Felon-in-possession is a paper crime . . .
Felon and a gun, no paper involved. Congress has outlawed the possession of firearms or ammunition that have traveled in interstate commerce by those convicted of crimes punishable by more than a year in prison.
2nd link: MS-13 needs to be dealt with by Customs, INS, and the FBI, not the ATF.
Sorry, but Congress decided that many crimes involving gangs, guns, and violence are crimes ATF should enforce. Besides if it’s got a fed nexus, which you concede by saying the FBI, and ICE (Customs and INS no longer exist) then it shouldn’t matter which federal LE agency handles the investigation as long as the criminals are punished.
3rd link: Gun store robbery should be a State matter.
Gun store = FEDERAL Firearms License. Congress has outlawed the theft of firearms from FFLs, 18USC922(u), and has tasked ATF with enforcing that law.
4th link: Fast food robbery should be a State matter.
Use of threats or violence to rob a business in or affecting interstate commerce is a federal crime (18USC1951 aka the Hobbs Act), again Congress made that decision, and tasked ATF with enforcing that law.
5th link: a bunch of undercover drug and gun buys doesn't impress me.
Sorry, you're not impressed, but that case illustrates the ATF enforcing laws that affect violent crime; 18USC922(g), 18USC924(c).
6th link: Planning of home invasions by gangs in San Diego is a matter for San Diego police and perhaps INS, not the ATF.
Once again, ATF got involved because these guys were using firearms that have traveled in interstate commerce to commit a crime of violence, which violates 18USC924(c).
7th link: Okay, this is a very serious crime, but what does murder for hire have to do with the feds, and the ATF specifically?
Anyone who uses an instrument of interstate commerce in a murder for hire, or crosses state as part of a murder for hire violates federal law, 18USC1958. Once again Congress has passed a specific statute for a crime that affects or uses interstate commerce.
8th link: I was buying into this being a serious crime until the part where the person they were firebombing had reported drug crimes.
So if your neighbors are suspected crack dealers you think it’s OK for someone to burn down their house? Would still think it was OK if the fire spread to your property?
Drugs shouldn't be a federal matter . . .
Well drugs, both legal and illegal, travel in or affect interstate commerce. Hence we have Title 21 of the US Code which addresses federal interests in drug crimes.
9th link (Hezbollah reference): This REALLY annoys me.
Sorry, you’re annoyed the ATF caught people committing crimes to funnel money to Hezbollah. I had no idea you were such a fan of those terrorists.
. . . New York's $3/box tax . . . If New York wouldn't levy an extreme tax on cigarettes . . .
Well the issue of whether NY levies a tax on cigarettes or not is an issue for NY and it’s citizens to address. However, the use of interstate commerce, moving cigarettes from NC to NY to violate the law in NY, is a federal matter. One neatly addressed by Congress in 18USC1952 and 18USC2341, 18USC2342, and 18USC2345.
10th link: Exporting ATF agents to deal with roadside bombs in Iraq is just as annoying as when we export FBI agents to investigate crimes in other countries. Let the Iraqi police or the U.S. military investigate roadside bombs. It's not like the military can't deal with explosives.
Some of the leading experts in IEDs are ATF Special Agents, and Explosive Enforcement Officers. They are there to save lives, and combat terrorism, yet this annoys you? It’s ridiculous that you would let your misguided hatred of the ATF lead you to advocate risking the lives of US soldiers and Iraqi citizens by wanting those ATF experts to stay out of Iraq, rather than have them there saving lives.
11th link: FINALLY, here's a case of an interstate series of crimes... by the ELF and ALF no less. Valid crimes? Check. Federal jurisdiction? Check.
Yep, just like all the others I linked.
12th link: Another ELF arson, but less persuasive as a federal crime. One instance of arson does not need a joint investigation involving the local FD, the local Sheriff, the FBI, and the BATFE. Evidently the feds don't understand ELF structure if they claim any ELF action is a federal crime simply because previous ELF actions have occurred in other states.
I guess you missed the fact that the locals ASKED the ATF to help, because the ATF has Certified Fire Investigators who are trained to work these crime scenes, and have extensive experience in working ALF/ELF arsons in the past. It’s an example of the feds helping local LE, and fighting terrorism.
13th link: More "ecoterrorism" nonsense . . .
They are terrorists. Just because they haven’t killed people YET, doesn’t mean their crimes aren’t acts of terror. They put lives at risk, and do billions of dollars in damage through acts of terrorism.
Hate the ATF all you want, but those links proved the claims the ATF did not fight violent crime and/or terrorism are lies.
Before you claim the cited statutes do not address a clear federal interest in those crimes, I suggest you actually read those statutes, and the relevant case law. Only where a clear federal interest is present are those laws applicable.