A sting operation was used by the city of New York to try and catch violations of federal gun laws at multi-state gun shows. Even for an anti-gun advocate like New York’s Mayor Bloomberg, hiring a firm to go undercover in states other than his own under the guise of stopping the flow of guns into his city raises eyebrows, and some serious questions.

Over 40 investigators from Kroll Associates were hired to go undercover, posing as gun buyers hoping to slide under the radar of the background checks via a straw purchase or various other scenarios, and visited seven gun shows in Nevada, Ohio, and Tennessee during the summer. (A straw purchase is the term for when an accomplice of the real gun purchaser signs the papers and receives the background check — and then the goods, but with the actual purchaser not present and not participating.) The undercover detectives attempted to buy guns over and over in the hopes of catching gun dealers in illegal gun sales.

Out of 47 purchases, 35 have been termed by New York as illegal in some way. The Associated Press reports that the city is not planning any civil action.

Showing the resulting videos at a news conference at New York’s City Hall Bloomberg said, “What you saw was a willful disregard of the law, and you saw it again and again, and again.” A copy of the printed report is being sent to every congressman, while the findings are being shared with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in the hopes that more gun laws can be enacted.

This excursion into other states cost the city over $1 million, something the citizens themselves should be up in arms about. Bloomberg has zero power over gun sales outside of New York. Certainly there is plenty of real crime in New York City that he could attend to, if he were serious about stopping crime.

So there are questions as to why he did it, aside from his hatred for guns and his lack of support for the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights, and the fact that he is running for reelection and needs anti-gun organizations’ endorsements.

The case could be made that Bloomberg and his anti-gun squad engaged in some questionable tactics in their efforts to produce an anti-gun video. For instance: Was any of it staged just to make actual gun dealers look bad? If not, did they have the legal permission from local law enforcement in each state and county in which the gun shows were held to engage in entrapment? After their lies were put forth, their phony purchases were completed, and they were in possession of “illegal guns,” would they subsequently be considered guilty of breaking federal gun laws?

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Stophel

October 12, 2009

98.93.61.57

Votes: +5

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The dealers couldn't know that the buyers were "straw purchasers". If these agents were making purchases like this, then THEY are guilty of making a "straw purchase", and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law... Think that's gonna happen?

Larry Brown

October 12, 2009

209.40.77.151

Votes: +7

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People who don't like the 2nd amendment and don't like guns should move to a country that doesn't recognize the right of free people to own and carry guns.

How can it be illegal to exercise the supreme law of the law--including the second amendment.

bg

October 12, 2009

67.53.28.211

Votes: +2

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Say Larry....

Perhaps the country you had in mind....Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Iran? They can pass along their warm fuzzy feelings toward the Taliban.

Stophel

October 12, 2009

98.93.61.57

Votes: +2

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It's probably actually EASIER to buy a gun in those countries. Provided the only gun you want is an AK47.

DDW

October 12, 2009

173.74.213.85

Votes: +2

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Surprise, surprise, surprise!!!

New York . . . again!!! So this bastion of left wing "liberal"ism is now sticking its nose into the business of other states? The nerve. The gall. It would probably be a major improvement to the whole nation if the city of New York completely sank into the ocean taking Comrade Bloomberg along with it.

Kenneth Creech

October 12, 2009

70.144.168.75

Votes: +2

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Out of my cold dead hands!!!!

Dan Cron

October 13, 2009

64.41.14.90

Votes: +0

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Bloomberg's Goons

If the BATFE had any gumption at all, they would prosecute Bloomberg. Other states gun sales are none of his business. The city of New York could have used the million dollars that Bloomberg paid Kroll Associates for better projects.

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