As part of its “zero tolerance” approach, the Biden administration has reversed a much-criticized policy that required inspectors to revoke federal firearm sales licenses for gun dealers based on certain paperwork errors or anomalies.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) says the policy prevents and creates barriers to access to firearms after Austin, Texas gun store owner Michael Cargill filed a lawsuit. claimed to be an outspoken supporter of gun rights and voluntarily rescinded the rule. The right to own firearms.
“I literally single-handedly castrated the ATF,” Cargill told FOX News Digital.
Concealed carry supporters say Biden-Harris policies may be slowing the rise in gun ownership among Republican women
A FAR-15 style rifle is on display for sale at a gun store. (Reuters/Bing Guan)
Cargill filed this lawsuit with support from the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) and America First Legal.
Under the rule, issued by the Biden administration in 2021, holders of federal firearms licenses (FFLs) can have their licenses removed if they “willfully” violate several provisions for the first time, including falsifying records such as firearms transaction forms. May be canceled.
The rule was intended to curb gun crime. But critics say the system has been used to punish gun dealers for minor and honest documentation mistakes. TPPF cited accidental errors when filling out the form, such as writing “United States” in the “County” field on the background check form.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the ATF.
Matt Miller, TPPF's senior attorney and lead attorney on the case, said the Biden administration's zero-tolerance approach is “devastating” businesses.
Blue state gun crackdowns called out as a threat to law-abiding owners
A semi-automatic shotgun is displayed for sale on a shelf at a McBride Guns Inc. store in Austin, Texas, on August 25, 2023. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
“Many gun stores were forced to close due to the illegal provisions of the old enforcement order,” he said in a statement. “The new order effectively reinstates the old enforcement guidelines, meaning gun stores no longer have to fear honest mistakes.”
Cargill previously won a case in the U.S. Supreme Court that overturned a federal ban on bump stocks.
“When a customer walks into a gun store, there are 100 ways a customer can make mistakes on their paperwork,” he said. “In this terminology, if you allow them to come into the hospital and do an exam, and they say, 'They made a mistake in the hospital,' whether it's a doctor or a radiologist, they We made a mistake. We're going to shut down the whole hospital. That's insane.”
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“Nobody does that. No other industry is under that kind of pressure,” Cargill added.
