ATF tells Alaska Congressman it broke no laws In a
breaking follow up to a previous story concerning possible violations of federal law by agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (
ATF) in Alaska, the ATF has written
an official letter to an Alaska Congressman stating that it broke no laws.
U.S. Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, sent a letter to the ATF in April inquiring about reports that agents had visited numerous gun stores in the state asking that they
turn over their "bound book" containing the names of customers and their purchases.
Government agencies are prevented by law from receiving or keeping such information unless it is part of an ongoing criminal investigation, and even then the requested information must be specific to the crime being investigated.
This reporter
spoke by phone to one firearms dealer in Anchorage, who stated that an agent approached him requesting to remove the bound book from the premises. The dealer refused,
citing his legal rights.
In the days that followed several elected officials in Alaska expressed support for the dealer in his dispute with the ATF,
including Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.
Rep. Young also became involved and requested information from the Justice Department concerning the illegal requests.
The ATF maintains that no laws were broken. But the only "proof" the agency offers to verify that statement is that since federal law prohibits government agencies from making such requests, then ATF agents would not engage in such behavior.
The problem, however, is that ATF agents did indeed engage in such behavior.
The Congressman granted a telling
interview during which he delineated numerous problems with the ATF concerning the issue, particularly with regard to the Seattle Field Division which has oversight of agents in Alaska.
Curiously, the Seattle Field Division has been the center of controversy not only relating to the Alaska ATF but to a major
new scandal that agents reported last week.
http://www.examiner.com/article/atf-...-broke-no-laws
