Steve Dettelbach, Director of the ATF, could not define a precise threshold for when private citizens are considered “engaged in the business” of selling firearms.
Last Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing with Steve Dettelbach, Director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) being the star witness.
The hearing was on Oversight of the ATF and focused on a variety of issues concerning the ATF, including the “engaged in business” rule, which is now in effect.
Other topics ranged from the pistol brace rule to the killing of Bryan Malinowski, the Director of the Little Rock Airport, who was killed during the execution of a search warrant earlier in March.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) quickly grilled Dettelbach as to how many firearms does someone have to sell to be “engaged in the business” of firearms dealing and they’re required to get a Federal Firearms License (FFL).
Dettelbach responded with:
“Congressman, as you know, that matter is being litigated in several courts. So sticking with what’s already in the public record, the rule itself is about 16 pages, skipping lines, and there is about…over 400 pages of explanation. So, there are factors that are conduct based, not numerical based but conduct based.”
Essentially giving a non-answer, the National Association for Gun Rights quickly released a press release, demanding Dettelbach to be fired and the ATF to be abolished.
Dudley Brown, President for the National Association for Gun Rights, went on to say:
“The problem with the ‘engaged in business’ rule is the ATF Director can’t even tell you what the definition is. He was asked repeatedly today how many firearms you have to sell to be considered in the business, he couldn’t say. The issue with that is you get five years and $250,000 fine if you cross their incomprehensible line. The alternative being they come to your house and shoot you in front of your wife.
Brown continued on:
“The ATF and Biden are playing definition games with U.S. Code as a means to ban the private transfer of firearms. The language of this proposed rule gives the government near universal authority to prosecute anyone who transfers a firearm.”
The National Association for Gun Rights has been the leading gun rights group opposing Universal Gun Registration schemes, such as the “engaged in business” rule, since 2013.
Read more at Breitbart.
