Opinion
If you’re an ATF agent who supports the Constitution and has never violated your oath of office, the time to start looking for a new job is now.
An agency-wide comeuppance is coming. It is only a matter of time.
The next administration will not look kindly upon your current role as Joe Biden’s anti-gun enforcers. The people will see to that. Americans have long memories, you see, and we are keeping track of your civil rights abuses – each and every one.
If you’re lucky, the ATF will only be abolished. Still, there is a growing number of law-abiding Americans – including many in law enforcement – who believe criminal charges should be filed against you, your leadership, and their co-conspirators in the Biden-Harris administration. This is what happens when you knowingly follow illegal orders, like warrantless search and seizures, multiple civil rights violations, theft of personal property, and a host of other unforgivable crimes.
The Great Awakening has begun. Judges are pushing back against ATF’s unconstitutional regulations and bogus FFL revocations. Lawmakers are demanding investigations after ATF agents violated their constituents’ civil rights. Even the legacy media now realizes that they have been hoodwinked and that many of ATF’s enforcement actions are illegal.
The best part is that now every unconstitutional “rule” ATF proposes is met with a bevy of federal lawsuits from pro-gun organizations. ATF’s constant misdeeds have created a hivemind of sorts among the country’s Second Amendment watchdogs.
Rampant Criminalization
The Biden-Harris administration weaponized the ATF right from the start. One of their goals is to criminalize possession of commonly owned firearms and firearm accessories, in order to turn millions of law-abiding Americans into felons who are unable to vote. The best example is ATF’s pistol-brace fiasco.
For over a decade, the ATF had no problems with pistol braces and even issued several official letters stating that braced pistols were not short-barrel rifles and did not need to be registered under the NFA. But after Biden weaponized the agency, the ATF changed its mind, of course.
Biden and ATF created an unconstitutional mechanism whereby ATF can now criminalize anything they want, and Biden will use his veto power to block Congress from stopping the overreach. Our only recourse is the courts, and that process can be both lengthy and expensive and offers no guarantee of success. There are some who claim that an ATF rule is not a law, but anything that can land you in federal prison for a decade is law-like enough.
Every official involved in ATF’s criminalization schemes needs to be held accountable.
A History of Violence
ATF has shown a complete disdain for the sanctity of human life. In addition to the scores of lives lost at Waco, a Deputy U.S. Marshal and Randy Weaver’s wife and son were killed during ATF’s Ruby Ridge disaster. Their “Fast and Furious” scheme resulted in the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and hundreds [if not thousands] of Mexican nationals, who were killed with the weapons ATF allowed to “walk” straight into the hands of the Mexican drug cartels. Sadly, the agency appears to have learned nothing from these deaths.
After a brief respite, the ATF has started raiding again, using it’s highly armed but poorly trained SWAT teams. If the ATF is allowed to continue treating law-abiding gun owners and gun dealers like enemy combatants, it’s only a matter of time before more innocent American lives are lost.
Keep in mind that no one at ATF has ever been held criminally responsible for the agency’s mass killings….yet.
Good Riddance
In a perfect world, ATF would be disbanded. It’s not as though they will be missed by the law enforcement community. As we have previously reported, most of ATF’s criminal charges are filed administratively after the fact, after another law enforcement agency has made an arrest. Of course, the ATF takes credit for the arrest, the investigation, and the subsequent prosecution. It is rare for the agency to initiate a major case on its own. When they do, innocent lives are usually lost.
The country’s Second Amendment community almost did David Chipman a favor when we blocked his nomination to lead the ATF. The little rodent of a man will be sipping boxed Chardonnay while ATF’s current director, Steve Dettelbach, will undergo congressional hearings, if we’re lucky, and criminal investigations if justice prevails.
To be clear, ATF and the Biden-Harris administration are violating the civil rights of millions of Americans. They need to be held accountable by Congress and the courts. Of course, none of this will happen while Biden occupies the White House. But Americans have long memories, and ATF’s abuses are something we will never forget and certainly never forgive.
Once Biden shuffles off into history, change will come. The ATF has never focused on getting guns out of the hands of criminals because they’re solely focused on persecuting the law-abiding. Soon, the law-abiding will be back in control, and ATF will be held accountable for four long years of strict obedience to the Biden-Harris administration’s illegal orders.
This story is presented by the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project and wouldn’t be possible without you. Please click here to make a tax-deductible donation to support more pro-gun stories like this.
About Lee Williams
Lee Williams, who is also known as “The Gun Writer,” is the chief editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project. Until recently, he was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming an editor, Lee was an investigative reporter at newspapers in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. He’s earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter, and three medals of valor as a cop. Lee is an avid tactical shooter.


How many times have Republicans held power since Waco?
How many times have Republicans held power since Ruby Ridge?
How many times have Republicans held power since Kenyon Ballew?
How many ATF agents were held accountable for those incidents?
Why would we think things will ever be any different in the future?
Congress did not CREATE the ATF BUREAUCRACY! A “director” in the IRS created the ATF BUREAUCRACY ILLEGALLY!! SOOOooo, Every “rule or regulation” the atf or nfa created IS NULL AND VOID!!!!!!
Wrong. Totally incorrect. BATFE was created with no Constitutional authority and can be abolished by memo, or exec order or congress critters.
rather than storm the capitol, the HQ where the ATF’s gun collection room is should be stormed. (they keep all the really cool guns to fawn over) I’d be like Christmas…
Can anyone explain to me the logic of a federal agency that is tasked with regulating two vices and one enumerated Constitutional right? Anyone?
“A well regulated militia, being necessary to a free state, the RIGHT of the people to keep and bear arms SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED”. The second amendment to the United States of America constitution, the HIGHEST law of the land which every serving individual who has taken their oath of office is sworn to uphold, protect and defend. The atfe is a criminal, terroristic, treasonous, tyrannical, murderous, thieving organization that should be held liable in the courts for what they have done and what they are doing. The day WILL come, should the courts neglect their sworn duties, when the… Read more »
Yes…you missed a LOT.
Keep dreaming, nothing will ever happen to the ATF goon squad. And if by some miracle they did go away, who would replace them in the vacuum, the FBI? almost as bad, maybe worse because they scheme and plan better.
NSA?, not likely, CIA?, no charter to operate within the borders, Homeland Security? They are mall cops on steroids, Nope, ATF will continue to shoot dogs and ruin innocent citizens lives while allowing the real criminals free access.
Nothing wrong with boxed Chardonnay.
Earth to Trumpbots, a dose of reality time: Pres. Duck already lost in 2020 to senile old Joe (how old is Mr. Duck?). Trump’s endorsed candidates lost in 2020/22. The key states Tiny Hands needed in 2020/22 sadly are trending more blue. Biden will not be the Pedocrat nominee in 2024. Women and independent voters remain unlikely to vote for the circus to continue or for a guy wearing a jumpsuit that matches his hair no matter how many times YOU vote or stamp your feet. Bottom line, if you don’t win you don’t change jack. Oh well, I guess… Read more »