Ms. Stephanie Soechtig excitedly states in a video interview with The Lip TV how she brazenly broke federal gun laws for Katie Couric’s anti gun hit piece Under the Gun.
USA – -(Ammoland.com)- A story AmmoLand News recently broke, left Katie Couric facing a firestorm of criticism for the deceptive editing tactics used in her latest anti-gun documentary, Under the Gun.
Tactics that falsely attempted to portray gun rights supporters as being dumbstruck by a question about background checks.
The biased editing led to EPIX pulling the documentary and Ms. Couric issuing a statement acknowledging the deception. Unfortunately, the controversy with this sham documentary may only be just beginning, as now it appears that criminal activity was committed by makers of the film in the process of making it.
As was later reported by numerous outlets, Ms. Couric intentionally made members of the Virginia Citizens Defense League appear speechless following a question about background checks, when in fact they provided a well thought out and intelligent response. You can read the whole story in an AmmoLand News post from the League’s president, Philip Van Cleave, here.
Naturally, the proponents of the film are doing their best to bury the controversy, but no amount of PR work may mitigate the likely violations of federal law induced and committed by the documentary’s staff.
In February, The Lip TV interviewed the film’s director, Stephanie Soechtig, prior to the film’s release. During this interview, Ms. Soechtig openly discussed how she sent a producer of the film (most likely producer and LAWYER Joshua A. Kunau), who resides in Colorado, to Arizona to purchase firearms (including three pistols) privately. [original video marker 1.27]
According to Ms. Soechtig, the producer met a private seller in a parking lot of a local Wendy’s, and in less than four hours and without a background check, obtained a Bushmaster rifle and three handguns. ( AmmoLand News has highlighted the exact video portion in question below, see the entire video on The Lip TV link above. https:// youtu.be/DSHJSfHsvmw )
Ms. Soechtig incredulously states in her interview how such a private party transfer was legal, but, in fact, under existing federal law, it was illegal.
It is unknown what happened to these firearms and whether or not they returned with the producer to Colorado. Presumably, this crime was committed in order to highlight what the film’s proponents believe to be current inadequacies federal firearm laws, and to educate viewers on the process for obtaining a firearm. As Ms. Soechtig stated, all of the film’s content was “news to me.” Apparently, existing federal law prohibiting private interstate firearms transfers is also something that will also come as “news” to Ms. Soechtig and her staff.
Under current federal law it is a violation for any person to transfer, sell, trade, give, transport, or deliver any firearm to any person who the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe does not reside in the state in which the transferor resides. (18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(5).) Thus, by asking a private party in Arizona to sell the Colorado producer firearms, Ms. Soechtig and her staff induced an otherwise law abiding citizen to commit a federal crime. There was nothing legal about what Ms. Soechtig and her staff did, despite their slanted attempt to portray in their documentary the private sale of firearms as unregulated and legal.
It is also unlawful for any person other than a dealer to transport into or receive in the state where they reside any firearm purchased or otherwise obtained outside that State. (18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(3).) Violations of these laws can result in a hefty fine and a felony conviction of up to five years. (18 U.S.C. § 924(a)(1)(D).) Further, if two or more persons conspire to commit any offense, and at least one person commits an overt act in furtherance of the conspiracy, each party to the conspiracy can also face an additional fine and imprisonment for up to five years. (18 U.S.C. § 371.)
In other words, in nakedly advocating for more gun control laws in a one-sided and deceptive piece of propaganda, Ms. Soechtig and her staff likely violated existing federal laws by apparently conspiring to unlawfully import firearms from Arizona into Colorado, and by failing to properly conduct an interstate firearms transfer through a dealer.
It is clear from the fraudulent way in which gun rights supporters were portrayed in the documentary, and the unlawful way in which firearms were obtained to support the documentary’s gun control theme, that neither truth nor the law were concerns of Ms. Soechtig or her staff in creating the film.
Given this latest development, Ms. Soechtig, Katie Couric, and any other individual involved in this possible conspiracy should seek legal counsel immediately, as each could face criminal charges stemming from violations of federal firearm and conspiracy laws.
AmmoLand Editors Update 11:11amEST 6/3/2016: (In response to readers questions) While we may personally agree that the private transfer or sale of guns should be lawful regardless of what state or territory you live in or come from. The fact is, current federal and state laws, prohibit the exact scenario discussed by Ms. Soechtig, and she should be held to the same standard as all of us under the law.
AmmoLand Editors Update 8:48pm ESt 6/7/2016 The Lip TV files a Copyright Takedown Notice with Youtube to prevent AmmoLand News from showing a small clip of their video of Ms. Soechtig breaking the law.
“AmmoLand is deeply disappointed that Youtube would pull a video that is part of a legitimate news story highlighting main stream media’s total disregard of Federal and State gun laws. We will be appealing the copyright takedown notice. ” Fredy Riehl, Editor AmmoLand News.”
AmmoLand Editors Update : 10:19amEST 6/08/2016 Added back embedded video. This time from alternate source not hosted or managed by AmmoLand News.