Lou Dobbs at CNN is covering the frightening story of how feral federal agents are savaging David Olofson for loaning a broken tool to a neighbor.
[update]
Part Two, revealing that the BATFX fraudulently kept exculpatory evidence from trial. Again, via War on Guns.
And don’t miss Kevin Baker’s excellent discussion, with many tasty links, over at The Smallest Majority.
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At the range one day, Olofson let his friend use his completely legal, semiautomatic rifle, an AR-15. (The civilian version of the full-auto rifle that is standard military issue.) The friend fired hundreds of rounds, one trigger pull at a time.
Then the 20 year old gun malfunctioned, and began firing multiple times with single trigger pulls.
Olofson was arrested, charged, and convicted of “transferring” a full-auto machine gun. The arrest was performed through a full-dress SWAT raid, including forcing Olofson’s door with a hydraulic ram. His guns, computers, and even gun books were confiscated, although nothing illegal was found. He was not shown a warrant.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, known here as the BATFX, tested his weapon and found it was not a machine gun. Unhappy with this result, they tested it again with different ammo known for having sensitive primers, and this time determined that it was.
Olofson, heretofore a law-abiding citizen, an Army veteran and Reservist with a spotless record, is now a convicted felon awaiting sentencing. He could face six years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
For possessing a malfunctioning tool, a malfunction so subtle the BATFX themselves couldn’t find it the first time they tried.
Under BATFX rules, apparently, I am myself a dangerous federal felon, as I’ve noted before, having used a malfunctioning pistol that double fired.
The CNN report notes that BATFX testing procedures are undocumented, and defendants are not allowed to witness tests. (And, if you can muddle through the orange-on-black type, Mark Knapp notes here that Olofson’s own expert, Len Savage, wasn’t even allowed to examine and test Olofson’s gun in preparation for the trial.) There are two bills before Congress, HR 4900 and HR 1791, requiring written testing procedures, and the video taping of every test.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: as the BATFX currently operates, firearms agents cannot report for duty without violating their oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. They are traitors acting under color of authority, and deserve to be put up against the wall and shot, after being allowed the same due-process consideration they’ve accorded David Olofson.
Remember, folks: these are the Only Ones gun-grabbers say are fit to keep and bear arms. They, and the BATFX, want us to be docile, helpless sheep–and they themselves are not sheepdogs, but wolves.
Not at all by the way, kudos to Lou Dobbs and CNN for covering the Olofson / BATFX story. This is real speaking-truth-to-power here, not only to the BATFX, but to the generally anti-gun, pro-tyranny press as well. Thanks, Mr. Dobbs, and keep up the good work. I hope this story gets legs and wider coverage.
Via The War on Guns.