I received a letter from firearms manufacturer, Len Savage of Historic Arms LLC; that Savage had sent to Acting ATF Director Michael J. Sullivan, commonly known as Maximum Mike. In the letter Savage informs Sullivan about the conduct that he was experiencing from BATFE Management. He also notes Sullivan's refusal to return his calls (Sullivan has also refused to contact us, despite his staff stating that he would).

So what was Maximum Mike's response to Mr. Savage? Within 2 days he sent 2 ARMED ATF Inspectors to do an intense audit of his books and inventory. Keep in mind that Inspectors are not Agents and they do not carry firearms. In fact in the ATF's frivolous claim that we harassed and intimidated them, they told the Judge: "It should be noted that Inspectors are not Agents, they do not have arrest powers and they do not carry firearms"

It is obvious that Sullivan in his year and a half as Acting Director of the ATF, has no intention of curbing the blatant abuse of the ATF. So why do we want an Overbearing, Manipulative, Abusive Director of an Overbearing, Manipulative, Abusive Government agency? This is a recipe for disaster! Today JPFO, David Codrea and numerous bloggers have urged people to contact your Senators to Block Sullivan's Confirmation. Write them today!

Former employees of the ATF have recently came together to form Association of Former ATF Agents:

The Association of Former Agents, Inspectors, and Explosive Enforcement Officers of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was established in 2007 as a means of providing a federation to bring together former and current ATF colleagues for fellowship, friendship and to provide support in a time of need.

So who is a member:

Members of the association include Special Agents, Industry Operations Inspectors, Explosive Enforcement Officers and other support personnel who carried out the ATF mission.

What have these members done:

The members of this association have served honorably with pride and distinction while performing their ATF duties on behalf of the citizens of the United States of America. They have enforced our Nations firearm and explosives laws in furtherance of preventing terrorist acts, reduce violent crime and to protect the public in a manner that is faithful to the Constitution and the laws of the United States.

Did I mention Former Director John W. Magaw, who recently endorsed an anti-gun book is a member?

I just received the following from Paul Velte of Peaceable Texans for Firearms Rights:

Here was the blurb I put out to my texas gun list:

This Week's GUNWEEK reports the following two stories:

Ron Paul Calls to Abolish the ATF

Presidential candidate Ron Paul's address to this year's GRPC (Gun Rights Policy Conference), called for abolishing the federal gun police, the ATF. "I don't even like the ATF," Paul said. I'm not looking … to enforce these laws … that I don't even believe in." The news story also noted that, while Paul admits "I don't pretend I hunt and shoot guns a lot," he does own a few and his commitment is philosophical and Constitutional: "My issue is the political reality and the importance of the Second Amendment for defending one's self against all forms of danger, including our own government if necessary." The story then goes on to note how most other candidates in recent decades have staged media events to show themselves using guns to hunt as a way to convince the public they are supporters of the Second Amendment. Meaningless photo ops versus real philosophical commitment: which will you choose to follow in the presidential race?

I posted before on Ron Paul's campaign response regarding the ATF.

While I still haven’t gotten a response from Fred Thompson’s campaign directly; Field and Stream’s David E. Petzal asks the question many of us have and candidates have avoided:

Under the Bush administration, the BATFE seems to have been concentrating their efforts on prosecuting legitimate dealers for paperwork errors—making it difficult or impossible for them to make a living. If you were President, would you have the BATFE relent on this practice, and what would you ask them to focus on? The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives should have as its priority its efforts to combat violent crime, violent criminal gangs, and to interdict and disrupt the gun traffickers who supply violent gang members with firearms. While one way to curb illicit gun trafficking is to ensure that legitimate dealers maintain their paperwork in good order, these paperwork violations should in no way be BATFE’s focus. I would also consider giving BATFE a wider range of sanctions so that dealers’ simple paperwork violations do not result in license revocations. Finally, having a politically accountable BATFE Director, who is now subject to Senate confirmation, instead of a career bureaucrat should also help change BATFE’s priorities and make the agency more responsive.

Here are the responses that I have received from Ron Paul and Mitt “Extreme Guns” Romney; I still have yet to receive a response from Huckabee, Giuliani, Hunter, Tancredo or McCain. Some Second Amendment Democrats have been touting Bill Richardson but he is silent as well.