Holder & Justice Department dropping the ball

[KeithKSR]

Holder and the Justice Department have spent so much time playing the Keystone Cops that they have failed miserably to do their primary job, enforce American laws.

As Chuck has pointed out time and time again, there has been a failure by Justice to prosecute felons who try to obtain guns by lying on the 4473. Under Holder prosecutions have fallen 35%. Let's think about the bigger picture. A felon goes to a gun shop to buy a firearm and is denied by the NICS. What is their next move? IMO, the move would be to purchase a firearm illegally through a straw purchase or on the black market. Contrary to the myth popularized by the anti-gun lobbies criminals don't go to gun shows to buy guns. To be quite hones prices at gun shows tend to be inflated and a majority of sellers are dealers anyway. There may be a few guys looking to trade, but they generally sell to dealers or trade with dealers.

Congress provided the Justice department with the ability to penalize states for not complying with current NICS requirements. Some states have not submitted lists of disqualified individuals so they could become part of the NICS database, as a result potentially disqualified individuals are allowed to purchase guns. Congress also provided states with incentive $$ to provide up to date NICS information, and have had no problem forking the cash over to some states.

Before we begin to increase the number of laws that will impact primarily law abiding citizens should we not require the executive branch to improve its record in complying with current laws?

[Doc]

Holder and the Justice Department have spent so much time playing the Keystone Cops that they have failed miserably to do their primary job, enforce American laws.

As Chuck has pointed out time and time again, there has been a failure by Justice to prosecute felons who try to obtain guns by lying on the 4473. Under Holder prosecutions have fallen 35%. Let's think about the bigger picture. A felon goes to a gun shop to buy a firearm and is denied by the NICS. What is their next move? IMO, the move would be to purchase a firearm illegally through a straw purchase or on the black market. Contrary to the myth popularized by the anti-gun lobbies criminals don't go to gun shows to buy guns. To be quite hones prices at gun shows tend to be inflated and a majority of sellers are dealers anyway. There may be a few guys looking to trade, but they generally sell to dealers or trade with dealers.

Congress provided the Justice department with the ability to penalize states for not complying with current NICS requirements. Some states have not submitted lists of disqualified individuals so they could become part of the NICS database, as a result potentially disqualified individuals are allowed to purchase guns. Congress also provided states with incentive $$ to provide up to date NICS information, and have had no problem forking the cash over to some states.

Before we begin to increase the number of laws that will impact primarily law abiding citizens should we not require the executive branch to improve its record in complying with current laws?

I think I'll pass on this discussion since I've made my feelings known on the obligation of law enforcement branch to enforce the laws and not selectively ignoring some. However I will be interested in watching how this progresses and the techniques used to justify the replies. Should make for an interesting read.

[KeithKSR]

Doc, the thing with the Justice department not enforcing these laws is that these laws fall under the direct purview of the Justice department and are laws they wanted in place and are currently lobbying Congress to strengthen.