Crapo, Colleagues Send Letter to Defend Second Amendment

Washington, D.C.--U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) joined U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and 17 additional colleagues in sending a letter to the U.S. Attorney General and the Acting Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) expressing concern over the ATF’s use of secret internal guidance to enforce regulations that are not openly published.  This secret guidance has been used to justify the seizure of property and could be used to prosecute law-abiding Americans and businesses.

“We write to express our grave concern over the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ (ATF) continued pattern of enforcing secret guidance,” the letter reads.  “This secret guidance was brought to our attention by those who have received recent threatening letters where the ATF makes blanket threats based on the recipient allegedly purchasing and possessing various firearms accessories, none of which are illegal based on any statute or regulation.”

“We find the ATF’s attempt to conceal its interpretations of the law disturbing.  In a free society, ‘Every citizen is presumed to know the law.’  Thus, as the Supreme Court has said, ‘it needs no argument to show that all should have free access’ to [the law’s] contents.”

The letter continues, “With this attempted secret regulation, the ATF shows an abject disregard for the fundamental principles of due process and accountable governance.  Federal agencies cannot enforce the law in this manner.” 

For full text of the letter, click HERE.