Rep. Matt Gaetz promises to “defund the police.”
But unlike left-wing Democrats, Gaetz wants to cut off salaries of top bureaucrats with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, who he says illegally collect gun-sales records of law-abiding Americans and turn gun owners who use arm braces into criminals.
Gaetz on Friday highlighted an exchange he had with Rob Wilcox, senior director of policy for the left-wing gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety, during a meeting of a House Judiciary Committee subcommittee.
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Gaetz called attention to a June 2016 report by the Government Accountability Office that said the ATF had exceeded its authority by gathering more than 252 million firearms sales records from law-abiding citizens.
Wilcox attempted to argue that the ATF had used those records to help law enforcement solve crimes. But under questioning from Gaetz, he offered no comment about the ATF violating Americans’ privacy for gun transactions, or the agency going beyond its scope to do so.
During the hearing, Gaetz noted that one radical Democrat who calls for defunding the police also wants gun violence declared a “public health emergency.”
“Our fellow American know the impact of folks up here in Washington declaring everything and anything a public health emergency,” said Gaetz.
“It means you’re more likely to be locked in your homes, deprived of your freedoms, less healthy, less safe, less secure, and less able to live a truly American life.”
Gaetz then called for “defunding” the ATF leaders who wrongfully crack down on gun sales and gun owners.
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In his newsletter to constituents, released on Friday, Gaetz noted, the ATF “is a corrupt bureaucracy that is violating the law, exceeding its authority, and collecting records they have no business collecting.”
“When the ATF goes above and beyond their authority to gather 252 million records, it can apparently be justified as them just doing their job. But when Americans inadvertently become felons because the ATF has exceeded its authority, there is no such grace for them.”
“I intend to utilize the new rules secured in the House of Representatives to offer appropriations amendments to zero out the salaries of ATF bureaucrats abusing the liberties of our fellow Americans.”
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