Washington Post Editorial: How the Gun Lobby Keeps ATF From Doing its Job

The Washington Post
Editorial Page

WASHINGTON — TAKING AND tracking inventory is a basic component of many businesses. Imagine, for example, a pharmacy that routinely could not account for its drugs. The store would quickly run into trouble with regulators.

Not so gun dealers.

Since 2005, 113,642 guns have been reported missing from the thousands of gun shops and dealers throughout the country.

It is not known whether these guns were lost, stolen, sold on the black market or delivered into the hands of felons or other prohibited users.

Yet the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is barred by law from requiring dealers to conduct inventories — which insulates gun sellers from even minor scrutiny at the possible expense of public safety.

To read more click here.

Read chat with ex-ATF official James Cavanaugh on the gun issue.

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