Firearms Industry Comments on
NYC Settlement with Gun Dealers
NEWTOWN, Conn.―The National Sports Shooting Foundation (NSSF), the trade
association for the firearms industry, said today that the proposed
settlement between New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and two of 15
federal firearms licensed gun dealers targeted by Bloomberg in a federal
lawsuit was redundant to existing federal regulatory oversight and joint
educational programs between the firearms industry and the federal
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
The agreement announced yesterday calls for the two dealers to receive
additional training in conducting lawful sales and detecting and
preventing sales to illegitimate 'straw' purchasers. "The firearms
industry has for years partnered with ATF, the appropriate and legally
authorized federal regulatory agency, to provide dealers with education
and training on how to prevent illegal straw purchases through our
'Don't Lie for the Other Guy' program, and on how to comply with the
extensive laws and regulations governing the lawful sale of firearms
through our 'Partner for Progress' seminars," said Lawrence G. Keane,
senior vice president and general counsel of the NSSF. "It is
disappointing that the mayor calls for more dealer education but
continues to rebuff our
proven programs. Our responsible industry is proud of its
longstanding cooperative relationship with law enforcement, and we look
forward to continuing this valuable partnership," added Keane. Each
dealer receives
extensive educational training from ATF.
The dealers also allowed a "special master," to be selected and paid by
the city, to monitor their lawful and highly regulated business
practices. "The monitor's oversight will be largely redundant to that of
ATF," said Keane. The monitor will also be able to fine the dealers for
violations of the settlement agreement. Ironically, Bloomberg opposes
federal legislation (HR 5092) that would enhance the ATF's enforcement
powers by permitting the agency to issue fines and to suspend licenses,
in addition to revoking licenses.
Mr. Bloomberg has had an adversarial relationship with the ATF. In
announcing his lawsuit in May he claimed ATF "was asleep at the switch"
and not doing its job. Bloomberg ordered sting operations to be
conducted at 45 dealers without notifying either ATF or the New York
Police Department. In the process the mayor's operations interfered with
as many as 18 ongoing federal investigations, jeopardizing the lives of
undercover law enforcement officers and witnesses.
"We call upon Mayor Bloomberg to support ATF rather than continually
insulting the agency and interfering with its ability to do its job,"
said Keane. "Regrettably, Mayor Bloomberg seems more interested in
making headlines than real progress."
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