Gunreference1
10-24-2010, 01:25 AM
Industry pressure hides gun traces, protects dealers from public scrutiny
By James V. Grimaldi and Sari Horwitz
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, October 23, 2010; 11:58 PM
Under the law, investigators cannot reveal federal firearms tracing information that shows how often a dealer sells guns that end up seized in crimes. The law effectively shields retailers from lawsuits, academic study and public scrutiny. It also keeps the spotlight off the relationship between rogue gun dealers and the black market in firearms.
Such information used to be available under a simple Freedom of Information Act request. But seven years ago, under pressure from the gun lobby, Congress blacked out the information by passing the so-called Tiahrt amendment, named for Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.). The law removed from the public record a government database that traces guns recovered in crimes back to the dealers.
To read the rest of the story click the link below.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/23/AR2010102302996.html?wprss=rss_technology
Steve
By James V. Grimaldi and Sari Horwitz
Washington Post Staff Writers
Saturday, October 23, 2010; 11:58 PM
Under the law, investigators cannot reveal federal firearms tracing information that shows how often a dealer sells guns that end up seized in crimes. The law effectively shields retailers from lawsuits, academic study and public scrutiny. It also keeps the spotlight off the relationship between rogue gun dealers and the black market in firearms.
Such information used to be available under a simple Freedom of Information Act request. But seven years ago, under pressure from the gun lobby, Congress blacked out the information by passing the so-called Tiahrt amendment, named for Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.). The law removed from the public record a government database that traces guns recovered in crimes back to the dealers.
To read the rest of the story click the link below.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/23/AR2010102302996.html?wprss=rss_technology
Steve