ATF NEWS: New ATF Leadership! Robert Leider Named ATF Assistant Director And Chief Counsel

GOA Suing ATF Over Gag Order On Secret Surveillance Documents With no action on the topic more than two months into the Trump Administration, Gun Owners of America (GOA) has announced it has filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) over a gag order placed on its attorneys in the matter of secret surveillance documents gained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. GOA filed the action on March 12, a year and a half after a protective order was placed on GOA lawyers to not release the information, which the gun-rights group says is still pertinent today. According to a report at ammoland.com, the order was issued after GOA filed a 2021 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking “records about a secret government surveillance program which unlawfully and unconstitutionally monitors and records the firearm purchases of American citizens who are perfectly eligible to purchase and possess firearms.” The ATF eventually gave the documents to GOA, then tried to force the group to return all the documents and destroy any copies made of them. When GOA refused, ATF asked the court for a protective order to keep the organization from releasing the documents. Since that order has been in effect, GOA has not released the documents but now is asking the court to allow it to release the papers. “Relying on the asserted ‘implied power’ of courts ‘to issue a temporary protective order for inadvertently produced FOIA materials,’ this Court granted Defendant’s requests, issuing first an order to ‘sequester’ and subsequently a protective order that ‘plaintiffs and their counsel’ ‘shall sequester’ and ‘shall not disseminate, disclose, or use for any purpose those records or the content of those records,’” the brief states. “Thus, for the past 17 months, Plaintiffs—members of the press—have been prohibited from printing the news, while Plaintiffs’ lawyers have been prohibited from communicating with their clients, advocating for their clients’ interests, or even accessing portions of their own attorney work product.” As GOA also pointed out in their brief, if the documents were classified, they still would not be entitled to a “sweeping protective order.” Only portions of the papers affecting national security would be eligible for protection via a protective order. Ultimately, it’s a shame that GOA must continue fighting in court a questionable decision resulting from President Joe Biden’s weaponized ATF now that the new administration is in place. With the change of administration, ATF should back off of all such actions but seems to be reluctant to do so. In fact, earlier this month we reported how Biden holdovers at the ATF are attempting to stall litigation on the ATF’s “engaged in the business” Final Rule by filing a motion asking for a stay. In response, GOA, Gun Owners Foundation (GOF) and the states of Texas, Louisiana, Utah and Mississippi filed an opposition to the DOJ’s motion, arguing that a stay in the ruling could harm gun owners across the nation. Lately, some in the gun-rights community have been questioning the Trump Administration’s dedication to protecting the right to keep and bear arms in light of Trump only addressing guns once, in an executive order, in his first two months in office. In that order, he instructed new Attorney General Pam Bondi to “examine all orders, regulations, guidance, plans, international agreements, and other actions of executive departments and agencies (agencies) to assess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights.” The deadline for that report passed last week and at the time of this writing, Bondi still had not submitted a report.

Jessica Abner Bondi on the Death of Former U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber Saturday, March 22, 2025 Office of Public Affairs Attorney General Pamela Bondi made the following statement regarding the death of former U.S. Attorney Jessica Aber: “The loss of Jessica Aber, former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, is deeply tragic. Our hearts and prayers go out to her family and friends during this profoundly difficult time.” Cause of death: Epilepsy Updated March 31, 2025

Why are suppressors for guns legal and common in many European countries, but heavily regulated in the United States? From a Reader of The Blog Mainly because of ill Informed people like this: Silencers are not designed for hearing protection. Silencers were designed to allow people to commit murder and get away with it. -Heather Martens, executive director of Protect Minnesota: Working to End Gun Violence. Gun modifiers are attachments to a firearm that make firearms more deadly. There are several types of modifiers on the market – some of which are legal and some of which are illegal. Among these modifiers are auto sears and switches, bump stocks, silencers, and stabilizing braces. -Brady United

Why would you want to take a concealed carry gun everywhere you go? From A Reader of My Blog I was assaulted while working unarmed in a convenience store. He was wearing brass knuckles. I had a fractured skull and 256 stitches in the face. It took a week to catch him. He had 15 years of time to think. I received numerous threats. I armed myself and let it be known. The crap stopped. Eight years later I am walking back from the post office. I was jumped by 2 thugs. One tried to sweep my legs, the other tried to hit me in the back of the head while yelling “knockout!” I put them both down. One staggered away. The other tried again. I stuck my 9 mm in his eye and asked him if he wanted to die. He started to stammer and cry. He was unarmed. I let him stumble away. Not so tough now. All of these punks were about 20. In both cases it took the cops more than 20 minutes to arrive. The cops rarely prevent crime. They usually deal with the aftermath. If I am not allowed to defend myself, I will be a victim. Never again!

Buying guns in the USA - Is it true in the USA, people can just go into a store and buy a gun anytime they want? From A Reader of The Blog Pretty much… although you do have to pass a background check. But I’ll tell you what’s even funnier. I live in Tennessee, where a LOT of people own a LOT of guns, but in the ten years I’ve lived here I haven’t SEEN many people carrying guns. Most police officers have a holstered gun on their belt; and I see plenty of guns at the gun range, or in the gun store, or in the hands of hunters; and most of my neighbors probably have guns in their houses… but I rarely see people walking around the street carrying a gun. I can’t recall EVER seeing someone walking down my street carrying a rifle or shotgun, even though it would be perfectly legal to do so, and I can’t remember the last time I noticed a civilian with a gun in a holster. Now there is a good chance that I might not notice if someone was carrying a concealed handgun… but my point is that we DO NOT go around with gun-belts, and six guns, and those impressive bandoliers of cartridges strung over our shoulders… like you see in old movies. It just plain isn’t a big deal. (And, after all, your car is much bigger than any bullet and is equally capable of killing a bunch of people if you aim it at them, but you probably don’t worry that “people can just go into a dealership and buy a car” … and you don’t even have to pass a background check to do that.)

GOA Suing ATF Over Gag Order On Secret Surveillance Documents Mark Chesnut With no action on the topic more than two months into the Trump Administration, Gun Owners of America (GOA) has announced it has filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) over a gag order placed on its attorneys in the matter of secret surveillance documents gained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. GOA filed the action on March 12, a year and a half after a protective order was placed on GOA lawyers to not release the information, which the gun-rights group says is still pertinent today. According to a report at ammoland.com, the order was issued after GOA filed a 2021 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking “records about a secret government surveillance program which unlawfully and unconstitutionally monitors and records the firearm purchases of American citizens who are perfectly eligible to purchase and possess firearms.” The ATF eventually gave the documents to GOA, then tried to force the group to return all the documents and destroy any copies made of them. When GOA refused, ATF asked the court for a protective order to keep the organization from releasing the documents. Since that order has been in effect, GOA has not released the documents, but now is asking the court to allow it to release the papers. “Relying on the asserted ‘implied power’ of courts ‘to issue a temporary protective order for inadvertently produced FOIA materials,’ this Court granted Defendant’s requests, issuing first an order to ‘sequester’ and subsequently a protective order that ‘plaintiffs and their counsel’ ‘shall sequester’ and ‘shall not disseminate, disclose, or use for any purpose those records or the content of those records,’” the brief states. “Thus, for the past 17 months, Plaintiffs—members of the press—have been prohibited from printing the news, while Plaintiffs’ lawyers have been prohibited from communicating with their clients, advocating for their clients’ interests, or even accessing portions of their own attorney work product.” As GOA also pointed out in their brief, if the documents were classified, they still would not be entitled to a “sweeping protective order.” Only portions of the papers affecting national security would be eligible for protection via a protective order. Ultimately, it’s a shame that GOA must continue fighting in court a questionable decision resulting from President Joe Biden’s weaponized ATF now that the new administration is in place. With the change of administration, ATF should back off of all such actions but seems to be reluctant to do so. In fact, earlier this month we reported how Biden holdovers at the ATF are attempting to stall litigation on the ATF’s “engaged in the business” Final Rule by filing a motion asking for a stay. In response, GOA, Gun Owners Foundation (GOF) and the states of Texas, Louisiana, Utah and Mississippi filed an opposition to the DOJ’s motion, arguing that a stay in the ruling could harm gun owners across the nation. Lately, some in the gun-rights community have been questioning the Trump Administration’s dedication to protecting the right to keep and bear arms in light of Trump only addressing guns once, in an executive order, in his first two months in office. In that order, he instructed new Attorney General Pam Bondi to “examine all orders, regulations, guidance, plans, international agreements, and other actions of executive departments and agencies (agencies) to assess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights.” The deadline for that report passed last week and at the time of this writing, Bondi still had not submitted a report.

Orlando Man Indicted For Unlawful Possession Of A Machinegun Conversion Device Thursday, March 27, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida Says FFL and Firearms instructor Gregg Kielma...Don't do it....save your family and possible your life from incarceration...Please don't ask me for anything illegal... Please, you will leave me no choice other than to contact the ATF. Please do not put me as a legal FFL who goes by the rules in this position..... Orlando, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Jaquarius McDonald (24, Orlando) with unlawful possession of a machinegun conversion device. If convicted, McDonald faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. According to the indictment, on January 1, 2025, McDonald knowingly possessed a machinegun which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Orlando Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Updated March 27, 2025

Vicksburg Man Convicted of Falsifying Firearms Documents, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Obstruction of Justice Friday, March 28, 2025 U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Mississippi JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI – A federal jury convicted Zaid Khalaf, 42, of Vicksburg, Mississippi, a former Federal Firearms Licensee (“FFL”) on Thursday, March 27, 2025, for two counts of falsifying records, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of obstruction of justice. The convictions followed a two-day trial. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Khalaf was a Federal Firearms Licensee at a gun shop in Vicksburg, Mississippi since 2022. On April 24, 2024, an ATF firearms compliance inspection found that Khalaf falsified multiple firearms transaction records. Khalaf used the identities including social security numbers of two of his previous customers to forge firearm transaction records in their names. Khalaf presented the forged documents to the ATF investigator during the inspection. It is against federal law to falsify ATF records and to use the identities and private information of citizens without their consent. Khalaf is no longer a Federal Firearms Licensee. Khalaf is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22 and faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft consecutive with any other term of imprisonment imposed. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement. Updated March 28, 2025

BRADENTON — After five years on the run, Demetrius Gabriel was convicted of first-degree murder for a 2017 shooting at Spot 26 nightclub off Cortez Rd. in Bradenton. The trial was held at the Manatee County Courthouse March 24-26. He was sentenced to Life in prison without parole. For reasons that are still unknown, the defendant waited near the front door for the victim to enter. He stood near the front door, watching for some time, and when the victim started to enter, he drew a gun from his waistband, walked up to the victim, and shot him in the face. After the victim fell to the floor, the defendant walked calmly out of the club, still holding the murder weapon. Most of the incident was captured on surveillance video, but the identity of the shooter was still unknown. Ultimately, police were able to identify a possible suspect but needed to confirm his identity through fingerprints that Gabriel left on a cup he was drinking from at the bar. An arrest warrant was issued, but the defendant remained on the run for nearly 5 years while using another identity. Gabriel was ultimately found after he was arrested in Miami on unrelated charges for using this false identity. The defendant was released from Federal prison less than 2 years before this shooting and was still on probation at the time.The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.