Opinion
No one makes the case that it’s time to end the ATF better than the ATF.
Rather than allowing the agency to continue on its own or merging it with the DEA as has been recently discussed, President Donald J. Trump should put the agency out of our misery before its agents kill yet another innocent American or violate someone else’s civil rights.
If action is not taken, more innocent Americans will die, that much is certainly true. In fact, it’s guaranteed.
No other federal law enforcement agency has a bloodier history, and it is the blood of innocent Americans that will forever taint the ATF.
In fact, killing innocent Americans in their homes is what the ATF appears very willing to do.
They did it on February 28, 1993, at a small religious compound outside of Waco, Texas, and ATF Agent Tyler Cowart did it on March 19, 2024, when he shot and killed a 53-year-old Arkansas airport executive who had never committed a crime.
Those responsible for ATF’s atrocities have never been held accountable.
Other federal law enforcement agencies don’t have this problem. If a DEA or an FBI agent uses excessive force their career would be over, but not at the ATF, where innocent blood on an agent’s hands doesn’t seem to matter.
The ATF cannot even admit its agents made a mistake, not even at Waco, where 76 Branch Davidians including 20 children were killed, along with ATF Special Agents LeBleu, Williams, Willis and McKeehan.
To this day, the ATF is still trying to justify its Waco carnage.
The following was taken from the ATF’s “Remembering Waco” webpage.
“A subsequent investigation by the Departments of Treasury and Justice regarding the actions of law enforcement agents during the siege determined that some tactics and decisions were poorly executed; and certain actions by ATF were criticized. However, the September 1993 U.S. Department of Treasury Administrative Review concluded: “…the agency is made up of dedicated, committed and experienced professionals, who have regularly demonstrated sound judgment and remarkable courage in enforcing the law. ATF has a history of success in conducting complex investigations and executing dangerous and challenging law enforcement missions. That fine tradition, together with the line agents’ commitment to the truth and their courage and determination has enabled ATF to provide our country with a safer and more secure nation under law,” the ATF claims.
This is ludicrous.
The agency admits that “certain actions by ATF were criticized,” but quickly adds “ATF has a history of success,” and agents have a “commitment to the truth,” as well as “courage and determination.”
The ATF looks at the Waco siege – which killed 80 Americans – as if it was misjudged.
This is toxic.
With an inability to correctly evaluate the massive series of errors that occurred at Waco, which led to the longest gunfight on American soil since the Civil War, how can the ATF ever be trusted to judge an agent’s actions again?
Unfortunately, there are plenty more ATF actions still waiting to be rightfully judged.
- Patrick “Tate” Adamiak, a former U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class, is serving the third year of a 20-year sentence in federal prison, even though he did nothing wrong. Recently released documentsshow that the ATF was screwed after they stormed into Adamiak’s home based solely on an informant’s misinformation. Agents found nothing illegal, so they created fake charges.
- Mark “Choppa” Manley was a gun owner, a gun collector and a Second Amendment advocate who had more than 70 legally owned firearms stored in a gun safe until an ATF SWAT team stormed his Baltimore home and threw concussion grenades at his children. The Manley family was never told why they were mistakenly targeted by the ATF.
- Russell Fincher was a high school history teacher, a Baptist pastor and a parttime gun dealer who also coached Little League in his hometown of Tuskahoma, Oklahoma. In 2023, seven vehicles roared up to his home and disgorged a dozen ATF agents wearing tactical gear, armed with AR-15s. They yelled and screamed at Fincher for two hours until he agreed to stop selling firearms.
- Bryan Malinowski was shot and killed inside his Arkansas home by ATF Agent Tyler Cowart. Unfortunately, the ATF has yet to be held accountable for killing Malinowski just 16 months ago.
The cases, and there are many more, clearly show that the ATF cannot distinguish between a criminal and a legitimate gun owner, and this inability can result in the filing of false criminal charges and prison, like they did to Adamiak, or even death, as befell Malinowski.
That is the problem.
Law-abiding American gun owners would have no problem with an ATF that follows the law, only arrests bad guys and doesn’t kick down our doors or throw stun grenades at our children. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Bottom line: ATF’s 2,600 Special Agents deserve to be judged exactly as they judge us: They’re all guilty and they all need to go.
Hopefully, President Trump will make this happen before another innocent life is lost.
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.
Missed a pair of egregious cases for which perpetrators of non-crime still need to be freed – Justin Ervin and Matt Hoover. Admittedly they were holding middle finger up to ATF – but that is our first amendment right so cannot legally be cause for persecution.
B ad
A gents
T hat
F alsely
E xecute citizens.
there is NOTHING good that they do, NOTHING! the worst of any federal law enforcement entity in America.
This is my We the People song.
All we are saying, is free us at last.
We shouldn’t be victims, kick ATF’s ass.
Make OreGONEistan OreGUN again.
Unfortunately the laws remain on the books but ATF’s responsibilities could be dispersed. The administration could start right now by laying off employees when their jobs are taken over by other departments. FFL licensing and inspections go to the Small Business Administration (they are supposed to help not hinder businesses.) Tax collection back to Treasury. Crime scene and lab work back to FBI. Their massive gun collection to various auction houses! etc.
The atf, all of their agents, all of their co hurts and anyone who helped them in any way should absolutely be prosecuted for the evils they have done to the American public. Then dismantle the whole thing and further prosecute any government employee who try’s to deny or delay any un incarserated American of any of their rights as guaranteed under constitutional law FROM THIS DAY FORWARD. Only when there is justice for all will the American public be able to start trusting the government to do what they are supposed to do.
Arm up and carry on
this one gets my vote the doj needs to start criminal investigations of atf and having fbi rad offices and homes and quell the herd
The BATFE’s corruption goes well beyond the ordinary lazy bureaucrat or those bureaucrats that have found a way to profit from their positions in government, or those that believe that it is a calling to repress the American gun owner. The corporate culture of BATFE is brutal, homicidal, and ruthless.
Lee, I can find no fault in your assertions that the ATF needs to go. It should have been among the very first things done after DJT was sworn into office.
BATFE cannot simply be eliminated. The rules regulations policies and procedures have to be abolished as well. You own article quotes: “A subsequent investigation by the Departments of Treasury and Justice regarding the actions of law enforcement agents during the siege determined that some tactics and decisions were poorly executed; and certain actions by ATF were criticized. However, the September 1993 U.S. Department of Treasury Administrative Review concluded“ If department of treasury and department of justice looked at ATF and said nothing to see here, what benefit is there into removing that subgroup that “did nothing wrong”? The ATF has to be… Read more »
CORRECTION: The FBI has the 2nd-worst kill rate right after the ATF. ALL other federal LE agencies COMBINED don’t even come close. It was FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi who MURDERED Vicki Weaver while she was holding her newborn baby. It was FBI sniper Lon Horiuchi who murdered several Davidians trying to sneak in so they could be with their families rather than impotently sit outside the perimeter. ALL of the senior FBI agents involved in the Ruby Ridge standoff were on the ground at Waco, just as the FBI HRT was. The FBI bosses that gave the ‘SHOOT TO KILL’… Read more »