The Giffords Center to Prevent Gun Violence — the artist formerly known as Americans for Responsible Solutions — has sued the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. They claim the ATF has been dragging its feet in meeting FOIA requests for documents Giffords says show the NRA’s influence on the feds’ firearms regulatory practices.
Giffords’ organization is seeking records concerning Trump administration policies on concealed carry “reciprocity,” gun silencers, “bump stock” gun attachments, and assault weapon exports.
They are also seeking evidence that Donald Trump Jr., President Trump’s eldest son, improperly lobbied for gun manufacturing companies, contact between gun lobbying groups and administration officials after the mass shooting in Las Vegas, and any effort from the NRA to review bump stock regulations alongside the ATF.
You can read the entire suit here.
An ATF document was leaked in February that disclosed a top ATF official pushed a series of proposals the NRA backed. Additionally, the NRA contributed $1 million to assist the confirmation of Trump nominee Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.
In other words, the agency was adopting the new priorities and direction of the newly inaugurated administration. An administration whose priorities are diametrically opposed to those of the prior commander in chief.
“The Trump administration appears willing to let the National Rifle Association dictate its federal gun safety policy, which includes remaining silent on how to stem our nation’s gun violence epidemic,” said Robyn Thomas, executive director of the Giffords Law Center, according to the Huffington Post.“Protecting the safety of Americans should be the top priority of any president. Unfortunately, gun lobby profits seem to be more important to President Trump.”
Huh. We always thought an administration’s top priority was preserving, protecting and defending the Constitution, ensuring that Americans’ civil rights are protected and the nation’s laws are enforced. But that’s just us.