The ATF is the bête noire of any gun owner who believes in the rule of law. It’s one of the biggest threats to the Second Amendment and an unconstitutional blight on America’s body politic.
Government agencies of its ilk constitute an existential threat to civil liberties for the simple fact that they’re not subject to democratic accountability.
Just think about it. When have bureaucrats in the ATF been fired or held accountable by angry voters for their misdeeds?
Because of this, several liberty conservatives have had to take up the mantle of holding the ATF accountable.
In the United States House, Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs is one of the select Republican leaders who is spearheading the charge to keep the ATF in check.
He announced on April 25, 2022, that he teamed up with Missouri Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler to send a letter to the ATF and Department of Justice demanding that it not flout the rule of law. Biggs tweeted, “The ATF may not reinterpret laws in such a way that rewrites, undermines, or undoes what Congress has expressly legislated.@RepHartzler and I recently sent a letter to the ATF and DOJ to ensure this doesn’t happen.”
The ATF may not reinterpret laws in such a way that rewrites, undermines, or undoes what Congress has expressly legislated.@RepHartzler and I recently sent a letter to the ATF and DOJ to ensure this doesn't happen.
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) April 25, 2022
Agencies like the ATF don’t operate on a rule of law basis. They implement arbitrary edicts that are not only unconstitutional in nature but are also bereft of democratic input. Despite its failings and obviously insidious nature, the ATF will continue to receive more funding and have its key functionaries handsomely compensated irrespective of their performance.
Biggs is doing great work here. There needs to be more Republicans who sound off against the ATF, and more importantly, introduce legislation to greatly reduce its power. This agency should not be given any breathing room.
In an ideal world, agencies like the ATF would not exist. But we have to start somewhere.
