Biden gun rule being drafted to effectively ban private sales: ATF whistleblowers

NY Post

WASHINGTON — A watchdog group is demanding documents from the Biden administration after whistleblowers alleged that a regulation is under development that would effectively ban private gun sales.

The group, Empower Oversight, said Wednesday that two sources have claimed that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is preparing to propose a rule requiring background checks for most or all gun sales.

President Biden has campaigned for stricter gun laws and in August proposed a regulation to clarify that people who “repetitively” sell guns must register as federally licensed gun dealers subject to background checks.

“The whistleblowers say the rule is being drafted by Senior Policy Counsel Eric Epstein, who worked as the Phoenix Field Office’s Division Counsel during Operation Wide Receiver (a precursor of Operation Fast and Furious).”

Leavitt added: “Such a sweeping rule with the effect of banning private sales would clearly violate the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, which declares that ‘the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.'”

Empower Oversight sent a Freedom of Information Act request Wednesday to the Justice Department and ATF seeking additional information, including communications with the White House and any Epstein emails involving the alleged plan.