Via The Gun Mag by Joe Bartozzi
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is showing the public that the “zero-tolerance” policy they apply to firearm retailers doesn't seem to apply inside the bureau. When it comes to the administrative oversight of federal laws, there appear to be serious issues within ATF.
At least two U.S. senators are demanding answers.
There are disturbing reports that ATF officials have been misclassifying non-law enforcement positions within the bureau as law enforcement – including for some positions in leadership. If true, that's a violation of federal law and it appears to have been happening for decades. On top of breaking federal law, those violations have potentially cost American taxpayers nearly $88 million.
One-Way Zero-Tolerance
That's not just an oversight. This misclassification was brought to ATF leadership's attention by whistleblowers as early as 2018 but was ignored.
Contrast that with ATF's “zero-tolerance” policy. That crackdown by the ATF on firearm retailers – many of which have been over minor clerical errors – has cost many mom-and-pop shops their licenses and livelihoods. Businesses have been lost. Cases that were previously addressed and closed were re-opened and licenses revoked.
NSSF reported in July 2023 that ATF has conducted 6,609 inspections of Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) – starting on Oct. 1, 2022, which is when the federal government's fiscal calendar begins. ATF inspectors conducted an average of 647.33 inspections across the nation per month, topping 2022's monthly average of 587.66.
Warning Conferences, or results of an inspection that warrant a meeting with ATF's Industry Operations Inspectors (IOIs), were at 111 for the first nine months. There were 136 for the entirety of FY 2022. Revocations of federal firearms licenses topped 122 by July 2023. They were just 92 for all of FY 2022.
To add context, in fiscal year 2020 (ending on Sept. 30), the year President Joe Biden was elected, there were 5,823 ATF inspections of FFL holders. That year, there were just 40 license revocations, with another 96 FFL holders that went out of business or surrendered their licenses. The ATF inspections in FY 2020 resulted in 306 Warning Conferences and another 804 warning letters. Warning letters were routinely issued for minor clerical errors in record keeping, like misspelled names, dates recorded incorrectly or other administrative errors.
Data incorrectly logged into records cost some shop owners their business licenses. When ATF misclassifies their records – and doesn't correct it even when it is brought to their attention – accountability is an afterthought. No one's job is lost. No one is held accountable for breaking a federal law. It certainly appears that a double standard exists, depending upon which side of the regulator/regulated fence one is on.
ATF Broke the Law
What's more is that the whistleblowers who tried to correct this think they might be just scratching the surface. That's why Iowa's Republican U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are demanding answers from ATF Director Steven Dettelbach and his boss, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
“The whistleblowers also allege the 91 misclassified positions OPM identified may not represent the full scope of ATF's illegally misclassified positions,” Sens. Grassley and Ernst wrote. “It is alleged that hundreds of ATF employees from across the country were hired under individual position descriptions OPM identified as misclassified; however, a full audit or review has not been conducted to ensure that all the employees in these positions are performing law enforcement duties and not unlawfully receiving enhanced benefits and pay at the cost to taxpayers.”
But wait, there's more.
“Therefore, while OSC found that ATF's misconduct led to overpaying employees up to $20 million from 2016-2021, the true cost to taxpayers could be substantially more,” the senators continued in their letter. “For example, it is alleged that up to 800 employees across ATF Divisions and Field Offices still occupy positions OPM identified as misclassified. Even if half of these positions are misclassified, during the five-year period reviewed by OPM, ATF would have wasted close to $88 million in taxpayer dollars, more than four times the figure OSC identified.”
According to the senators' letter, the violation was serious enough that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) suspended ATF's authority to classify positions as law enforcement in 2020. However, on May 2, 2023, the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) reported that a subsequent investigation confirmed the whistleblowers' accounts and ATF said it would work with OPM and the Justice Management Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to fix the problems. ATF couldn't provide any records to support reasons why they classified headquarters jobs as law enforcement roles. However, on Nov. 8, 2023, ATF Director Steven Dettelbach told ATF employees that OPM restored authority to classify jobs.
Demanding Accountability
The senators laid out in their letter several instances of headquarters roles being misclassified. The time for answers, they said, is overdue.
“The American public must know ATF will not revert to its previous impropriety after the restoration of its classification authority,” Sens. Grassley and Ernst wrote.
Sadly, there's more to these allegations. We understand that the senators “have received credible allegations that ATF engaged in retaliation against the whistleblowers who exposed ATF's substantial waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Sens. Grassley and Ernst reminded ATF that, “Whistleblower retaliation is the enemy of a transparent government and corrective action must be taken against all those engaged in reprisal.”
Ironically, this is happening under an administration that President Joe Biden promised would be the “most transparent” in history.
“Zero-tolerance” has been a divisive policy that the Biden administration is using to shutter firearm businesses in small towns and cities across America. The ATF has vigorously carried out this policy. However, when it comes to applying that same vigor to investigate serious allegations within the bureau, it appears they are left wanting.
Read in its entirety at thegunmag.com.
ATF ‘Zero-Tolerance’ Policy Doesn’t Apply In-House
Will Trump Dump JD Vance?
ANALYSIS – Is Trump regretting his VP pick? Will Trump tell Vance he is “fired”? When former President Donald Trump selected J.D. Vance as his vice presidential candidate soon after surviving an assassination attempt, some called the choice bold and a doubling down on Trumpism.
I said he could help Trump make his case in 2024 and be the GOP standard bearer in 2028. Still, I also said I would have preferred Trump had picked a woman, and that I had some reservations about Vance as VP, including his youth and inexperience.
Fox News’ Kilmeade Fires Back At Racism Allegations
Trump’s ‘Dying Wish’ Exposed – What He Wants If Assassinated
Kamala Harris ‘Owns’ All Of Biden’s Many National Security Failures
Does This Single Fact Signal Our Imminent Financial Collapse?
Via The Gun Mag by Joe Bartozzi
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is showing the public that the “zero-tolerance” policy they apply to firearm retailers doesn't seem to apply inside the bureau. When it comes to the administrative oversight of federal laws, there appear to be serious issues within ATF.
At least two U.S. senators are demanding answers.
There are disturbing reports that ATF officials have been misclassifying non-law enforcement positions within the bureau as law enforcement – including for some positions in leadership. If true, that's a violation of federal law and it appears to have been happening for decades. On top of breaking federal law, those violations have potentially cost American taxpayers nearly $88 million.
One-Way Zero-Tolerance
That's not just an oversight. This misclassification was brought to ATF leadership's attention by whistleblowers as early as 2018 but was ignored.
Contrast that with ATF's “zero-tolerance” policy. That crackdown by the ATF on firearm retailers – many of which have been over minor clerical errors – has cost many mom-and-pop shops their licenses and livelihoods. Businesses have been lost. Cases that were previously addressed and closed were re-opened and licenses revoked.
NSSF reported in July 2023 that ATF has conducted 6,609 inspections of Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) – starting on Oct. 1, 2022, which is when the federal government's fiscal calendar begins. ATF inspectors conducted an average of 647.33 inspections across the nation per month, topping 2022's monthly average of 587.66.
Warning Conferences, or results of an inspection that warrant a meeting with ATF's Industry Operations Inspectors (IOIs), were at 111 for the first nine months. There were 136 for the entirety of FY 2022. Revocations of federal firearms licenses topped 122 by July 2023. They were just 92 for all of FY 2022.
To add context, in fiscal year 2020 (ending on Sept. 30), the year President Joe Biden was elected, there were 5,823 ATF inspections of FFL holders. That year, there were just 40 license revocations, with another 96 FFL holders that went out of business or surrendered their licenses. The ATF inspections in FY 2020 resulted in 306 Warning Conferences and another 804 warning letters. Warning letters were routinely issued for minor clerical errors in record keeping, like misspelled names, dates recorded incorrectly or other administrative errors.
Data incorrectly logged into records cost some shop owners their business licenses. When ATF misclassifies their records – and doesn't correct it even when it is brought to their attention – accountability is an afterthought. No one's job is lost. No one is held accountable for breaking a federal law. It certainly appears that a double standard exists, depending upon which side of the regulator/regulated fence one is on.
ATF Broke the Law
What's more is that the whistleblowers who tried to correct this think they might be just scratching the surface. That's why Iowa's Republican U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are demanding answers from ATF Director Steven Dettelbach and his boss, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.
“The whistleblowers also allege the 91 misclassified positions OPM identified may not represent the full scope of ATF's illegally misclassified positions,” Sens. Grassley and Ernst wrote. “It is alleged that hundreds of ATF employees from across the country were hired under individual position descriptions OPM identified as misclassified; however, a full audit or review has not been conducted to ensure that all the employees in these positions are performing law enforcement duties and not unlawfully receiving enhanced benefits and pay at the cost to taxpayers.”
But wait, there's more.
“Therefore, while OSC found that ATF's misconduct led to overpaying employees up to $20 million from 2016-2021, the true cost to taxpayers could be substantially more,” the senators continued in their letter. “For example, it is alleged that up to 800 employees across ATF Divisions and Field Offices still occupy positions OPM identified as misclassified. Even if half of these positions are misclassified, during the five-year period reviewed by OPM, ATF would have wasted close to $88 million in taxpayer dollars, more than four times the figure OSC identified.”
According to the senators' letter, the violation was serious enough that the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) suspended ATF's authority to classify positions as law enforcement in 2020. However, on May 2, 2023, the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) reported that a subsequent investigation confirmed the whistleblowers' accounts and ATF said it would work with OPM and the Justice Management Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to fix the problems. ATF couldn't provide any records to support reasons why they classified headquarters jobs as law enforcement roles. However, on Nov. 8, 2023, ATF Director Steven Dettelbach told ATF employees that OPM restored authority to classify jobs.
Demanding Accountability
The senators laid out in their letter several instances of headquarters roles being misclassified. The time for answers, they said, is overdue.
“The American public must know ATF will not revert to its previous impropriety after the restoration of its classification authority,” Sens. Grassley and Ernst wrote.
Sadly, there's more to these allegations. We understand that the senators “have received credible allegations that ATF engaged in retaliation against the whistleblowers who exposed ATF's substantial waste, fraud, and abuse.”
Sens. Grassley and Ernst reminded ATF that, “Whistleblower retaliation is the enemy of a transparent government and corrective action must be taken against all those engaged in reprisal.”
Ironically, this is happening under an administration that President Joe Biden promised would be the “most transparent” in history.
“Zero-tolerance” has been a divisive policy that the Biden administration is using to shutter firearm businesses in small towns and cities across America. The ATF has vigorously carried out this policy. However, when it comes to applying that same vigor to investigate serious allegations within the bureau, it appears they are left wanting.
Read in its entirety at thegunmag.com.
The Gun Mag
Will Trump Dump JD Vance?
Search
follow us
subscribe
Trending Stories
Will Trump Dump JD Vance?
ANALYSIS – Is Trump regretting his VP pick? WillBacklash Grows As Harley-Davidson Infected With Woke Virus
ANALYSIS – Say it isn’t so! Even asProject 2025 Will Return Sanity To Our Woke Military
ANALYSIS – “I disagree with some of the thingsNew Impeachment Investigation Launched Into Allegations Hunter Biden Invoked Joe’s Name
Congressional investigators are looking into further allegations againstCommentary
Will Trump Dump JD Vance?
Kamala Harris ‘Owns’ All Of Biden’s Many National Security Failures
Does This Single Fact Signal Our Imminent Financial Collapse?
Smoke Shop Shooting: 71-Year-Old Stops Armed Burglar
Security
Trump’s ‘Dying Wish’ Exposed – What He Wants If Assassinated
Kamala Harris ‘Owns’ All Of Biden’s Many National Security Failures
US Support For Israel In Its War Must Be ‘Ironclad’
US Fighters Intercept Chinese And Russian Bombers Near Alaska
Foreign Affairs
Trump’s ‘Dying Wish’ Exposed – What He Wants If Assassinated
Attacks Disrupt Paris: Major Infrastructure Targeted Hours Before Olympic Games
US Fighters Intercept Chinese And Russian Bombers Near Alaska
Disruptions Linger After IT Update Crashes Computer Systems Worldwide
Business & economics
Does This Single Fact Signal Our Imminent Financial Collapse?
Elon’s ‘Final Straw’ To Cost California Millions
Meet The Man Who Tracks Pelosi’s Investments – Guess His Earnings Last Month?
Congress Investigating Whether Woke Activists Broke Federal Tax Law With ESG Investment Schemes
heath & science
Old School Sold For Next To Nothing To Planned Parenthood
Elon Musk On Estranged Child: ‘Killed By The Woke Mind Virus’
Congressman Claims Biden Didn’t Recognize Him Despite Their Friendship
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Succumbs To Pancreatic Cancer
American Liberty Arms
Trump Shooter Put in Range Time Weeks Before Assassination Attempt
Armed Georgia Man And A Labradoodle Capture Inmate
More Anti-Gun Groups Fabricating Mass Shooting Data
The Truck Gun For Active Killer Interdiction: Realistic?
At American Liberty News, we eschew the mainstream media’s tightly controlled narrative to provide our readers with real news, real insights, and the means to take action. We seek out insightful coverage – and partner with knowledgeable and experienced people and organizations to bring you the information and insight our readers demand.
We humbly seek to provide the tools and information necessary for our readers to decide for themselves what is true and what is right.
TOP TAGS
TOP CATEGORIES
FEATURES
American Liberty News ©2022
Evolution Digital Media | 1900 Reston Metro Plz | Suite 600 | Reston, VA 20190