Asked about Biden's media event, ATF says it 'occasionally' buys ghost guns for 'its mission'
INVESTIGATION, Part 4 - tax dollars for gun control PR stunt
My ongoing investigation into how Pres. Biden got ghost guns at the White House has led to the discovery that tax dollars may have been used to buy the props for his PR stunt.
We had uncovered that the White House ordered the Secret Service and ATF to get a cache of ghost guns, 3D printed and AR-type rifle parts for a media event in April at the White House. But the assumption was the ATF provided seized weapons.
However, in my last story, Todd Vandermyde, NRA’s lobbyist in Illinois for 25 years, looked at the photos of the guns that I got from a FOIA to the Secret Service and suggested I ask ATF exactly how these guns were acquired for Biden.
The White House press office has ignored my repeated requests for information or comment
My email to ATF Spokesman Erik Longnecker:
Hi, I'm doing another follow-up story because I got a FOIA response from Homeland with photos of all the gun parts that ATF brought to the White House. If you need me to send you the photos with the parts to see them, let me know. Follow up questions are:
How were the parts transported to the White House?
Where did ATF get these? Were they seized? Did they order them?
3D guns— Was this a confiscated frame or did someone at ATF physically print them?
Finished frames— Was it a confiscated completed frame or did someone at ATF complete them?
If the completed firearms came across state lines, did they go through an FFL [licensed gun dealer], or did ATF complete them?
ATF ‘fesses up
Longnecker only responded to my second question. He said that “occasionally” ATF will “purchase items necessary for its mission.” Here’s his email:
Hello Emily,
Firearms from ATF’s firearms reference collection were transported by ATF special agents in the course of their official duties. Firearms are acquired into the reference collection primarily through abandonment or forfeiture, but occasionally ATF will purchase items necessary for its mission that it does not have in the collection.
Respectfully,
I replied and asked which of the guns were purchased.