WASHINGTON D.C. –-(Ammoland.com)- New evidence shows that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is lying to journalists, lawyers, the public, and their own Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) department.
Earlier in the year, AmmoLand News obtained inside information from a source and a copy of the notes of a Director of Industry Operations (DIO) conference call that ATF employees on temporary detail to the NFA (National Firearms Act) division were not hitting target metrics. The NFA division is responsible for processing and approving tax stamps, processing NFA transfers, and adding new NFA items to the NFA registry. The exact metrics were not revealed on the call.
On my behalf, on March 1, 2021, my attorney, Stephen Stamboulieh, filed an FOIA request to get the exact metrics that the ATF uses for the NFA division. At the same time, another attorney, Robert Olson, filed an FOIA request to get the DIO notes from the call in question. AmmoLand News had a leaked version of the notes, so this request would show what the ATF would redact from the document.
The FOIA department responded to the FOIA request stating that the NFA division reported that it did not have metrics.
Stamboulieh responded back to the FOIA department that we actually already knew that these metrics existed because we had inside ATF information from the DIO conference call. He quoted directly from the notes and asked the FOIA department to go back to the NFA division and ask for the metrics again. The request to double was granted.
A few days later, The ATF’s FOIA Department returned the request that Mr. Olson submitted for the DIO conference call notes. The ATF must not have been aware of Mr. Olson’s connection to me or the AmmoLand New article about the leaked conference call because they provided a redacted version of the DIO conference call notes. Someone at the ATF redacted the portion of the notes regarding the NFA division’s metrics. This redaction was only days after my other FOIA request was returned, with no results found.
The ATF exempted the portion of the FOIA request dealing with the failure to hit targets of the employees on the temporary detail to the NFA division. Someone at the ATF redacted that section of the DIO conference call. The ATF said they redacted the information because revealing it “would disclose techniques and procedures for enforcement investigations or prosecutions if such disclosure could reasonably be expected to risk circumvention of the law.”
The redacted information does not deal with “enforcement investigations or prosecutions.” There is no risk that disclosing metrics of processing tax stamps could be used to circumvent the law. It seems like the ATF does not want the public to know the NFA division’s metrics and chose to mislead FOIA requestors about the existence of the metrics in question.
Furthermore, we believe that the ATF’s FOIA department was not involved in the coverup of the existence of the metrics. The FOIA department requests the information from the department in question on behalf of the requester and then relays it back to the requester. The department’s job is to act as a single point of contact for the public. They do not get to decide what the department hands over.
It isn’t clear why the ATF chose to be dishonest about the existence of the NFA department’s metrics, but it does call into question the honesty of other redactions in FOIA requests.
About John Crump
John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
the freedom of information act was forced on government to stop abuses of power, well all it did was make them more creative liars. Lawyer and liar are synonymous twist meanings to fit their use, not as intended. the second amendment was meant to be an absolute,without government control that is why it takes the form of a commandment, it is written unlike everything else in the constitution or declaration of independence or even the articles of confederation the militia act made all able bodied males 18 or over members of militia all were to have their own gun we… Read more »
^^^^^SOMEONE FIGURED IT OUT!^^^^^^^^
Will somebody please provide this ass hat crybaby a box of tissues so he can go off in a corner to sulk? What a dork!
At least his scharts are on burst-fire now instead of full auto, but that forces him to reply to himself.
“You talkin’ to me? Are YOU talking to ME? No one else here…”
LOL
Disband the ATF.
I know why they’re so dishonest. They have to be. The very existence of an NFA division, and the firearms and explosives parts of BATFE are inherently dishonest. The NFA is unconstitutional, full stop. Any person employed doing any of the above, can not adhere to the oath that every last one of them took to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Not when their job is to do exactly what an enemy of the Constitution would do.
Article 1 Section 8 gives congress those powers when one interprets your constitution like a commie…
No Shart, I would say the supreme court is made up of politically connected lawyers; appointed because they think like commies. A non-commie interpretation would say it is EVERYONE’S job to interpret your constitution. Including the legislative and executive branches, the judiciary has usurped this power because of people like you! When I see all your incoherent posting, I think you are off your meds!
Shart’s insane guide to the constitution. And just because I go in your mother every night does not mean I am a dildo!
You related to George Scharf?
Are you George Schart’s wife?
the Constitution belongs to ALL american citizens, each one of us. the limits placed on government control under its first ten amendments (The Bill of Rights) applies nationwide; federally, state and locally.
i suggest you try reading the 10th Amendment again only this time….. S. L. O. W. L. Y and out loud.
your attempt to discredit our Constitution is pathetic. lay off that cheap gin, okay? it’s not doing you any favors. lol.
And black is white, up is down and “…shall not be infringed” means limit it however you see fit. Yep.
You should read some founding documents again, you smug prick.
From where does a just government derive its power?
So yes, HOW I INTERPRET THE LAW IS PARAMOUNT.
They are not my rulers. I can take my ball and go home whenever I feel like it.
As soon as I perceive that people in government are openly and actively abusing their power, and denying my own ability to withdraw consent, it is my right and duty to abolish that government and destroy the abusers.
Words have meaning, and meanings have consequences. Just because certain entities have changed, or attempted to change, the meaning of some words at the time the Constitutoin was drafted does not mean the intent of the Framers has changed. Go back and understand what certain words in commonusage in 1780’s meant then and in that setting. Try reading the Federalist Papers, the conventioin minutes, etc. Arms meant certain things in 1775, and it was THAT meaning they were using. Our current gummit wants to take a pice of inert plastic and define it as a “firearm under the meaing of… Read more »
JonLordofShart: THE VIRUS INFECTING AMMOLAND DOT COM.
Lord of the Scharts
If they were honest with themselves they would have to shoot themselves as a punishment.
Wrong. Any LAW that is REPUGNANT to the Constitution is null and void. Marbury Vs Madison. and we have a democratic republic. We would have been better off staying a monarchy because then you only have to deal with ONE psychopathic control freak and his enforcers instead of who the fuck knows how many and their enforcers.
It does not take a court to decide whether “shall not be ifringed” means exactly what it says it mean,s r means somehting else. Note well: that language does not define or identify or restrict WHO may/may not do the proscribed infringing. It says, pure and simole SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED. Requiring a tax stamp as a preconditioin to possess something we already have clear right to possess is an infringement. Requiring an applicaion to get government permission to possess womthing I’ve already been clearly given the right to possess is another. Telling he how many in a given unit… Read more »
The AFT lying? I’m shocked!
Not.
Pathetic reuse of material.
US Department of “Justice”. That’s a bad joke. They refuse to charge the POS that shot Ashli Babbett. That shows there is no more “justice”. If you want PEACE, seek JUSTICE. The whole federal gooberment is made up of one kind of person. Except for a VERY small group like Rand Paul…they are ALL PSYCHOPATHIC CONTROL FREAKS!
Cruz tried to become President when he is not eliglible.. not a Natural Born Citizen and he knows it. I only trust him as far as I can throw him.
Sorry friend, but it looks like you are a tad misguided on the eligibility of Ted to run for president. I would think as a lawyer who argued before SCOTUS his knowledge of his eligibility is a scooch above your opinion. Sure thing, no thanks needed, I’m simply glad to help out.
That does not make Cruz a natural born citizen. The framers relied on Law of Nations: Jus sanguinis AND jus solis. Cruz did not have jus solis. You can’t just statutorily change the meaning, not constitutionally anyway. McStain was natural born, Cruz was not. His renunciation of Canadian citizenship is also problematic. Never should’ve had it in the first place. Dual citizenship = dual allegiance and should be banned. The framers would not have allowed it.
What’s with the ridiculous “moderation” censorship again for God’s sake?
Dial back on the mescaline, Schart.
Cruz is NOT a natural born citizen.
I am beginning too think that scharf is a bot. Constantly posting the same thing in response to posts where “his” reply makes no sense. Not to mention “thank you for down votes” posts. That was slightly funny the first time. Got annoying quickly. Now i’m wishing for a “block poster” functionality as seen on many other message boards.
Unfortunately that is not the case. I believe we are dealing with a mentally ill individual. We can only hope his OCD shifts gears. A simple google search reveals a ton of info non the monkey, I am surprise no one has doxed him…
“Not all ‘Founding Fathers’ were born in America.”
So what? Doesn’t mean they were natural born citizens.
“No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President.”
The Constitution distinguishes between citizen & natural born citizen. The exception to Jus Sanguinis & Jus Soli was a grandfather clause allowing those who were already citizens (but not necessarily natural born) when the Constitution was adopted, to become President.
Stop smoking the strawmen, Schart.
No, ignoranus, it means they used the definition in Law of Nations, which was well known to the framers.
The 14th doesn’t define natural born, Schart. Nice try.
I’ll take Patriot Cruz over Paul any day. DONE with Paul after he lobbied congress to certify The Big Steal using sleazy Orwellian doubletalk & sophistry. e.g. “We shouldn’t overturn what the states did.” As if SOME states didn’t overturn what the people & OTHER states did. As if “the” states decided it’s ok for some states to steal elections from their own people & other states. As if Texas et al. didn’t object. As if refusing to certify wasn’t a valiant effort to turn the election right side up after Dems & RINOs overturned it.
Law Enforcement Agents acting dishonestly, nice culture y’all have cultivated!
I’m pretty much convinced that is wishful thinking.
Lay off the hopium. Q is a government psyop.
“The nine most terrifying words in the English language: I’m from the government and I’m here to help you.” Ronald Reagan
Sure thing sir musicaltoot, and “Perfection is the enemy of the good.”. Oh, is that you Jesus? My bad I guess I spoke out of turn.
Reagan got a lot of things right, but most of these were all talk – no action … like most Republicans. He talked a great game. As to what he actually did, he got too many things wrong that proved fatal: Mainly amnesty, which he pushed as a moral imperative, and massively cutting taxes without cutting any spending whatsoever. Embracing the “Laffer Curve” as a cake-&-eat-it-too prescription for killed the small government movement. Republicans still glow about how cutting taxes increases federal revenue. Republicans thought, why make the tough choices to cut spending, corruption & fraud when we can just… Read more »
Well I agree with much of what you wrote, you got it horribly, horribly wrong however when it comes to the issue of where the total national debt came from. Until Obama, the national debt was both affordable and could have been paid off over about a 10-year period. However, in a mere 8 years Obama convinced Congress to deficit spend $10 Trillion dollars. This doubled the national debt in a mere 8 years, it was in fact more money than had been spent on the National domestic side from the foundation of the country to the date that Obama… Read more »
I’m jealous. Cheers from Calizuela (here for a few more months before bugging out of a 3rd-world Commie S-h0le that was beautiful when I was growing up). I’m for tax cuts, but Laffer (who donated to Cali’s failed 1983 handgun ban initiative) admits the “Laffer Curve” has two ends. Zero tax rate yields zero revenue. At some point cutting taxes cuts rev & hikes deficits. I don’t believe we were in that range, yet “Laffer Curve” tax cuts still caused ratcheting spending growth far larger than the revenue increases they yielded. Laffer missed the destructive, demoralizing psycho-political incentive dynamic of… Read more »
This is a DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC you who thinks he knows it all. VS a THEOCRATIC REPUBLIC. Look up the word DEMOCRATIC in the language it is derived from DEMOS=PEOPLE KRATOS=MAKES THE RULES.
Do you even know you just called yourself a juvenile troll right there, Schartmaster?
“The RIGHT of the people to keep and bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED.’ The 2A refers to each American citizen of proper age, who is not in jail or the loony farm, as the militia. This denotes the use of military grade weapons and equipment. The 2A IS A RESTRICTION ON GOVERNMENT not the citizen. What the atfe is doing is unconstitutional at best, certainly criminal, tyrannical and treasonous. The atfe should be disbanded or regulated to a t. Those who have any hope in a pro communist department of justice are in la la land. They are going… Read more »
If you get the metrics,
you might learn the recipe.
Once you learn the recipe,
you might ruin the Chef’s surprise.
Ah yes – government at it’s finest!!!
ATF should be a convenience store.
My doctor gave me a prescription for some ATF ointment for crotch itch…didn’t work.
How can anyone be surprised when one set of drones in a federal alphabet agency would be lied to by another set of drones in a federal alphabet agency? They all compete for greater budgets for their departments, which means they need to show results to give cause for their budgets to be increased. This means that lying on paper is the norm, lying to each other face-to-face within the ATF is the norm, and for the ATF to lie to Congress is a long established procedure. When Congress gets whatever information they are told then the professional Liars in… Read more »
ATF’s very existence has no basis in the US Constitution. They are a TAX agency. Since when did FedGOv have any level of authoirty over Alcohol Tobacco, OR Firearms? Not in MY copy of the COnstitutioin. Don’t forget, the “supreme law of the land” is defined as the US Constitution and alllaws enacted CONSISTENT with that document. NFA is not consistent as it INFRINGES upon our right to arms. Further, BATF have NO lwmaking powers, only the authority to enforce RULES made by administrative agencies, and any such rules that INFRINGE our right to arms are NOT law (see above… Read more »
The “ATF/ATFE/BATFE” bureaucratic department was began by an “IRS” director, NOT Congress! Thus, the entire Bureaucracy of the mentioned department IS ILLEGAL. It MUST be EXPELLED, REMOVED, Divested of all duties, Dissolved. ALL of its “paperwork” MUST be DESTROYED or DELETED from EVERY governmental, NGO organization or office across America and AROUND the world!!!!!!!
@Laddy begun by and IRS director is correct. Illegal is not correct. Please note: Who or What is the BATF? by Dan Meador. B.A.T.F. from I.R.S. On June 6, 1972 Acting Secretary of the Treasury, Charles E. Walker signed Treasury Order Number 120-01 which establishes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. He did this with the stroke of his PEN citing, “by virtue of the authority vested in me as Secretary of the Treasury, including the authority in Reorganization Plan No. 26 of 1950.” He ordered the, “transfer, as specified herein, the functions, powers and… Read more »
Looks like the morons took over this comments section!