Thread: DOJ overrules FBI on gun sales debate, says no-fly list can be used for ban

DOJ overrules FBI on gun sales debate, says no-fly list can be used for ban


FBI Director James Comey listens at left as Attorney General Loretta Lynch speaks during their sit-down meeting with members of the media at Justice Department headquarters in Washington on Nov. 19, 2015, to discuss the U.S. government’s ongoing counterterrorism efforts. ... more >

By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
Updated: 4:20 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, 2016

Attorney General Loretta Lynch overruled FBI Director James B. Comey on Thursday, saying the Obama administration does support denying firearms sales to those on terrorist watch lists and that it can be done without harming investigations.

Mr. Comey last year had told Congress that denying sales could “blow” his agents’ investigations into potential terrorists. But his superiors at the Justice Department issued a statement Thursday saying they want to see Congress approve the “no-fly, no-buy” plan Democrats are pursuing.

“The amendment gives the Justice Department an important additional tool to prevent the sale of guns to suspected terrorists by licensed firearms dealers while ensuring protection of the department’s operational and investigative sensitivities,” department spokesman Dena Iverson said in a statement.

In the wake of the weekend’s terror-related shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Democrats have zeroed in on guns, arguing that Omar Mateen’s rampage could have been avoided had Congress enacted a ban on gun sales to those on the government’s watch lists, which are supposed to detail those known or suspected to have ties to terrorism.

The FBI has poked holes in that theory, saying that while Mateen had been listed while under investigation a few years ago, he had been removed after the agency was unable to make a case against him.

Under the current system, if someone on the list attempts to buy a firearm, the sale isn’t automatically stopped — but agents are alerted and use that information to help their investigation.

Mr. Comey testified to Congress last year that if a sale is stopped altogether, it could tip off someone to the FBI’s investigation.

“It’s a little bit challenging for us because ‘known’ or ‘suspected’ means it hasn’t been adjudicated in every case that somebody is a terrorist,” Mr. Comey told Sen. Dianne Feinstein, chief sponsor of the watch-list gun control proposal. “It’s somebody we’re investigating, so we don’t want to, obviously, blow our investigation.”

House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said Mr. Comey reiterated those concerns in briefings to lawmakers this week.

“If we do this wrong, like the president is proposing, we can actually blow our ongoing terrorist investigations. So, we want to get this right, so that we don’t undermine terrorist investigations,” Mr. Ryan said.

Democrats have brushed aside those concerns, and conducted a quasi-filibuster on the Senate floor Wednesday to insist on holding a vote on their proposal to outright ban sales.

Republicans argue that the lists are shrouded in mystery, including how someone is listed, and they predicted an outright ban would be ruled unconstitutional because it denies Second Amendment rights without the due process of a judge’s review.

Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican, has countered with a proposal that would send an alert if someone on the terrorist watch list, or who had been on it within the last five years, attempts to buy a firearm or explosive. The sale could be delayed three days while the Justice Department goes to court to make the case that the transfer should be denied.

Mr. Cornyn’s bill would require the person be notified of the proceeding.

Democrats say Mr. Cornyn’s proposal puts too much of the burden on the government, though Mrs. Feinstein’s latest proposal does move closer to the GOP’s stance.

Her amendment would grant the attorney general power to halt a gun sale based on “reasonable suspicion” of terrorist connections, but would allow the purchaser to seek review from a judge. The government could take steps to try to keep proceedings secret if they “could be expected to result in damage to national security or ongoing law enforcement operations.”

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...-sales-debate/

Looks like everyone is scrambling to beat Trump to the punch.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch overruled FBI Director James B. Comey on Thursday, saying the Obama administration does support denying firearms sales to those on terrorist watch lists and that it can be done without harming investigations.

If they actually KEPT a terror list mateen would have been on it, he was investigated several times yet he was awarded a job possibly involving nuclear sites or at least could have been assigned to them and was issued a gun for the job he had.

Haney revealed they scrubbed names off of terror lists. This is all malarkey talk and they will turn any American they please into a so called terrorists whilst the muslims rave on unscathed. You cannot trust this admin or any appointees; they are against us not with us. Proven time and time again - the illegals, the "refugees" , the border is secure, etc etc.

Would rather see a mandatory list of all muslims involved with terror talk etc compiled and used to prevent further carnage from jihadist including a MUSLIM NO FLY/NO GUNS . Extremist mosques are hands off to this admin - dead wrong! Too bad if that is profiling by political movement masked as a religion - that is what is called for. Doesn't get any plainer. Do they want to wait until they get nuclear facilities - it will be too late then.

That's right. And current law would have tipped off the FBI, so they are notified now under present law and regulations if someone on the Terror Watch List buys a gun. That would have enabled the FBI to intervene and stop this disaster.

But "someone" had his name taken off the list and unfortunately, once off the list, there is no notification, so there needs to be an extended notification period, 5 to 10 years, so that the FBI is still notified of the purchase so they can follow-up and take action when deemed appropriate to do.

Originally Posted by Judy

Looks like everyone is scrambling to beat Trump to the punch.

Not everything is about Trump. The Obama administration will undoubtedly support anything that will restrict the purchase of guns.

The Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, was added to a government watch list of individuals known or suspected of being involved in terrorist activities in 2013, when he was investigated for inflammatory statements to co-workers. But he was pulled from that database when that investigation was closed 10 months later.

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/mur...4119/?AID=7236

This is malarkey - how could you clear this idiot and his old man. How many more like them were cleared after their incriminating rants? This admin has purposely allowed terrorists to continue their evil madness.

Talk of secretly removing the 2nd amendment entirely. Just like all laws they break with decrees. Changing our money, hud forcing sec 8 into the suburbs to start in Oct 16, unisex bathrooms, locker rooms, millions of illegals, many very dangerous and millions of "refugees" from jihadists countries - SICK O, SICK CONGRESS.



UCLA Professor: Congress Should Secretly Suspend Second Amendment

Technocrats pushing to eradicate Bill of Rights

E.T. Williams | The Doctor of Common Sense - June 16, 2016 Comments
Image Credits: Greta Ceresini.

A New York Times editorial advocates for a new law allowing a secret court to take away citizens’ rights:



http://www.infowars.com/ucla-profess...ond-amendment/

12/4/15

GOP blocks bill to stop terrorists from buying guns

Not everything is about Trump.

Actually, it is.

Originally Posted by MW

Not everything is about Trump. . .

They're going to bring you up on blasphemy charges for that.

Judy wrote:

Looks like everyone is scrambling to beat Trump to the punch.

So glad you are on board now!

Judy wrote:

Actually I did. There's a reason Republicans voted against the bill that would have prevented such purchases and the reason is that there are all types of innocent Americans on No Fly and Terrorist Watch Lists. So the act of using violations of the 2nd Amendment to prevent a terrorist from buying weapons does nothing but violate the 2nd Amendment. The issue isn't whether this terrorist purchased his weapons to commit his crimes legally or purchased them illegally. The issue is that he used the purchase of weapons to commit an horrific crime.

I support the Republicans who stood up for the 2nd Amendment, who stood up for the innocents on No Fly and Terror Watch Lists.

Furthermore, this terrorist was no longer on a Terror Watch List. He had been investigated by the FBI at least 2 times, perhaps 3, and was determined to not be a terrorist and his name was removed from the Terror Watch List, the same as I'm sure thousands of other terrorists have been cleared from the list but remain terrorists nonetheless.

So, no, I don't want the basic fundamental rights of Americans to be impeded or diminished or threatened by the War on Terror. I'm against NSA Spying, I'm against any restrictions of the 2nd Amendment, I'm against the Patriot Act, I'm against most of what silly crap our government came up with to fight the War on Terror that infringes on the rights of Americans whether it be free speech, protests, 2nd Amendment, privacy or otherwise.

Terrorists win when our own government decides to attack our liberties and freedoms in the "War on Terror".