Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 01:58:32 -0400 (EDT) From: NRA Alerts <[a--er--s] at [nra.org]> To: Multiple recipients of list <[r k ba alert] at [mainstream.net]> Subject: FAXALERT: BATF's Enforcement Focus Questioned NRA-ILA FAX ALERT 11250 Waples Mill Road * Fairfax, VA 22030 Phone: 1-800-392-8683 * Fax: 703-267-3918 * [G--OO--S] at [NRA.org] Vol. 3, No. 39 9/13/96 BATF'S ENFORCEMENT FOCUS QUESTIONED Syracuse University researchers have found that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) refers disproportionately more criminal cases from rural areas and small cities to federal prosecutors than from big urban centers. While cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago are major centers for criminal activity in the U.S., more of BATF's criminal cases originate in places like Billings, Mont., Asheville, N.C., and Pensacola, Fla. In 1995, for instance, the state of Montana, with a population of 870,000, had 127 cases referred for prosecution, while Los Angeles, with a metropolitan population area over ten times that, had just 113 referrals. Syracuse's David Burnham concludes that BATF is focusing on rural areas, where both the rates and numbers of violent crime are relatively low, rather than on major urban areas where firearms are used more frequently in the commission of crimes. BATF, however, says most of the agency's referrals are in rural areas because understaffed law enforcement officials in those areas rely more heavily on federal assistance. You can decide for yourself by reviewing the data from the survey on the World Wide Web at "http://www.trac.syr.edu/tracatf/". ACTION IN U.S. SENATE: On Thursday, the Senate tabled, by a 57-42 vote, an amendment by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) that would have required the Clinton Administration to study "taggants" in black and smokeless gunpowders -- and given the Administration the regulatory power to add these potentially unsafe markers to the powder you use in shooting or reloading. If your Senator voted to table the Kerry Amendment, please call him at (202)-224-3121 and thank him for his vote. Also on Thursday, the Senate adopted an amendment to an appropriations bill by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), prohibiting firearms ownership by individuals convicted of domestic violence misdemeanors. Because domestic violence statutes vary drastically from state to state, the measure raises serious constitutional and jurisdictional issues. NRA believes violent criminals should never have guns. Unlike Senator Lautenberg, however, NRA wants to attack domestic abusers as felons to take them out of the home and off the streets. Lautenberg's proposal fails to separate the victim from the offender. If someone uses any kind of weapon to assault another, that person should be prosecuted, tried and convicted of a felony. The Lautenberg proposal fails domestic abuse victims by ignoring a criminal justice system that returns such criminals to their homes rather than sends them to prison. NRA will continue working to treat domestic violence as the serious crime it is. HCI TARGETS MORE SECOND AMENDMENT SUPPORTERS: As reported in Tuesday's Fax Alert, Handgun Control, Inc. is now attacking pro- gun lawmakers in key districts across the country. This week, we received word from members in Washington state and California that pro-gun Reps. Rick White (R-WA), Andrea Seastrand (R-CA), and Frank Riggs (R-CA), and candidate Susan Brooks (R-CA) are among the anti-gunners' latest targets. Radio commercials, billboards, and flyers are among the attacks being deployed against these supporters of gun owners' rights, who need the support of all the gun owners in their districts! All members: If you see any of HCI's commercials, billboards, or flyers in your area, please call NRA-ILA at 1-800-392-8683. And if your representative is targeted, please call him or her and thank him for his continuing support of your rights -- then call your local NRA-ILA election volunteer coordinator and find out what you can do to help! For contact information, call NRA-ILA Grassroots at 1-800-392-8683. PLAN TO ATTEND 1996 GUN RIGHTS POLICY CONFERENCE: It's time to reserve your seat at the 1996 Gun Rights Policy Conference scheduled for September 27-29 in Washington, D.C. Join NRA President Marion Hammer, First Vice President Neal Knox, Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, and NRA-ILA Executive Director Tanya Metaksa, as well as lawmakers, candidates, pro-gun leaders and your fellow gun owners as we discuss the issue of greatest importance to all of us -- our freedom! The Conference will be held at the Crystal City Marriott in Arlington, Virginia -- just minutes from Washington National Airport. To reserve your seat, or for more information, please call the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms at (206) 454-4911. A LOOK AT THE STATES: Michigan: Gun owners and sportsmen are encouraged to continue educating each other and the public on the importance of Proposition G, which will compete directly on the November ballot with the animal extremist groups' Proposition D, an anti-bear hunting measure. Proposition G supports the state's current sound wildlife management programs run by Department of Natural Resource experts. Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management is still working hard against Proposition D, but your help is needed to ensure its defeat. Contact MUCC at (517) 371- 1041 for more information on how you can join the fight to protect our hunting and sporting heritage in Michigan. Idaho: The battle is heating up over the animal extremists anti- hunting measure, Proposition 2, which ends spring bear hunting & bans the use of dog and bait during all black bear seasons. Later this month anti-hunting extremist Wayne Pacelle of the Washington-based Humane Society of the United States will be in Idaho to push the attack on Idaho's hunting heritage. NRA is working with the Sportsmen's Heritage Defense Fund (SHDF) to defeat Proposition 2, but your help is needed to ensure its sound defeat. Please contact SHDF at 208-888-7020 for more information on how you can join the fight. Oklahoma: Tuesday, September 17 is the runoff election day in the Oklahoma County sheriff's race. Be sure to go to the polls and vote for J.D. Sharp in the Democratic runoff or for P.D. Taylor in the Republican runoff. =+=+=+=+ This information is provided as a service of the National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, Fairfax, VA. This and other information on the Second Amendment and the NRA is available at: http://WWW.NRA.Org