Unbelievable VPC hypocrisy--Help ensure VPC's shambolic FFL renewal is DENIED

[Roman756]

For them, it's part of a "know your enemy" strategy. No different in principle then one of use signing up as a member of the VPC to get their materials.

Now, one crucial difference is that if they can't show they are "engaged in the business" of dealing in firearms the ATF should not allow them to renew their FFL when it expires. It is a business license, and if they can't show they are in business, the ATF should not allow them to continue to have a FFL.

If they have a log book with *zero* transfers listed, that's a clue that the FFL should be revoked

A lot of commonsense in this post.But since the GOA has known they have had an FFL since at least 1995 what can be done?
If Larry Pratt hasn't been able to do anything ,who can?

Per MAKster:
http://www.gunowners.org/op9509.htm

 

[Titan6]

Sweet. Wonder if the ATF is as good as it's word or if they are just another bunch of liars and hoods that are in cahoots with the gun grabbers. As an agency of the Federal government they should be above reproach and represent the highest level of ethical good governeance. I guess this will be the acid test.

If the Brady's are selling guns, I want one. Now. If they are not, than they need to have their FFL revoked and charged with the appropriate violations.

(I type all this with a straight keyboard)

 

[lance22]

VPC demands accountability. So be it. They hold an FFL in violation of the law. I'd try to price out a couple of pistols but because they are violating the law I don't want to take part in their 'death merchant trade'.

 

[rkh]

For anyone interested, free copies of VPC's tax returns may obtained through the Tax Exempt/Government Entities Hotline at (877) 829-5500, or by mailing a completed Form 4506-A

 

[Kharn]

If you call the VPC, you can spell out the name of the party you want to talk to. I left Josh a voicemail asking if he'd assist me with a shotgun transfer since he's an FFL.

Kharn

 

[DENALI]

I haven't seen a reply to my question as to why this man would even have an FFL in the first place? Is it meant to be symbolic? A prop for furthering VPC's agenda? I've always found it productive to any attack against committed anti-gunners to have as good an understanding of their methodology as you can possibly have before fighting back.

 

[rkh]

VPC's headquarters may not be zoned for retail sales!

I just pulled the DC zoning map, available here here. Depending on which side of the street VPC is on, the area is either commercial C-4, or SP-1.

SP-1 is defined as follows, and does not appear to allow for retail business without a variance:

SP-1 Permits matter-of-right medium density development including all kinds of residential uses, with limited offices for non-profit organizations, trade associations and professionals permitted as a special exception requiring approval of the BZA, to a maximum lot occupancy of 80% for residential use, a maximum FAR of 4.0 for residential and 2.5 for other permitted uses, and a maximum height of sixty-five (65) feet.

Any DC residents care to comment as to whether VPC is on the North or South side of Rhode Island Ave?

 

[Winchester 73]

I haven't seen a reply to my question as to why this man would even have an FFL in the first place? Is it meant to be symbolic? A prop for furthering VPC's agenda? I've always found it productive to any attack against committed anti-gunners to have as good an understanding of their methodology as you can possibly have before fighting back.

Read posts #20 and #26 on this thread for your answer.

 

[Winchester 73]

PC's headquarters may not be zoned for retail sales!

I just pulled the DC zoning map, available here here. Depending on which side of the street VPC is on, the area is either commercial C-4, or SP-1.

SP-1 is defined as follows, and does not appear to allow for retail business without a variance:

Quote:
SP-1 Permits matter-of-right medium density development including all kinds of residential uses, with limited offices for non-profit organizations, trade associations and professionals permitted as a special exception requiring approval of the BZA, to a maximum lot occupancy of 80% for residential use, a maximum FAR of 4.0 for residential and 2.5 for other permitted uses, and a maximum height of sixty-five (65) feet.

Any DC residents care to comment as to whether VPC is on the North or South side of Rhode Island Ave?

I admire your spirit ,but you are beating a dead horse.As said by other posters, Sugarmann is quite bright,has had a FFL for umpteen years,GOA,NRA all know about it and he renews with no problem every time.
So BATF is going to suddenly crack the whip?
It'd be lovely but not going to happen.Reality happens.

 

[Cavalier Knight]

Interesting

 

[rkh]

I admire your spirit...

First, the EZcheck software doesn't show C&R or ammo mfg. FFLs. Sugarmann is, most likely, an 01 FFL.

Second, there is simply no way that Sugarmann is "a person who devotes time, attention, and labor to dealing in firearms as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of obtaining livelihood through the repetitive purchase and resale of firearms."

Even if the man is using the FFL as a vehicle to collect and destroy contraband guns (maybe he's claiming that qualifies as gunsmithing?), that activity cannot fairly be said to be a "regular business with the principal objective of livelihood."

This is bogus, and we can put an end to it. Please call BATF DC at the number listed in post #1 and express your concerns about Sugarmann/VPC's flagrant abuse of the firearms licensing system.

 

[Bones11b]

I for one am just finding about this now. I may only be one person but I'm going to start writing e-mails and making phone calls today. I may not get any results but I'm going to give it a shot. Perhaps if enough of us do enough, then maybe we can make a difference. If not so be it, I for one will not stand idly by.

 

[Winchester 73]

If not so be it, I for one will not stand idly by.

So, rkh and Bones11b,you think Larry Pratt,Wayne LaPierre,Alan Gottlieb,et alia,have just been standing by these past 15 years knowing the VPC(Sugarmann)has a FFL 01 and not trying to do anything about it?
This sounds like a course in Naivete 101.

 

[Bones11b]

So, rkh and Bones11b,you think Larry Pratt,Wayne LaPierre,Alan Gottlieb,et alia,have just been standing by these past 15 years knowing the VPC(Sugarmann)has a FFL 01 and not trying to do anything about it?
This sounds like a course in Naivete 101.

No, I think some people may be standing by as of right now aware of this and not doing anything. I don't pretend to know what actions others have taken, what I do intend to do is take actions of my own. I hope I didn't make it seem as if I thought no one else knew about this topic or cared. I'm sure others have known and made attempts to correct what appears to me to be an infraction of certain laws. Who knows maybe I'm just charging at windmills, but I'll keep doing it and hope for the best.

 

[lawson4]

Perhaps rather than going to the ATF, we should make the Federal Prosecutor for DC aware of the infractions. Let him get ATF involved. Oh, and maybe a friendly Congressman that doesn't like VPC or Sugarman.

lawson4

 

[LickitySplit]

I haven't seen a reply to my question as to why this man would even have an FFL in the first place? Is it meant to be symbolic? A prop for furthering VPC's agenda? I've always found it productive to any attack against committed anti-gunners to have as good an understanding of their methodology as you can possibly have before fighting back

Here's one possible reason...

National Public Radio (NPR)

SHOW: Morning Edition (10:00 AM ET) - NPR

March 11, 2004 Thursday

LENGTH: 987 words

HEADLINE: Assault weapons ban due to expire in September

ANCHORS: BOB EDWARDS

REPORTERS: LARRY ABRAMSON

BODY: BOB EDWARDS, host:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Bob Edwards.

Gun control advocates won a big victory last week, but it didn't last long. They passed a Senate amendment that would have extended the assault weapons ban. Gun control opponents were so upset that they killed the entire package of legislation. The ban is due to expire in September, and gun control supporters are making its renewal a do-or-die issue. NPR's Larry Abramson reports that people on both sides agree the ban has not worked as intended.

LARRY ABRAMSON reporting:

The Violence Policy Center is one of the more aggressive gun groups in Washington, DC, and analyst Tom Diaz is their assault weapons guy. It's his job to emphasize just how deadly these guns are. So how does he feel about the effort to renew the assault weapons ban?

Mr. TOM DIAZ (Violence Policy Center): If the existing assault weapons ban expires, I personally do not believe it will make one whit of difference one way or another in terms of our objective, which is reducing death and injury and getting a particularly lethal class of firearms off the streets. So if it doesn't pass, it doesn't pass. (Soundbite of car doors closing)

ABRAMSON: To explain why, we have to travel. The District of Columbia's law against assault weapons is even stricter than the federal government's. Virginia's is more friendly, so the Violence Policy Center keeps its samples at a house on the other side of the Potomac.

Mr. DIAZ: Hi, Amy.

(Soundbite of door closing)

ABRAMSON: Diaz knocks on the door of a house in Arlington, Virginia, a suburb of Washington. This is where he keeps a small collection of assault-style weapons.

(Soundbite of gun case opening)

ABRAMSON: Diaz opens a gun case and pulls out a Bushmaster XM-15.

Mr. DIAZ: So this is the model that the Washington snipers used. They can be used, as the snipers did, for precision firing.

Continued here...
http://johnrlott.tripod.com/other/NPRSemiAutoBan.html

The Virginia "storage faciility" could also be a way of avoiding any zoning issues in DC and still comply with any licensing issues...

(C3) May one license cover several locations? [Back]

No. A separate license must be obtained for each location. However, storage facilities are not required to be covered by a separate license, although the records maintained on licensed premises must reflect all firearms held in the separate storage facility. Firearms may be shipped directly to separate storage facilities as long as they are properly recorded as an acquisition in the licensee's records.

[27 CFR 478.50]

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#c3

 

[FieroCDSP]

Hmm..... I'm not overly hopeful in a big round-up of these people for breaking the law, considering the law in the place of violation would likely turn a blind eye. But if they don't have their paperwork in order (as in any transfers from DC to VA storage being logged), this could well be a federal case. I would think they'd have their I's crossed and T's dotted, but if they are not doing business with those licenses, they should be pulled.

In any case, folks, lets let the people excited in this do some research before we simply assume the horse has been dead and beaten previously.

 

[Winchester 73]

In any case, folks, lets let the people excited in this do some research before we simply assume the horse has been dead and beaten previously

I am with you 100 percent and only hope that this atrophied horse can be revived.
But in the meantime,reality bites.I admire the spunk of people like rkh and Bones11b.I can only hope they are successful.

 

[rkh]

This sounds like a course in Naivete 101.

Until I hear a statement to the contrary, I will assume the organizations those individuals represent had bigger fish to fry.

 

[rkh]

Perhaps rather than going to the ATF, we should make the Federal Prosecutor for DC aware of the infractions. Let him get ATF involved. Oh, and maybe a friendly Congressman that doesn't like VPC or Sugarman.

As reprehensible as Sugarmann's behavior is, it does not appear to be a crime.
This is an administrative issue, and all that is at stake is Sugarmann's fraudulent firearms license.

 

[Winchester 73]

Until I hear a statement to the contrary, I will assume the organizations those individuals represent had bigger fish to fry

Bigger than the VPC, which although small in numbers,has the loudest anti-gun mouth per capita in the US?
I think not,although I hope you are correct.

 

[LAR-15]

Has Sugarmann really had an FFL for 15 years?

I thought Tom Diaz held the VPC FFL?

 

[LAR-15]

Now, one crucial difference is that if they can't show they are "engaged in the business" of dealing in firearms the ATF should not allow them to renew their FFL when it expires. It is a business license, and if they can't show they are in business, the ATF should not allow them to continue to have a FFL.

Exactly

I believe the VPC is forced to keep their guns in VA

 

[mekender]

his complete FFL # is 1-54-000-01-8C-00725

the address listed is only zoned residential/limited non-profit... and he does not have a valid business that participates in the transaction of firearms...

 

[mekender]

how about we each transfer a $50 jennings? maybe we can set it to where a hundred or so of em get delivered right at 4:30 pm... that way he has to log all of them in by the close of the day... im betting that he doesnt even have a bound book