kansas, and photocopies any transaction record involving the purchase of military-style semi-automatic firearms. Why just those firearms? The agent comments on Randy's political activism -- namely his vocal opposition to U.S. Rep. Jim Slattery (defeated last fall). In a style that would make the KGB proud, the BATF agent tells Randy: "If you don't lay off Congressman Slattery, you wont have a firearms license." Surrender your license -- or surrender your reputation. BATF is committed to driving down the number of Federal Firearms License (FFL) holders to drive down lawful gun ownership. And they'll do it any way they can. A typical case: BATF raises the zoning issue by contacting a Pennsylvania township directly, informing officials that a resident with an FFL is conducting retail sales in the township. BATF also speaks directly with a supplier to the dealer, suggesting that the dealer was lying about being a federal agent. The agent also goes to the dealer's supervisor, demeaning his reputation. In fact, no crime was committed by the dealer -- who was and remains a special agent with the U.S. Department of Justice Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) -- a law enforcement perofessional with 25 years experience. They ban whatever they can -- whenever they can. Ignore the fine print in the '94 Clinton Gun Ban that some firearms are "protected," because BATF ignores it. Forget the fact that the 1860 Henry lever-action was listed as protected, because, for months, BATF banned it's importation -- considering the cowboy rifle an "assault weapon." And now they've got your name -- and your number! On February 15, 1995, at a hearing of the House Appropriation Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service and General Government, officials of the Treasury Department and BATF admitted that all the records of firearms transactions between U.S. citizens and out-of-business dealers are being entered into a centralized registration system under the control of BATF. Throughout history, registration has always been a precurson to harassment, a stepping stone to gun confiscation. Recognizing this, the U.S. Congress has spoken clearly and distinctly over the last three decades: no money, no people and no administrative expenses can ever be used to register firearms, firearms owners or firearm transactions. Period. But BATF is not listening. They're copying, collating and computerizing (see Knox's Notebook, P14) -- while their agents in the field are harassing, intimidating and hurting honest citizens. It must stop -- and it can! Call your U.S. representative and U.S. senators at (202)224-3121, and do it now. Tell them it's time to either abolish this rogue agency -- or take immediate steps to (1) regain control, (2) expose and prosecute government agents and officials guilty of civil rights abuses and (3) institute strict policies and oversight to insure that the Bill of Rights is honored, not condemned.