Duke Cunningham

From Behind Bars, Randy "Duke" Cunningham Begs For The Right To Own A Gun

Ryan J. Reilly | May 25, 2012, 6:07PM

Randall "Duke" Cunningham, the disgraced former congressman currently serving an eight year sentence for his involvement in one of the biggest bribery scandals in congressional history, would like his second amendment rights restored when he leaves prison so he can hunt, fish and protect himself from rabid cougars, he wrote in a letter to a federal judge this month.

Unfortunately for 71-year-old Cunningham, that wouldn't happen because legislation passed during his time in Congress bans ATF from using federal funds to investigate whether felons should get their gun rights restored.

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Fast And Furious

Fast And Furious: GOP Moves Towards Holder Contempt Resolution

Ryan J. Reilly | April 27, 2012, 1:50PM

Attorney General Eric Holder

Led by House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Republicans in the House are preparing a contempt resolution against Attorney General Eric Holder, alleging that the nation's top law enforcement official has obstructed a congressional investigation into a federal operation that allowed guns to flow to Mexican drug cartels.

A congressional source with knowledge of the contempt resolution confirmed to TPM that a draft does exist and said Republican leadership had been very supportive of the measure, which was first reported by CBS News. CBS said House Speaker John Boehner had given Issa the go-ahead to pursue the resolution, but a GOP leadership aide disputed that report and told TPM that "no decision" had been made.

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Viktor Bout

Government Wants Life Sentence For 'Merchant Of Death' Viktor Bout

Ryan J. Reilly | April 5, 2012, 9:55AM

The feds want Viktor Bout -- the man they describe as one of the "the world's most successful and sophisticated arms traffickers" -- to spend the rest of his life in jail.

Bout, whose life inspired the movie Lord of War and earned him the nicknamed the "Merchant of Death," was found guilty of conspiring to kill U.S. citizens and officials, delivering anti-aircraft missiles and providing aid to a terrorist organization. He was arrested in Thailand in 2008 following a sting operation set up by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents. He's set to be sentenced by a federal judge in New York at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Federal authorities called Bout "a businessman of the most dangerous order" and said in a court filing that Bout "remained ready, willing and able to provide a breathtaking arsenal of weapons -- including hundreds of surface-to-air missiles, machine-guns, and sniper rifles -- 10 million rounds of ammunition, and five tons of plastic explosives to men he believed represented FARC, a U.S.-and E.U.-designated foreign terrorist organization."

Fast And Furious

Obama Has 'Full Confidence' In Eric Holder Ahead Of 'Fast And Furious' Hearing

Ryan J. Reilly | December 8, 2011, 1:05AM

While House Republicans gear up to grill Attorney General Eric Holder about what-he-knew-when about ATF's botched Operation Fast and Furious at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday, the White House is signaling they're standing by the nation's top law enforcement officer.

"As the President has made clear, he believes Eric Holder is an excellent Attorney General who has his full confidence," White House spokesman Eric Schultz said in a statement to TPM on Wednesday.

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Arizona

This Christmas, Pose With Santa And His Machine Guns

David Taintor | November 30, 2011, 6:06AM

"Santa's back with his bag of goodies," the Scottsdale Gun Club in Arizona announces on its website. Instead of toy soldiers, Santa's carrying real machine guns, and for $10, non-members can get a picture taken with Santa and his hardware.

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Oscar Ortega Hernandez

Alleged White House Shooter Ortega-Hernandez To Oprah: 'I Am The Modern Day Jesus Christ'

Ryan J. Reilly | November 18, 2011, 11:22AM

Alleged White House shooter Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez made a 20-minute video intended for Oprah Winfrey in which he claimed he was the second coming of Jesus Christ.

"You see Oprah, there is still so much more that God needs for me to express to the world. It's not just a coincidence that I look like Jesus. I am the modern day Jesus Christ that you all have been waiting for," Ortega-Hernandez says in a video obtained by Idaho's KBOI news.

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Chuck Grassley

Giffords Shooting Survivors Slam Grassley's 'Disregard' For Gun Violence Victims

Ryan J. Reilly | November 16, 2011, 5:13PM

Tucson, Arizona Shooting Witness Patricia Maisch And Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley

Eleven survivors and family members of victims of the January 2011 shooting in Arizona that nearly killed Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D) are criticizing Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) for what they say was a "dismissive and political response" to Tucson shooting survivor Patricia Maisch's testimony in support of legislation which would close holes in the gun background check system.

In a letter sent to Grassley on Wednesday and obtained by TPM, Retired Colonel Bill Badger, Nancy Bowman, Carol Dorushka, Kenneth Dorushka, Randy Gardner, John Maisch, Patricia Maisch, Angela Robbinson, Faith Salzgeber, Foger Salzgeber and Mavy Stoddard write of their "profound disappointment" with Grassley's "obvious disregard for the gun violence survivors in the room" as well as his "apparent ignorance of the deadly serious issue we came to discuss with you."

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Gun Rights

Report Finds Holes In Gun Background Check System

Ryan J. Reilly | November 15, 2011, 9:41AM

Chinese-made SKS rifle on counter at A & A Guns in Fairfax, Virginia.

Over 60 survivors and family members of gun violence victims -- including 13 survivors or family members of victims of the shooting at Rep. Gabby Giffords's town hall -- are hitting Capitol Hill on Tuesday to encourage lawmakers to close holes in the gun background check system.

Their visit will be accompanied by a report by Mayors Against Illegal Gun Violence that finds missing records may help put guns in the hands of killers. The report finds that millions of records what would identify individuals as mentally ill or drug abusers are missing from the federal background check database due to lax reporting by state agencies. It also finds that federal agencies are not reporting requirements to the background check system despite the law that all federal agencies report "any record of any person" who is prohibited from purchasing firearms to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

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Eric Holder

Holder: Fast And Furious 'Not The Cause Of' U.S. Guns Flowing To Mexico (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | November 8, 2011, 11:50AM

Attorney General Eric Holder

In his opening statement before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Attorney General Eric Holder said that ATF's Fast and Furious operation was "a flawed response to, not the cause of, the flow of illegal guns from the United States into Mexico."

Holder said that "gun walking" was "unacceptable" and said Fast and Furious "was flawed in concept, as well as in execution."

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Curry Todd

Tennessee Guns-In-Bars Law Sponsor Resigns Committee Post Following DUI Arrest

David Taintor | October 18, 2011, 11:58AM

Here's a sobering bit of news from Tennessee: A state lawmaker who sponsored legislation allowing gun owners to carry firearms in bars resigned on Monday as chairman of the House State and Local Government committee following his DUI arrest with a gun.

"Today, I told Speaker Harwell (R) that I would step aside as Chairman of the House State and Local Government Committee until this matter is resolved and she has accepted it," Rep. Curry Todd (R) said in a statement. "The Committee's work is an important aspect of the General Assembly and I do not want my actions to distract from that."

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ATF

Emails: Bush-Era Embassy, Prosecutor's Office Approved ATF 'Gun Walking' Tactic

Ryan J. Reilly | October 14, 2011, 5:00PM

As House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) continues to try to pin the flawed "gun walking" tactic employed in Operation Fast and Furious on the Obama administration, it's becoming increasingly clear that problems with ATF's Phoenix division date back at least into the Bush era.

TPM has obtained the documents relating to another Bush-era ATF operation (on top of Operation Wide Receiver) which deployed the "gun walking" tactic. The development was first reported by Pete Yost of the Associated Press.

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Curry Todd

Tennessee Guns-In-Bars Law Sponsor Arrested For DUI...With A Gun

David Taintor | October 12, 2011, 10:32AM

Updated Oct. 12 10:50 a.m.

A Tennessee lawmaker who is a major proponent of legislation allowing gun owners to carry firearms in bars was arrested on Tuesday and charged with driving under the influence and possession of a handgun while under the influence, Davidson County Sheriff's Office confirmed to TPM.

Rep. Curry Todd (R) was pulled over around 11:15 p.m. Tuesday, according to the local Fox affiliate. Todd allegedly failed a roadside sobriety test and refused to take a breathalyzer test, the Associated Press reports. The gun -- a Smith & Wesson 38 Special -- was holstered next to the driver's seat and loaded.

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ATF

ATF Didn't Consult White House On Emergency Request For Controversial Gun Rule

Ryan J. Reilly | October 6, 2011, 6:00AM

Here's some news for all the NRA members convinced that ATF's rifle reporting requirement in four border states is a diabolical plot by the Obama administration to crack down on the Second Amendment. ATF didn't consult the White House before they published an emergency request for a proposed rule requiring gun dealers in four border states to report bulk sales of semi-automatic weapons in the Federal Register.

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Florida

Judge Blocks Florida Law That Restricts Doctors From Asking Patients About Guns

David Taintor | September 15, 2011, 6:10AM

A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a Florida law that restricts doctors -- namely pediatricians -- from asking their patients about guns.

"At issue in this litigation is a law directed at maintaining patients' privacy rights regarding firearm ownership within the context of the doctor-patient relationship," the ruling reads. "In effect, however, the law curtails practitioners' ability to inquire about whether patients own firearms and burdens their ability to deliver a firearm safety message to patients, under certain circumstances."

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Brady Center

Brady Center Report: Manufacturers 'Lost' At Least 16,000 Guns Over The Past Two Years

David Taintor | September 5, 2011, 11:13AM

Glock 9mm handgun and its ammunition.

Every day over the past two and a half years, 18 guns have gone missing from firearms manufactures without any record of being sold, according to a report from the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. That adds up to 16,485 "missing" guns since 2009.

The report comes after a January 2011 report from the Brady Center that showed gun retail dealers "lost" more than 62,000 guns since 2008. The Brady Center cites data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in its analysis.

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ATF

Report: ATF Officials Left Colleagues In Mexico Out Of The Loop On 'Fast And Furious'

Ryan J. Reilly | July 26, 2011, 12:01AM

Acting ATF Head, Ken Melson

Ahead of another House Oversight Committee hearing on ATF's "Fast and Furious" controversy on Tuesday, the Republican and Democratic staffs of the House Oversight Committee have issued dueling reports on the latest information uncovered by congressional investigators.

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Fast And Furious

Dem Response To ATF Scandal: Hey, Maybe We Should Make Gun Trafficking Illegal

Ryan J. Reilly | July 18, 2011, 3:50PM

Rep. Darrell E. Issa (D-CA) and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD)

Everyone seems pretty upset right now with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) over their botched "Fast and Furious" program. Agents allegedly watched as suspected "straw purchasers" bought weapons they intended to give to Mexican drug cartels. So Democrats have a crazy idea: maybe buying weapons for drug cartels should be, you know, illegal.

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Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives

To Combat Gun Trafficking, ATF Ask Dealers To Report Sales Of Semi-Automatic Rifles

Ryan J. Reilly | July 11, 2011, 3:27PM

Amid ongoing probes of the ATF Fast and Furious scandal, the Obama administration announced Monday that they are asking gun dealers in four border states to report when they sell two or more semi-automatic weapons to an individual in a period of five business days.

The rule, enforced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), is meant to slow the trafficking of weapons across the Southern border and into the hands of Mexican drug cartels.

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ATF

Darrell Issa Poised To Get First Win In ATF Fast And Furious Scandal

Ryan J. Reilly | June 20, 2011, 5:45AM

Acting ATF Head, Ken Melson

Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) seems poised to collect his first scalp. The Obama administration wants to oust Ken Melson as head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) over the troubled anti-gun-trafficking program called Fast and Furious, the Wall Street Journal reported late Friday.

Issa's committee released an email last week that showed that as deputy director of the agency, Melson was closely monitoring the Fast and Furious operation -- an effort to stop the flow of weapons from the U.S. to Mexican drug cartels. One email from ATF described a request Melson made for a web link so he could watch from hidden cameras in the gun stores that were cooperating with the operation.

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Florida

Florida Doctors Defend Right To Ask Patients About Guns

David Taintor | June 7, 2011, 2:46PM

A group of Florida doctors filed a federal lawsuit Monday, pushing back on legislation preventing them from freely discussing gun ownership with their patients.

As TPM reported in May, a Florida bill would limit doctors' ability to ask their patients if they own guns. The law would allow doctors to ask patients about guns if they feel it's relevant to the patient's safety. Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) signed the bill into law last week.

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Florida

Florida Bill Would Bar Doctors From Asking Patients About Guns

David Taintor | May 9, 2011, 2:44PM

As NPR reports, a Florida bill would bar doctors -- in particular pediatricians -- from asking their patients if they own guns. Gov. Rick Scott (R) is expected to sign the bill this week, which would make Florida the first state with such a law.

Scott's office would not release a timeline on when the governor plans to sign the bill. But Scott's press secretary, Lane Wright, told TPM "it's likely he will support it."

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Project Gunrunner

Issa's Office: Obama Admin Wouldn't Answer Questions On 'Role In Arming Deadly Drug Cartels'

Ryan J. Reilly | April 29, 2011, 12:55PM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and President Barack Obama (D)

As congressional investigators ramp up their investigation into Project Gunrunner, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is ramping up his rhetoric.

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ATF

Amid Probe Of 'Project Gunrunner,' Obama Seeks Comments On ATF's Anti-Gun Trafficking Rule

Ryan J. Reilly | April 28, 2011, 3:55PM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and President Barack Obama (D)

As House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) probes Project Gunrunner -- the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) effort aimed at combating gun trafficking on the Mexican border that went awry -- the Obama administration is seeking another round of comments on a controversial proposal to make gun dealers in four border states report sales of multiple rifles.

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Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart Resuming Sales Of Rifles & Shotguns At Hundreds Of Stores

Eric Lach | April 28, 2011, 3:16PM

Wal-Mart will resume selling rifles, shotguns and ammunition at hundreds of stores as part of what The Wall Street Journal calls a "major retooling of [Wal-Mart's] U.S. operations," in which the retailer is returning to shelves many "heritage categories" it pulled a few years ago.

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Gun Rights

Arizona Legislature Approves Colt Revolver As Official State Gun

David Taintor | April 20, 2011, 6:24PM

Arizona is hot on Utah's heels, following its lead to designate its own official state gun.

The Arizona House early Wednesday narrowly approved the Colt Single Action Army Revolver as the state's official gun. The bill had been rejected earlier in an all-night session, the AP reports, but it eventually won approval by a 32-25 vote.

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ATF

ATF Agent Charged With Stealing Guns, Cigarettes, For Resale

Melissa Jeltsen | April 7, 2011, 1:50PM

A special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) allegedly stole guns and stockpiles of cigarettes from the agency with the intention of selling them for his own financial benefit, according to a federal indictment unsealed on Wednesday.

In a 20-count indictment, 43 year old Virginia resident Clifford Dean Posey has been charged with wire fraud, embezzlement, possessing stolen firearms, making false statements and money laundering.

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Project Gunrunner

President Obama on Project Gunrunner: A 'Serious Mistake' May Have Been Made

Melissa Jeltsen | March 24, 2011, 9:40AM

President Barack Obama

In his first public comments addressing Project Gunrunner -- a national initiative by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to combat illegal gun trafficking along the Mexico border now taking heat for allegedly letting guns end up in the hands of criminals -- President Barack Obama conceded that "a serious mistake" may have been made.

During an interview with a reporter from Univision that aired Tuesday night, Obama said he was "absolutely not" informed about the ATF program. The agency came under fire after a senior ATF agent told media outlets that supervisors ordered agents not to intercept weapons made in suspicious sales -- but instead to monitor them to see where the weapons ended up.

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Carl Wimmer

Utah Becomes First State To Designate Official Gun

David Taintor | March 18, 2011, 1:32PM

This week, Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) signed legislation making the Browning M1911 semiautomatic pistol Utah's official state gun -- and making his state the first to designate a state firearm.

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Darrell Issa

Darrell Issa To Investigate ATF's Controversial Gunrunner Project

Melissa Jeltsen | March 17, 2011, 11:30AM

Darrell Issa (R-CA) lobbed criticism at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Wednesday night and revealed he is investigating allegations that the agency intentionally let more than 1,700 guns be illegally trafficked to Mexico.

Issa, who is chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, told the Roger Hedgecock Show the ATF probe will be one of his primary investigations.

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Guns

Brady Campaign: DOJ Meeting Shows Obama Is 'Serious' About Combatting Gun Violence

Ryan J. Reilly | March 16, 2011, 3:20PM

President Barack Obama

A coalition of pro gun-control groups met with Obama administration officials at the Justice Department Tuesday to discuss ways to prevent gun violence.

The meeting at DOJ headquarters, the first in a series of meetings the administration is trying to schedule to address the issue, was led by Christopher H. Schroeder, Assistant Attorney General for DOJ's Office of Legal Policy. Representatives of the White House, the Vice President's office, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were also in attendance.

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NRA

NRA CEO Says Gun Control Debate Shouldn't Be About Guns (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | March 14, 2011, 5:10PM

President Barack Obama's editorial calling for a fresh dialogue on the issue of guns in the wake of the shootings in Arizona went out of its way to avoid offending gun owners. He said "almost all gun owners in America are highly responsible," called them "our friends and neighbors," and said they "buy their guns legally and use them safely, whether for hunting or target shooting, collection or protection."

He pointed out that gun rights have been expanded during his administration, and didn't call for any new restrictions on guns -- instead advocating for "enforcing laws that are already on the books."

But the National Rifle Association appears determined to be offended by Obama's call for a new tone in the discussion over gun policy. Appearing on Fox News on Monday, NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre told Megyn Kelly that Obama has an "administration embedded with people who spent their lifetime trying to destroy" the freedom of the Second Amendment.

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Barack Obama

Two Months After Tucson, Obama Calls For Conversation On Gun Safety

Ryan J. Reilly | March 14, 2011, 9:35AM

President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama has weighed into the gun-control debate two months after the mass shooting in Arizona.

In an op-ed for the Arizona Daily Star over the weekend, Obama writes that "like the majority of Americans, I believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. And the courts have settled that as the law of the land."

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Guns

Iowa GOPer Dubs NRA-Backed Legislation 'Give-A-Handgun-To-A-Schizophrenic Bill'

Ryan J. Reilly | March 11, 2011, 3:30PM

Republican Iowa State Rep. Jeff Kaufmann, speaker pro tem of the Iowa State House, was caught joking on a hot mic that a proposal which would allow state residents to carry weapons in public without permission from a sheriff and without any training or a background check might better be called the "give-a-handgun-to-a-schizophrenic-bill."

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Texas

Concealed-Carry License Gets You Fast-Track Access To Texas Capitol

David Taintor | February 15, 2011, 9:21AM

Texas State Capitol

Some frequent visitors to the Texas Capitol in Austin are obtaining concealed handgun licenses in order to gain quicker access through the building's security screening, Reuters reports.

Concealed handgun license holders can enter the Capitol via an expedited "CHL access" line, while "schoolchildren and tourists" have to pass through metal detectors, according to the report.

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Guns

Utah Bill Supporter: Naming A State Gun Will Show They Are Useful (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | January 31, 2011, 3:30PM

Clark Aposhian of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, a supporter of the Utah bill which would make the M1911 .45-caliber handgun the official state firearm, says now is the appropriate time to honor the weapon.

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Gun Control

Gun Rights Battle Heads To Bars, Churches, Doctors' Offices And Day Care

Ryan J. Reilly and Melissa Jeltsen | January 28, 2011, 9:40AM

After ignoring the issue of gun control for his entire presidency to date, aides to President Barack Obama said Wednesday he'd take up the issue within the next few weeks. Even former Vice President Dick Cheney has said he'd be okay with banning high-capacity clips in the wake of the mass shooting that nearly killed Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and left six others dead.

But there's a whole other lot of Second Amendment supporters who, instead of discussing middle-of-the-road measures to curb gun violence, are advocating to rescind or roll back even current restrictions.

In state legislatures around the country, conservatives lawmakers are introducing some of the most enthusiastic right-to-bear-arms bills to date. Here's TPM's round up.

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Gun Control

Brady Campaign: 'Gun Violence Destroyed Christina And Her Dreams'

Ryan J. Reilly | January 25, 2011, 10:50PM

President Barack Obama

Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, issued a statement criticizing President Barack Obama for not mentioning gun control during his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

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Gun Control

Republican Jean Schmidt Doesn't Want Obama After Her Guns

Ryan J. Reilly | January 25, 2011, 7:15PM

Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH)

There are plenty of people hoping President Barack Obama mentions gun control during his State of the Union address this evening in the wake of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ). Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH) is not among them.

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Henry Burns

'God's Army': Louisiana Locals Train To Protect Their Churches With Guns

Jillian Rayfield | January 21, 2011, 8:43AM

Rep. Henry Burns (R-LA)

Some Louisiana residents have recently been attending firearms training sessions so they can carry concealed weapons into churches, in accordance with a law passed over last summer.

Back in July, Gov. Bobby Jindal signed a law that allows churches, mosques, and synagogues in Louisiana to establish a "security plan" for their constituents, permitting members of the congregation with concealed weapons permits to carry guns during services. Part of the law requires eight hours of tactical training with local law enforcement before someone can begin carrying inside a house of worship.

And now, it seems, members of Bossier Parish churches have begun to take up the state on its offer, purportedly so they can protect their fellow churchgoers in the event of some kind of an attack.

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Dick Cheney

Cheney Okay With Limiting High-Capacity Magazines In Wake Of Giffords Shooting (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | January 19, 2011, 1:45PM

Former Vice President Dick Cheney

Dick Cheney is no gun control advocate. In fact, as Rachel Maddow pointed out in a recent segment, he was one of only a couple members of the House of Representatives who voted against a ban on plastic guns back in the 1980s and is a regular at meetings of the National Rifle Association.

But in the wake of the mass shooting in Arizona that gravely injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) and killed six others, even Cheney indicated he's support restrictions on high-capacity magazines such as the clip allegedly used by Jared Lee Loughner.

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