House Oversight Could Press Stonewalling FBI to Testify on Nashville Shooter Manifesto

“Nashville shooter Audrey Hale’s manifesto is a ‘blueprint on total destruction’ which the FBI are stalling releasing, according to local politicians, who describe its contents as ‘astronomically dangerous,’” the New York Post reported Thursday.

“Almost a month after Audrey Hale, who identified as transgender, killed six at the city’s Covenant elementary school before being shot by police authorities have yet to release a motive or any of the writings seized from her home, despite growing pressure,” the report notes. “Rep. Tim Burchett, (R-Tenn.) told The Post he knew the FBI was behind the delay, saying the news was disappointing’ and calling for documents to be released to grieving loved ones as well as members of Congress.”

More than family members and Congress have a vested interest in seeing the complete “manifesto” released. The resulting calls for expanded infringements on the Second Amendment and the blaming of “conservatives,” Christians, gun owners and average Americans uncomfortable with or unwilling to bow to the “progressive” political and media demands of radical transgender activists makes it their business, too. Seeing lunatic radicals call for further armed violence against those who don’t embrace their agenda is what really makes things “astronomically dangerous” and elevates this to a public safety issue.

Despite that, “Metro Nashville Council Member Courtney Johnston confirmed … the FBI has already ruled the manifesto would not be released any time soon,” the Post report continued. “Johnston said “parts” of Hale’s writings would eventually come out, but added she feels ‘the vast, overwhelming majority of it,’ presented too much of a danger to the public.”

That’s not her call to make or the FBI’s. It’s not like this is the smoking gun for extraterrestrial visitors “justifying” some supposed government reason for deciding national security requires protecting the public (not that it would). With daily revelations about partisan political motivations informing FBI actions, allowing redactions will only increase mistrust and encourage the belief that what is released will be done more to advance a directed narrative than to reveal the complete truth. And that “woke” withholding of the truth can then be exploited to push for more political gains, including citizen disarmament.

Think of all the calls for disarmament not just from the Nashville horror, but also from the recent Louisville atrocities. There, too, a “manifesto” was apparently left behind by the murderous leftist freak who reportedly “wanted to shine a spotlight on how he was able to buy an AR-15 in a state with lax gun laws.” And according to another report, that “manifesto is reportedly in the hands of the Louisville Police Department. The agency would not confirm or deny any details of the alleged missive.”

Louisville is hardly the first time a “commonsense gun safety law” advocate decided a killing spree would help influence public opinion. Ten years ago, it was a former cop gone rogue who decided ordinary people need more control:

A former Los Angeles Police Department officer, the subject of an all-stops-pulled manhunt suspected of a double murder in Irvine and the shooting of three Inland Empire police officers, left a rambling ‘manifesto’ threatening a campaign of targeted killings directed at LAPD personnel and their family members, and also demanding a renewed ‘assault weapons’ ban.

If extremist outliers of the citizen disarmament lobby are desperate and diseased enough to gin up the public to demand more gun bans through mass murder, we whose rights are then attacked ought to know about it. And if there’s actually an “astronomically dangerous” threat, we not only deserve to know about it but also need to. We’re not children and government is not the parent, but a creation of the people who, according to the Founder’s vision, are “necessary to the security of a free State.” Adult Americans capable enough to fund these “public servants” presuming to be masters can handle the truth.

We should demand it. To deny us that right makes clear those who have forgotten their place believe they’re really the ones in charge. That’s not just unacceptable, it’s intolerable, and that’s got to be corrected. Hopefully peaceably.

With the FBI involved, there is an option available for getting this resolved through our representatives.

Back when Operation Fast and Furious whistleblowers seeking Congressional protection were reluctant to come forward about ATF allowing guns to “walk” to Mexico, an “Open letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Staff” proved instrumental in opening doors in that chamber. “Thanks” in part to NRA’s reluctance to come on board, it took a bit more pressure on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. But they soon found they could not avoid the issue and opened hearings that ultimately resulted in a “contempt of Congress” charge against then-Attorney General Eric Holder (that nothing ever happened with).

With Democrats holding a Senate majority, don’t look for help this time out from the Judiciary Committee. House Oversight, on the other hand, is controlled by the Republicans, with Chairman James Comer endorsed by NRA and described as having “a solid record of leadership in support of the Second Amendment.” Ditto on “A” grades for Republican committee members Jim Jordan, Mike Turner, Paul Gosar, Virginia Foxx, Glenn Grothman, Gary Palmer, Clay Higgins, Pete Sessions, Andy Biggs, Nancy Mace, Jake LaTurner, Pat Fallon, Byron Donalds, Kelly Armstrong, Scott Perry, William Timmons, Tim Burchett, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lisa McClain, Lauren Boebert, Russell Fry, Anna Paulina Luna, Chuck Edwards, and Eric Burlison. A cursory search for gun ratings did not turn up a record for only one GOP committee member, Nick Langworthy, possibly because he’s a New Yorker and that wouldn’t play well there, but he is on record saying:

“New York has some of the strictest gun laws in the nation and more laws targeting law-abiding gun owners are not the answer. Democrats’ attempts to infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens while letting violent criminals out of jail is pure insanity. Americans’ Constitutional rights must be protected.”

A criticism I have heard a few times about “gun rights” articles is that the writers define problems but often come up short of identifying anything to do about them.

Law enforcement not releasing the Nashville manifesto plays into a political agenda that includes exploiting the school massacre to attack rights instead of recognizing their part in hardening targets and deterring future attacks.  Readers who agree can join in calling on House Oversight to summon FBI Director Christopher Wray to explain his agency’s stonewalling and pressure him to stop suppressing information Americans have a right to know.

If you see your representative listed above, contact them via their Congressional web page. Those who want to do more can get more visibility for their efforts on – not “social” but – advocacy media. And give a shout-out to Chairman Comer who “is one of only three in the House with the authority to issue subpoenas without a committee vote or consultation with the ranking member.”

About David Codrea:
David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating/defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament. He blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” is a regularly featured contributor to Firearms News, and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.