‘Historic’ action by justice department closes ‘doggone dangerous’ loophole in Biden administration’s fight against gun violence

‘Historic’ action by justice department closes ‘doggone dangerous’ loophole in Biden administration’s fight against gun violence

The sale of firearms on the internet and at gun shows in the US will in future be subject to mandatory background checks, the justice department said on Thursday as it announced a “historic” new action to keep weapons out of the hands of criminals.

The closing of the so-called gun show loophole, which exempts private transactions from restrictions that apply to licensed dealers, has long been a goal of the Biden administration, and is specifically targeted in the rule published in the federal register today.

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The White House estimates that 22% of guns owned by Americans were acquired without a background check and that about 23,000 more individuals will be required to be licensed as a dealer after the rule’s implementation.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    01·
    3 months ago

    The rule, which clarifies who is considered to be “engaged in the business” as a firearms dealer, will take effect in 30 days’ time, and follows a three-month consultation period that attracted almost 388,000 comments to the website of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

    …

    I mean, it’s better than nothing, but still doesn’t do anything about the people outside the gun show with a trunk full of Glocks they’re selling for $100 over sticker price.

    If a gun show table was for a store, they always had you do a background check.

    This is a huge loophole, but this isn’t fixing it.

    Hell, we don’t even enforce straw purchase laws when it involves a minor, moving the guns over state ligns, and murdering multiple people…

    Even when the illegal buyer testifies on the stand that he intentionally planned and completed a straw our hase to illegally gain possession of a gun.

    All the laws in the world don’t matter if no one enforced them.

    We need a background check on every sale, and to prosecute people for flagrantly breaking gun laws.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
        01·
        3 months ago

        Even without a registry, that makes selling it without a check a clear crime.

        Now as long as the seller “doesn’t know” the buyer can’t pass a background, that gives them plausible deniability. Which has the unintended effect of sellers not even asking the name of the buyer.

        If every “private seller” knew they were breaking the law, and there was a good chance they’d be prosecuted if caught, they’d be a lot more likely to follow the law and go thru a FFL.

        We don’t need to only do something that works 100% of the time, working 90% is still pretty good too…