We have previously reported on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' "Project Gunrunner" and its inherent problems. Established in 2007, this program sought to expand the agency's firearm tracing operations to address trafficking to
The CBS News story detailed the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry. Guns found at the scene of the murder were allegedly obtained by a "gun runner" in
The story details how, in late 2009, BATFE was alerted to suspicious transactions at seven gun shops in the
Apparently, Jaime Avila was one of the suspicious buyers. The story reports that BATFE put
The story goes on to note that, hours after Agent Terry was gunned down, BATFE arrested Avila, and the U.S. Attorney's office has since indicted 34 suspected gunrunners in the same group.
Reportedly, the Justice Department has said that BATFE has never knowingly allowed the sale of "assault weapons" to suspected gunrunners.
As we detailed in last week's Grassroots Alert, the U.S. House has voted for an amendment to a continuing appropriations bill offered by Reps. Dan Boren (D-Okla.) and Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) that would prohibit the use of federal funds for the new and unauthorized multiple sales reporting scheme proposed by BATFE. The measure passed the chamber (277-149) with broad bipartisan support.
BATFE is demanding the authority to require all of the 8,500 firearm dealers in