According to a new report from the anti-gun Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG), from 2006 through 2008, Washington State was the source of 241 firearms recovered by Mexican authorities in relation to the bloody drug wars ripping that country.
The new report, which was quickly covered by ABC News, is headlined “The Movement of Illegal Guns Across the U.S.-Mexico Border.” There is not much really new in its five pages, but the report does reiterate an assertion made last year that this country is the source of many, if not most, so-called “crime guns” being traced by Mexican authorities.
“Since 2006,” the report says, “90% of the Mexican crime guns submitted for tracing originated from gun dealers in the United States.”
But there’s a fly in the ointment here, as this column detailed about 17 months ago, on April 2, 2009. The traced guns do not represent all guns recovered in Mexican crimes. At that time, we noted that FOX News’ William La Juenesse was on with (now former) KVI talk host Kirby Wilbur that morning, noting that in 2007-2008, Mexico recovered some 29,000 guns at crime scenes, but only submitted inquiries about 11,000 guns to the ATF for tracing, and about 6,000 of those firearms were successfully traced. Of those, 5,114 were found to have come from this country. That is the “90 percent” about which everyone in the gun prohibitionist movement, including MAIG, continues to rant. You can read that column here.
Wilbur left KVI last fall, but he has been on this week substituting for the afternoon host at rival KTTH (770 on the AM dial) and we believe there is something he ought to know. A self-confessed resident of Duvall in east King County, his mayor is an MAIG member, according to the group’s website.
So, also, are the mayors of Auburn, Chewelah, Connell, Des Moines, Dupont, Ferndale, Kalama, Mesa, Millwood, Morton, Oakesdale, Pe Ell, Prosser, Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma. Several of those communities are in eastern and southwest Washington, areas where NRA membership is high and the tradition of gun ownership is very strong.
But what about these guns from Washington state showing up in Mexico? The MAIG report, based on data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, doesn’t say, although there is innuendo that the so-called “gun show loophole” is at least partly responsible. How did those firearms wind up down in Mexico? They certainly didn’t make that trip in the possession of any good guys. Is this one of the unintended consequences of giving sanctuary to illegal aliens? Perhaps some of these mayors might want to tackle that one.
All of this brings us around to an official notice from the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. They are holding a hearing next Tuesday, Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. (EDT) on “Firearms in Commerce: Assessing the Need for Reform in the Federal Regulatory Process.” It will be in Room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
Nobody is entirely certain what this hearing is about. It may deal with legislation this column mentioned yesterday, or it may deal with this MAIG report, the timing of which now seems a bit suspicious, considering that anti-gunner Tim Leahy is the Senate Judiciary chair. My colleague, David Codrea, asks some intriguing questions about this hearing in his column here.
Then, again, it may be an attempt by Leahy to give cover to some of his Democrat colleagues as mid-term elections loom. November is looking more and more like a re-run of 1994, with Democrats standing to lose control of Capitol Hill. If Leahy runs a bill to “reform” the BATF, theoretically it may just fool enough people in the firearms community to make a difference…or maybe not.
According to an update in Codrea's column this morning, it may have something to do with "how the ATF will regulate FFLs." That might be the legislation mentioned by this column yesterday, S. 941, the "Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act."
This is probably one hearing to keep an eye on.
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Comments
S. 941 dies at the end of this session of Congress unless passed by both houses before the end of the session. Sen. Leahy has waited until mid-September to hold hearings on the bill. This late in the year this late in the Congressional session, there isn't the chance of a Hadean snowball that the bill could get through both chambers before this Congress comes to an end and everything starts afresh next year. The hearing is, as you say Dave, nothing but show to try to con a few pro-gun folk into voting for anti-gun Democrats.
LOVE???WOW
Let's set things straight right up front.
Yes, some guns are being smuggled into Mexico from the U.S. Most are handguns.
But, handguns are being illegally trafficked from state to state and from the U.S. to Canada.
It should come as no surprise that guns are smuggled into Mexico.
But, the problem being portrayed by the U.S. media and our government is not as it seems.
You see, Mexico doesn't allow ownership of most firearms, so ordinary Mexican people seeking self-protection will find a way to get them into Mexico.
As for the drug cartels operating in the border towns along the U.S., they have other sources for their weapons and have become the prime supplier within Mexico.
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Reference:
http://www.gunnewsdaily.com/rw807.html
See also:
http://sand.miis.edu/research/documents/gnick-osce.pdf
Excerpt:
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In El Salvador, approximately 20% of the assault rifles turned in voluntarily for consumer goods were clearly marked "Property of United States Government".
We know that these are not newly introduced weapons as there is evidence that the U.S. government introduced tens of thousands of M-16s and grenade launchers in the 1980's.
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Yeah, how about that: "Property of United States Government".
Gee, I wonder where THOSE came from?
I ask THAT question because machine guns of new manufacture have been OUTLAWED for sale in the U.S. to private citizens since 1986.
See:
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan/press/2006/11-08-06c.pdf
Excerpt:
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Ms. McLemore noted that while individuals may possess and transfer machine guns lawfully registered prior to May 19, 1986, federal law prohibits the manufacture of new machine guns unless they are intended for distribution to local, state or federal agencies.
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See also this:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/DN-grena...
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