U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- A coalition of five gun rights organizations on Monday sent a letter to Pennsylvania House Speaker Bryan Cutler demanding the state House of Representatives “initiate a formal investigation into Attorney General Josh Shapiro and his Office for the manufacture and transfer of an un-serialized weapon for a New York resident in violation of both state and federal laws.”
The move follows the March 24th, 2022, revelations in AmmoLand News by Investigative Journalist, John Crump, about the apparently repeated transfers of “80%” handgun kits between NBC News and agents of the Attorney General’s Office.
The letter was signed by Alan Gottlieb, founder & executive vice president of the Second Amendment Foundation; Erich M. Pratt, Senior Vice President Gun Owners of America; American Firearms Association, and National Association for Gun Rights.
The three-page letter details the alleged crime:
“Earlier this year, NBC News Reporter Vaughn Hillyard, purchased two firearms build kits at the Oaks Gun Show, as part of a “hidden camera” investigation attempting to show the public how easy it was to manufacture a firearm from a kit. Ironically, Mr. Hillyard was apparently unable to finish the kit [himself] and reached out to Attorney General Shapiro for assistance. Thereafter, Mr. Hillyard met up with ‘special agents from the AG’s office, who agreed to use the kit [he] purchased from the show and build it into a ghost gun.’ Once the kit was complete, the agents of the Attorney General gave Mr. Hillyard, a resident of New York State, a finished firearm. This investigation was broadcast [by NBC News] on/about March 17th, 2022.”
But the gun rights organizations lower the proverbial boom, telling Cutler, “There is no ‘law enforcement exception’ to justice and Mr. Shapiro and his agents must be held to the same standard that they hold our citizens to.”
Following the original expose by journalist Crump, SAF’s Gottlieb issued a statement in which he declared;
“This sort of sensationalism is designed to generate ratings and raise viewer alarms,” said SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “However, our alarms were raised because of the possible felonies that may have been committed by the reporter and the office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro.”
“You cannot violate federal gun laws to complain about gun laws and promote a gun control agenda, even as a working journalist,” Gottlieb stated.
Gottlieb also called on the U.S. Department of Justice to launch a separate investigation, because of alleged federal gun law violations.
There is no small irony in this development, following Joe Biden’s weekend call for a ban on so-called “ghost guns” in the wake of a mass shooting in Sacramento, even though there is no evidence such a firearm was used to kill six people and wound a dozen others.
In their letter, the gun rights leaders observed;
“The legislature is an important part of that system, acting as a “check and balance” on the executive in our constitutional republic, particularly when a member of the executive or his agents act as lawbreakers. It is the duty and responsibility of the Pennsylvania General Assembly to therefore investigate—and if necessary—hold our Attorney General accountable for any violations of the law or his oath of office that may have occurred.”
Gun rights groups want the investigation to commence immediately, “and be conducted with the full investigative authority and powers of the House pursuant to Rule 51 of General Operating Rules of the House of Representatives.”
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About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms, and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.
Nothing will be done about it…just look at Hunter’s deal lying on the 4473 form to purchase.
A so called “ghost gun” could not have been used in the Sacramento shooting. The investigators were able to determine the handgun was stolen, it had a serial number and was not a home-built weapon. It’s disgusting that Biden was using the incident to further infringe on our natural rights.
Folks, let us all wake up to the simple fact that in our new Orwellian dystopia the law only applies to ‘little people.’ Corporations are exempt as long as they make the right donations and genuflect to the Progressive New Left. Investigate all you want. The report will go on the stack right above the Hunter Laptop reports, the Joe Biden tax returns, the Russian Collusion Conspiracy, the 2020 election fraud reports…………………………. Zero accountability. That is why our Republic is fractured and sinking.
Well, let’s hope we’re not sinking. I think we can still right this ship, patch up cracks in the hull and make her seaworthy again. It just takes a little time and sweat.
Thanks for reading and sharing AMMOLAND News.
the patches may need to be made with lead and blood, as the founders foretold
Well, let’s hope they’re made from honest, legal ballots filled out by honest, bonafide citizens, rather than some dead people in Chicago cemeteries <tsk>.
Thanks for reading and sharing AMMOLAND…especially this story.
That would be a good result, but we all know that massive cheating has been stealing elections. Hoping is not a plan of action. We the People must stop the cheating if elections are to mean anything.
An we need some serious bilge pumps to purge all the swamp water in boat!
would be nice to see him arrested and the people in his office that made the guns
It would be nice, however that is not the way the leftists in the guberment roll. They will end up skating, as always….
Excellent headline, referring to rights advocates as gun safety groups. Paint the grabber as the one who makes us unsafe.
Great call. I noted the same. I was hoping to find the editors with pants down calling the liberty reduction and elimination groups ‘gun safety’ groups. No, NRA, NSSF, IHEA et al teach safety. To millions. Every year. The progressive new left astroturf gangs of anti-liberty thugs do no such thing. I am glad to see we are actually taking language seriously. Great call and thanks to the editors and to Dave Workman for great work. .
Thanks so much for the kind remarks, and – since I recognize your sig – thanks for your continued reading of AMMOLAND News. You are correct about the hijacking of the term “gun safety” by the anti-gun left. None of those groups offer classes on firearms safety. When they claim to be gun owners, most of the time they can’t identify the guns they own. When you’re talking about ‘real’ gun safety groups, don’t forget to mention USCCA. I happen to be an NRA-certified instructor, as I’m sure a lot of the AMMOLAND readers are. Allow me to thank you… Read more »
Dave, you are a stand up guy!
a pop gun or squirt gun counts to them
don’t forget about the virtual signaling “reporter” hillyard. he is just as guilty as the others. all need to be prosecuted to fullest extent of the law. probably won’t happen. we can vote against this criminal, not me, i don’t live in pa, but maybe i still will.
These scum are the entitled ones. They will get away with it just like that Can’t Understand Normal Thinker Katie Kouric and her producer along with an attorney in Colorado and Arizona did!
Just think Pa Shapiro is running to be the Governor of Pa, Wolf and he are in bed together about all control of guns in any way, they are fast trying to turn Pa into a BLUE STATE, Demo-Rats are in Philly, Pittsburg, Scranton-Wilks-Barra, all Demo-Rat controlled cities, GLAD I MOVED!!!!!!
I love it when these “smart people/hypocrites put their stupidity on display to the whole world.
Everyone knows that no investigation will take place and no person will be found guilty. If Gottlieb had done it, he’d be crucified.
I believe that media and anti-gun politicians are conflating guns made from combining parts, where there are no serial numbers with guns that had serial numbers burred or milled off. The later, I believe to be more prevalent. In any case, a perp may buy a gun more easily on the black market than acquire it any other way.
When ONE builds a firearm from “scratch” so to speak, aren’t YOU and ONLY YOU the ONLY one that can build it, perform the necessary steps to turn it into a working firearm and to get assistance from anyone to finish the firearm (ie; local machinest etc) to assist in the completion of the firearm is a violation of law ? Also, could this possibly be considered a “transfer” or “lending” (which to my knowledge isn’t a crime in most states provided both people are not prohibited persons) a violation of the law ? I believe (correct me if I’m… Read more »