U.S.A. –(Ammoland.com)- “KSTP has obtained a federal memo detailing the new ban on bump stocks, promised by President Donald Trump,” the Minneapolis ABC affiliate reported last Tuesday. “The memo, circulated by the Department of Justice, is being sent to law enforcement agencies and gun shops with a federal firearms license.”
Gun owner rights advocate curiosity turned to confusion not only because the station did not post a copy of the memo, but also due to a follow-up report stating “Feds mum on bump stock ban memo obtained by KSTP.”
The station is being mum itself.
“I am out of state. I will return Mon…,” KSTP reporter Beth McDonough replied to inquiries from me and colleague Carl Bussjaeger.
Monday is here and I have asked Ms.McDonough and the station:
Will KSTP issue a for-the-record statement on why you have chosen to not post the bump stock memo you reported on?
Several hours later there is still no response. Add to KSTP’s sudden silence the fact that inquiries to FFLs of our acquaintances, along with blog and social media posts by me and several colleagues have come up with nothing. And on top of DOJ being “mum,” so, evidently is the Federal Register, which has not at this writing posted the implemented rule (the last entry is Nov. 16). That leads to the questions of just what it is that KSTP has, and how “memos” can be issued prior to that happening.
Attorney Stephen Stamboulieh asks another, perhaps more relevant question: Who is authorized to sign off on the ban so that it can be published?
Can the “Acting” Attorney General enact new regulations?
It’s of particular significance because Senate Democrats have filed a lawsuit claiming Acting AG Matthew Whitaker is legally not qualified to serve in that capacity and a “win” for them could conceivably invalidate everything he signs, including the “bump stock ban.”
“Loretta Lynch (previous Attorney General) signed the last ATF rule and more recently, then-Attorney General Sessions signed the proposed rule for bump stocks,” Stamboulieh notes.
Alternatively, perhaps everything will be put on hold until President Trump’s Attorney General nominee William Barr is confirmed. If an overwhelmingly negative media reaction is any indicator, that could take some time as assorted administration enemies scurry to dig up anything they can use in the press as dirt.
One thing’s for sure – when the final rule finally does get published and enacted, Stamboulieh will be ready to file a lawsuit.
—As a matter of necessary disclosure, I have written about or joined with attorney Stephen Stamboulieh in other ventures included in this link.
About David Codrea:
David Codrea is the winner of multiple journalist awards for investigating / defending the RKBA and a long-time gun owner rights advocate who defiantly challenges the folly of citizen disarmament.
In addition to being a field editor/columnist at GUNS Magazine and a contributor to Firearms News, he blogs at “The War on Guns: Notes from the Resistance,” and posts on Twitter: @dcodrea and Facebook.