BATFU Revenging Itself on Red's

Horsley said gun sales records are filed alphabetically. And each letter is filed chronologically.

But the ATF told him he cannot order files both ways.

"Is Adams before Anderson?" Young asked Horsley, to make the point that his files were not ordered alphabetically. "I said, 'Probably not.' She said, 'That's a violation if they aren't in perfect alphabetical order.' In the four previous audits this has never been in question."

Horsley said in a 2005, Agent Caleb Rushing actually "suggested" he arrange files "with the last transaction toward the front for quick and easy access."

Young told Horsley, Rushing was wrong.

It could not be more clear. These thugs are extracting vengeance against Red's for daring to speak out about their rights.

I've worked in industries heavily regulated by government agencies--I wrote their audit compliance procedures--and have never seen anything this intentionally petty. It's evident this is not a matter of public safety: it's a matter of gang thugs burning out a business owner for protesting their shakedown racket instead of kissing their treasonous rear ends.

This is not a matter of ensuring compliance: it's a matter of intentional, in-your-face destruction of a family's business. It's naked abuse of power under color of authority. And it's time to start treating it as such.

We're the Only Ones...Well, You Know...

Hoosick Falls Police are being close mouthed about what traffic violations were allegedly being committed by a New York State corrections officer who they arrested Saturday night on drug and weapons charges.

Harold E. Gaines, 39, of Latham, is charged with having 69 bags of marijuana on the front passenger seat...

Maybe he was driving back from Fort Sumner by way of New Matamoras...

[Via Armed and Safe]

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

Just Checking

Trial by ordeal and ritual killings persist in Liberia and are undermining efforts to improve human rights in the wake of a 1989-2003 civil war, a UN report said on Thursday.

In such trials, persons accused of crimes are subjected to ordeals, such as swallowing a poisonous brew or enduring burning or pain, to determine their innocence or guilt.

Despite a crackdown by the Liberian government and the United Nations, rights groups say the practice remains popular in Liberia, especially in rural areas where the police, army and authorities are mistrusted because of rights abuses during the civil war, which killed some 200,000 people.

I just wanted to see if yesterday's post about the UN urging Liberians to give up their guns was still valid.

We're the Only Ones Not Disciplined Enough

A New Matamoras man avoided a trial after pleading guilty Monday to being in possession of a police officer’s stolen gun.

Anthony Kennedy, 24, was set to stand trial today, accused of stealing a handgun in March from an unmarked police cruiser assigned to Sgt. Craig Brockmeier of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office...

Brockmeier was not disciplined over the incident.

No, of course not.

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

We're the Only Ones Finding Positive Meaning Enough

He said he has tried to find positive meaning in the break-in.

“If they had to come into our police department and get marijuana that means that my officers were doing their job and keeping drugs off the street,” he said.

Always look on the bri-ight side of life...

[Via Dan Gifford]

Nothing New About Pfleger Pflouting Tax Law

My posts about Mike "Snuffy" Pfleger's abuse of his church's tax status notwithstanding, this is not the first time this issue has been brought to light. Yet curiously, not only has the IRS stood by doing nothing, but this aspect of the story has been all but ignored by "conservative" news outlets and bloggers--even though a clear double standard is evidenced in two recent news stories involving evangelical churches in Florida and Kansas.

In 2003, The Washington Post reported on Pfleger inviting then Democrat presidential candidate Al Sharpton to address the St. Sabina congregation. In their account, the Chicago Sun Times revealed:

[A]rchdiocesan officials are concerned about whether having a political candidate speak from the pulpit might violate laws regarding not-for-profit organizations, such as churches.

They shouldn't have worried. It was a good day. Catholic Citizens of Illinois reported a $36,000 collection plate haul.

Sharpton wasn't the only political candidate given a spotlight. As commentator Nicholas Stix observed about Barack Obama's relationship with Pfleger's St. Sabina in 2004:

He believes, with all his heart, in the separation of church and state – except when he campaigns in black churches, in violation of that separation, and in violation of the tax code.

Then we have some revelations from the Chicago Sun Times, April 12, 2005:

Rev. Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina says his church's outlay of $2,500 to send parishioners to a dinner and $1,500 for a golf outing, both sponsored by the 17th Ward Democratic Organization, was not illegal. "The perception was that Saint Sabina is funding candidates and taking church donations to do so," Pfleger said in a letter to the Sun-Times. "Neither is true." But as BGA director Stewart notes: "You have to ask, 'Who were these events hosted by and where did the profits go?'"

Events like these are meant to raise political cash, and a church's contribution crosses the already murky divide between state and religion. It's one thing for a church group to join a street protest to encourage social change and quite another to pay for attendance at a dinner sponsored by a political group. The rules about this are clear.

The article even says "Attorney General Lisa Madigan acted promptly by sending out information to tax-exempt groups..." so continuing to ignore the law is evidently willful, as opposed to an innocent oversight.

And here's a little apparent quid pro quo as reported by The Chicago Tribune early last month:

One of those long-time supporters was Rev. Michael Pfleger, the politically active leader of St. Sabina Church. He gave Obama's campaign $1,500 between 1995 and 2001, including $200 in April 2001, about three months after Obama announced $225,000 in grants to St. Sabina programs.

Pfleger said he made those donations personally, not on behalf of the church or to win grants.

"At a time when less people vote than ever, I don't think pastors should be silent on politics," Pfleger said.

No, apparently not, and 150 times your personal contributions are not a bad return on investment, either. Somehow, that pesky "wall of separation" liberals are alway harping about when the church/state issue involves conservative values (like pro-life Catholicism?) has become as porous and unguarded as our border. And with a nod and a wink, the St. Sabina congregation is in Obama's and the Chicago Democrat Machine's pockets, Pfleger has plausible deniability, and life on the South Side goes on.

The Power of One

Jury Nullification may be the final peaceful barrier between law-abiding gun owners and a tyrannical government dependent upon disarming honorable citizens.

For jury nullification to protect gun ownership rights, and all constitutional rights of gun owners, it is necessary for jurors to learn about their authority to judge the law and its application.

The Fully Informed Jury Association (FIJA) has prepared a brochure helping us to defend our right to keep and bear arms in the courtroom. If you're not familiar with this group and the historical basis for their arguments, or even if you are, go to their website for in depth information, updates on current efforts, and more.

Per Iloilo Marguerite Jones, Executive Director:

Larry Pratt distributed these brochures to his membership when they first came out, and Liberty Belles, many other gun groups and a few Constitutional groups have distributed them as well. We are happy to send this brochure, which is included in our information packet, to anyone who requests information. Call to our 1-800-TEL-JURY information line to request an information packet, which will be mailed to anyone who calls.

Go here to download the brochure (Adobe Reader required). Or, you can go to their website and order various quantities, as well as other informative FIJA materials.

I just realized I hadn't added them to my blogroll, so that oversight has been corrected. I invite fellow gunbloggers to add them to their links as well.

And I'm sure any and all support will be welcomed.

Freezing Mr. Freeze

A federal grand jury on Monday indicted Louisiana Democratic Rep. William Jefferson on 16 charges relating to a long-running investigation into bribery, racketeering, obstruction of justice and money laundering...

Court records indicate that Jefferson was videotaped taking a $100,000 cash bribe from an FBI informant. Most of that money later turned up in a freezer in Jefferson's home.

Is it any wonder that someone who would abuse the privilege of being entrusted with government power would also subvert the ultimate check and balance against tyranny?

From Gun Owners of America:


From "On the Issues":

Gonzales Expands BATFU

Seems like exactly the opposite of what we ought to be doing...

[Via Ryan Horsley]

This Day in History: June 5

George Cottingen and Daniel Dunevil, both of Captain Van Wyck's Company, of Col. McDougall's Regiment, tried at the above Court Martial, for "Desertion" -- are severally found guilty of the same, and sentenced to be whipped Thirty-nine Lashes each, on their bare backs.