Chuckie Shumer couldn't wait
- Thread starter Kaboom
- Start date
well worth keepin a copy here on TFL
Dems Oppose Change in Gun Records
NewsMax.com Wires
Saturday, June 30, 2001
WASHINGTON - Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced legislation Friday to
amend Attorney General John Ashcroft's plan to reduce the time federal officials retain
instant criminal background check records on gun buyers to one day, from 180 days.
Schumer's bill would require federal officials to hold the records for 90 days.
Schumer and anti-gun activists claim the quick erasure of the records will make it
difficult to crack down on illegal gun trafficking.
"Gun dealers and criminals are the only Americans who will benefit from Attorney
General Ashcroft's decision to destroy essential records," Schumer said. Rep.
Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., introduced a companion bill in the House.
Privacy Issue
Ashcroft said the change would help protect legitimate gun buyers' privacy.
But advocates of gun control said the quick erasing of the records would make it
difficult or impossible to audit gun dealers and track illegal gun trafficking masked as
legitimate sales.
Schumer, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, had expressed doubt over
Ashcroft's ability to divorce his views against gun control during Ashcroft's
confirmation hearings. "Sen. Ashcroft has been a leading advocate against gun
control," Schumer, a leading advocate for gun control, said at the opening of the
hearings in January. "He has vociferously opposed even child safety locks and the
assault weapons ban. When the U.S. attorney in New York or Wisconsin calls him
and pleads for more resources to prosecute gun runners, will this be a priority?"
Ashcroft's proposal comes four days after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the
National Rifle Association's assertion that the FBI practice of keeping records on gun
owners was illegal under the Brady Act. The instant check replaced a five-day waiting
period.
Ashcroft also directed the FBI to review the National Instant Criminal Background
Check System to ensure the 62 million records in the system reflect accurate and
up-to-date information on the disposition of court cases.
"The back check system is only as good as the criminal records it contains. Many of
the over 62 million criminal history records note an arrest, but fail to specify how the
arrest was resolved. That makes it impossible for the NICS examiner to know the
outcome of the case," said Ashcroft.
Gun shop owners phone one of two call centers to conduct the instant criminal
background checks. About 71 percent of those calls into the center receive either a
"proceed" with sale or "deny" sale from the investigators. About 97 percent of the
denied sales are completed within 72 hours either because investigators find no
adverse information in the record that would ban the sale, or court records are
incomplete.
Under the Brady Act, if the court records cannot be confirmed, the sale is completed by
default. DOJ officials estimate that 45,000 default sales are made annually, about 1
percent of all gun sales run through the instant check system.
"A recent FBI study found that between April and December of the year 2000 over
45,000 applicants with an open arrest record were allowed to purchase guns
because the three-day requirement was not met. Improving the criminal history
records will decrease this number, and it will speed up the approval process for
law-abiding purchasers," Ashcroft said.
Copyright 2001 by United Press International.
All rights reserved.
Dems Oppose Change in Gun Records
NewsMax.com Wires
Saturday, June 30, 2001
WASHINGTON - Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced legislation Friday to
amend Attorney General John Ashcroft's plan to reduce the time federal officials retain
instant criminal background check records on gun buyers to one day, from 180 days.
Schumer's bill would require federal officials to hold the records for 90 days.
Schumer and anti-gun activists claim the quick erasure of the records will make it
difficult to crack down on illegal gun trafficking.
"Gun dealers and criminals are the only Americans who will benefit from Attorney
General Ashcroft's decision to destroy essential records," Schumer said. Rep.
Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., introduced a companion bill in the House.
Privacy Issue
Ashcroft said the change would help protect legitimate gun buyers' privacy.
But advocates of gun control said the quick erasing of the records would make it
difficult or impossible to audit gun dealers and track illegal gun trafficking masked as
legitimate sales.
Schumer, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, had expressed doubt over
Ashcroft's ability to divorce his views against gun control during Ashcroft's
confirmation hearings. "Sen. Ashcroft has been a leading advocate against gun
control," Schumer, a leading advocate for gun control, said at the opening of the
hearings in January. "He has vociferously opposed even child safety locks and the
assault weapons ban. When the U.S. attorney in New York or Wisconsin calls him
and pleads for more resources to prosecute gun runners, will this be a priority?"
Ashcroft's proposal comes four days after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the
National Rifle Association's assertion that the FBI practice of keeping records on gun
owners was illegal under the Brady Act. The instant check replaced a five-day waiting
period.
Ashcroft also directed the FBI to review the National Instant Criminal Background
Check System to ensure the 62 million records in the system reflect accurate and
up-to-date information on the disposition of court cases.
"The back check system is only as good as the criminal records it contains. Many of
the over 62 million criminal history records note an arrest, but fail to specify how the
arrest was resolved. That makes it impossible for the NICS examiner to know the
outcome of the case," said Ashcroft.
Gun shop owners phone one of two call centers to conduct the instant criminal
background checks. About 71 percent of those calls into the center receive either a
"proceed" with sale or "deny" sale from the investigators. About 97 percent of the
denied sales are completed within 72 hours either because investigators find no
adverse information in the record that would ban the sale, or court records are
incomplete.
Under the Brady Act, if the court records cannot be confirmed, the sale is completed by
default. DOJ officials estimate that 45,000 default sales are made annually, about 1
percent of all gun sales run through the instant check system.
"A recent FBI study found that between April and December of the year 2000 over
45,000 applicants with an open arrest record were allowed to purchase guns
because the three-day requirement was not met. Improving the criminal history
records will decrease this number, and it will speed up the approval process for
law-abiding purchasers," Ashcroft said.
Copyright 2001 by United Press International.
All rights reserved.
P
PreserveFreedom
Guest
MatthewM -
That's exactly what I was thinking.
That's exactly what I was thinking.
KFSreeman,
We don't deserve Schumer here in New York. The downstate area of New York State is where most of the problems are. We are fighting a tough battle here trying to protect our gun rights.
Now we also have Ms.Billary.
We also have McCarthy the Red here!
We are continuing to fight against heavy odds!
We don't deserve Schumer here in New York. The downstate area of New York State is where most of the problems are. We are fighting a tough battle here trying to protect our gun rights.
Now we also have Ms.Billary.
We also have McCarthy the Red here!
We are continuing to fight against heavy odds!
Jeff Thomas
New member
I noted a funny comment the other day ... the most dangerous place in Washington D.C. is to stand between Charles Schumer and a television camera. 
Mr. Schumer is one of those rare, dangerous human beings who would gleefully trash your rights in order to secure more power for himself.
Regards from AZ
Mr. Schumer is one of those rare, dangerous human beings who would gleefully trash your rights in order to secure more power for himself.
Regards from AZ
Bill Barrett
New member
If you took "The City" out
If you took "The City" out of New York, the State would be Republican bases on voter registrations.
Just moved to New York and will vote against Schumer too!
If you took "The City" out of New York, the State would be Republican bases on voter registrations.
Just moved to New York and will vote against Schumer too!
Justin Moore
New member
Actually its completely disigenuous for Schumer to say that records are being DESTROYED. The FFL that sells you the gun has to maintain records of their sales. So, your name is still on file somewhere. Please correct me if I'm wrong folks, but I understand that this is the way it works. They managed to figure out where the Columbine guns came from, so I don't see what the problem is with Ashcroft doing what he did.
Jason Demond
New member
:barf: :barf:
If I could, I would really like to shake Ashcroft's hand. Everybody in the newspapers **** all over him. I like him, and he takes the punches for conservatives (like Newt only better) so cowards like GW etal do not have to.
If any has a snail mail address for the attourney general please do so.
If any has a snail mail address for the attourney general please do so.