Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Senators aim to close gun-show loophole
LA Times ^ | February 1, 2008 | Ben DuBose

Posted on 02/01/2008 9:53:24 AM PST by neverdem

Two Democrats seek to widen the scope of background checks. A similar measure failed in Virginia.

WASHINGTON — Gun-control advocates have been largely stymied in their efforts to get significant new firearms restrictions, but they still believe they can achieve one goal: closing a loophole that allows sales at gun shows without background checks on purchasers.

This week, two Senate Democrats introduced legislation to close that loophole in federal law, despite a recent failure in Virginia -- where a gunman killed 32 students and teachers at Virginia Tech in April -- to change a similar state law.

Accompanied by family members of some of the Virginia Tech victims, along with gun-control advocate Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Democratic Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey and Jack Reed of Rhode Island unveiled their proposal at a news conference Wednesday.

"It defies common sense that a loophole in federal law lets unlicensed dealers sell firearms at gun shows without running a background check on the buyer," Lautenberg said. "Our legislation would require background checks for every gun purchased at every gun show across America. Without this change in the law, felons, fugitives and severely mentally ill people will continue to be able to buy guns -- no questions asked."

Under current law, only federally licensed gun dealers, such as those at sporting-goods retailers or gun shops, are required to conduct background checks. That doesn't cover informal situations, such as gun shows at an outdoor venue or in a facility rented for the weekend.

The senators pointed to the 1999 killings at...

--snip--

Weeks after the Columbine shooting, Lautenberg introduced a proposal to close the gun-show loophole in federal law. It passed the Senate on Vice President Al Gore's tiebreaking vote, but did not survive the House...

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: 110th; banglist; gunshowloophole; lautenberg
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 last
To: PubliusMM

Why are the prohibited individuals loose?

And is there much connection between white collar felonies and violent assaults after the felony conviction?


41 posted on 02/01/2008 12:23:34 PM PST by weegee (Those who surrender personal liberty to lower global temperatures will receive neither.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: GeronL

Some states allow a face-to-face private sale. It is like putting your shotgun up for sale in the newspaper classified ads and then having Jim Bob come over and give you cash for it. No background check of any sort is required by law. It is legal here in Nebraska and if done at a gun show would be referred to by some as “the gun show loophole.”


42 posted on 02/01/2008 12:27:16 PM PST by activationproducts
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

Comment #43 Removed by Moderator

To: TaxCuts

Private homeowners are not a business.

Private colleges are, and if the state has determined that concealed carry permits are legal, no entity doing business with the general public should be permitted to overrrule state law.

There are reasonable exceptions, but these should be set forth in the state statute and students at a private college have as much right to protect themselves as anyone else using the services of a private business.


44 posted on 02/01/2008 1:42:16 PM PST by ZULU (Non nobis, non nobis Domine, sed nomini tuo da gloriam. God, guts and guns made America great.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: weegee

“How about we require those under heavy psych medication to be institutionalized at home under ankle bracelets?
Then we won’t have them shooting up college campuses using guns they procured on their own.”

That only works if the ankle bracelet is affixed to a five ton concrete block by means of half inch proof coil chain. Short of that, we’d still have to rely on the local law enforcement agency to go round up the offender when the proximity alarm goes off at HQ... that track record ain’t so great.


45 posted on 02/01/2008 1:50:54 PM PST by PubliusMM (RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: Joe Brower

I see two “F’s” a “D” and a “C-” as our presidential choices now, as far as the 2A is concerned.


46 posted on 02/01/2008 2:01:35 PM PST by Travis McGee (---www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com---)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Domandred

“Permanent civilian disarmament goes into effect next year”

Shouldn’t that read:

“The new regime’s ATTEMPT at permanent civilian disarmament will go into effect next year.”

“Molon labe!”


47 posted on 02/01/2008 2:57:56 PM PST by elcid1970
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: neverdem
Lautenberg said. "Our legislation would require background checks for every gun purchased at every gun show across America"

It's pretty clear what's going on here.

Narrow down individual rights to sell guns by requiring ALL firearms sales to have a background check. As individual's cannot access the NICS system for background checks, it has to be done by a third party - those with a BATF sanctioned FFL who will be paid a fee to fill out the BATF paperwork, which they must keep on file for 20 years or so. Then, tax, sue, and squeeze by further regulations those remaining with FFL's until they are driven out of business. After that is accomplished, no guns can legally change hands.

"...Turn 'em all in, America!" - Diane Feinstein

It's the old Liberal rope-a-dope - "We're just trying to protect the children and make America safe!"...

...traitors, scum, and totalitarians - every one of them!

48 posted on 02/01/2008 3:04:57 PM PST by Gritty (Firearms are the people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence-George Washington)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Niteranger68
criminals are smarter than senators Until you mentioned this, I never knew there was a difference.
49 posted on 02/01/2008 3:27:08 PM PST by ninenot (Minister of Membership, Tomas Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Domandred
Permanent civilian disarmament goes into full effect next year, probably within the first 100 hours after Hillary is sworn in. Might take a while, b/c a lot of gun-owners will have forgotten where they store their weapons.
50 posted on 02/01/2008 3:29:04 PM PST by ninenot (Minister of Membership, Tomas Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: P8riot; Hot Tabasco

Ping back to P8triot’s post.

This is one of the longest-running scams in the MSM and Brady Bunch arsenal.

There is no “gun show loophole”, period. All “dealers” in firearms must, by federal law, be licensed. All dealers must use the background check system, wherever they do business — be that at a store, a gun show, wherever.

HOWEVER (and here’s the lie), private individuals may, in many states, legally sell a firearm to another private party, without using the background check system. What they want to ban is private-party transactions, including those few that occur at gun shows.

Some states (including my own home state of California) have already banned private party transactions: you have to go through a licensed FFL, who will hold the firearm for the requsite waiting period, submit the transaction through the NCIS, and, if it’s a pistol, register the pistol with the state.

Since this strikes many people as a significant infringment of our liberties, the Brady bunch are at pains to cast their efforts as being directed against a nefarious group of “unlicensed dealers”, ragther than at you wanting to sell a deer rifle to your brother in law, for instance.


51 posted on 02/01/2008 3:43:41 PM PST by absalom01 (The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

No checks are needed for sales made in the parking lot. I picked up a .237 Roberts in excellent condition that way.


52 posted on 02/01/2008 4:25:32 PM PST by MSF BU (++)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: MSF BU

The anti-gunners in the Virginia legislature have thought of that. A bunch of them have proposed bills on the so called “gun show loophole”. One of them had language that included the parking lot at a gun show in its restrictions.


53 posted on 02/01/2008 10:59:26 PM PST by deks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: Travis McGee
Concur, LT.

Dark days ahead, methinks.

54 posted on 02/02/2008 6:19:39 AM PST by Joe Brower (Sheep have three speeds: "graze", "stampede" and "cower".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: neverdem

Why should the laws be TIGHTER at a gun show, than at a gun dealer’s store? I can sell a gun to a buddy at a gun dealer’s store, with no background check...or at home, for that matter. WHY should I have to do a background check, just because it is at a gun show?


55 posted on 02/02/2008 5:05:08 PM PST by 2harddrive (...House a TOTAL Loss.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2harddrive
WHY should I have to do a background check, just because it is at a gun show?

Just another incremental step to slow down sales and transfers of all guns. A substantial number of people take guns to a gun show to sell or trade and subsequently upgrade to something better or new.

This will slow down the turnover of guns thereby affecting sales of new guns.

56 posted on 02/02/2008 5:15:03 PM PST by suijuris
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-56 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson