Days after CBS News, a group of House Democrats on Tuesday called on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to take action. published an investigation in which dozens of law enforcement officers were found illegally sell firearmsEven weapons of war in 23 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.
democratic Representative Robert Garcia California, who serves on both the House Oversight Committee and the Homeland Security Committee, wrote to ATF Director Steven Dettelbach stating his “serious concerns” over reports that some law enforcement officers “are involved in the illegal acquisition and distribution of firearms.” They were exploiting their positions.”
Garcia, joined in his letter Representative Dan Goldman More of New York Representative Maxwell Alejandro Frost Florida asked the ATF to address a series of questions by January 15, 2025, on serious systemic weaknesses exposed by a CBS News investigation.
“The reporting suggests that existing machine gun and sawed-off shotgun and rifle regulations and enforcement mechanisms may have serious systemic weaknesses, which often jeopardize public safety by enabling the proliferation of dangerous weapons into the hands of international traffickers and organized crime groups. Puts you in danger.” He has written.
The Congressmen mentioned in the letter that, according to Most recent available ATF data Between 2017 and 2021, approximately 26,000 guns were found at American crime scenes and in the possession of a government agency, law enforcement, or military. The letter said some firearms may have been lost due to negligence, but thousands of firearms reported missing by law enforcement agencies were later discovered to have been improperly sold or traded.
A CBS News investigation uncovered at least 50 cases where police illegally sold their weapons online, through dealers, out of their homes, or in the back of their cars – in many cases at hefty fees.
The congressmen cited the troubling case of former Adair, Iowa, police chief Bradley Wendt, who was convicted earlier this year on federal charges related to obtaining a military-grade firearm under false pretenses — amid law enforcement As an example of a broader pattern. He was sentenced Jail up to five years.
CBS News found in court records that Wendt earned profit margins in excess of 90% at times.
Local US law enforcement agencies are required to obtain permission from ATF to gain access to high-powered weapons such as battlefield weapons, including machine guns used by US and NATO forces in conflict zones. A CBS News investigation found that the bureau generally does not investigate the suitability of machine gun applications for a department or track where the weapons end up — and even though the law has been on the books for more than three decades — The bureau began examining each application only in 2023.
Lawmakers highlighted their concern that there was no comprehensive vetting process on the part of ATF to ensure that requests from law enforcement for high-powered weapons were legitimate.
“We are deeply concerned that the absence of rigorous oversight and follow-up audits has allowed individuals to exploit these loopholes and circumvent federal law,” the congressmen wrote.
Contributed to this report.