Abuses of the BATF

Letter From Congressman Schumer

CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20515 

March 2, 1995

Tanya K. Metaksa, Executive Director
National Rife Association of America
Institute for Legislative Action
11250 Waples Mill Road
Fairfax, Va 22030-7400

Dear Ms. Metaksa,

     I write to strongly protest the unfairness of the NRA ad
attacking the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms in
yesterday's Washington Post.

     Your ad claims that "the loud voice of honest citizens" is
what separates a free state from a police state.  Your ad does not
cite a single specific example, nor a single documented source, to
support the overblown evils it attributes to ATF.         

     This is not surprising.  The facts are that ATF has an
outstanding record of putting armed career criminals, violent drug
traffickers, and vicious gun runners behind bars.  Last fiscal year
alone, ATF was responsible for the prosecution of almost 10,000
such violent criminals.

     The men and women of ATF work our meanest streets every day,
often at great personal risk.  They protect us from violent 
criminals armed with the high powered, rapid fire guns whose
proliferation the NRA does so much to encourage.  No thoughtful
person can be against the ATF mission of stopping illegal
guntraffickers, terrorist bombers, and armed violent criminals.  

     It seems clear that the real objects of your attacks are the
federal gun laws -- laws passed in an open, democratic process. 
Instead, your ad hides behind "law and order" to smear real law and
order professionals -- men and women who risk their lives. 

     Your ad is not about truth.  It is about the extremism of
those who control the NRA.  You should be ashamed of slandering so
many fine law enforcement professionals.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer
Member of Congress