(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Matt Gaetz was one of the biggest thorns in the ATF’s side while he was in Congress, pushing to both defund and abolish the agency over its constitutional infringements.
Gaetz is no longer in Congress after he stepped down in a failed effort to become the next U.S. attorney general. Luckily for ATF critics, Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., vowed to take Gaetz’s place. Burlison first took office in January 2023, and won his reelection in November.
“He’s leaving a vacuum behind. I’m happy to announce that I’m stepping in, and in January I’ll be filing a bill that Matt Gaetz sponsored to abolish the ATF,” Burlison said earlier this month on Twitter/X.
🚨 I'm introducing legislation in the next Congress to Abolish the ATF! pic.twitter.com/keK0zpmhRJ
— Rep. Eric Burlison (@RepEricBurlison) November 20, 2024
Burlison also reportedly said the ATF “has been a disaster for the American people and our God-given Second Amendment rights”—citing scandals such as Ruby Ridge, Waco, and Operation Fast and Furious.
Gaetz introduced legislation to abolish the ATF last January, after the agency introduced legislation that requires owners of guns with stabilizing braces to destroy, reconfigure, register, or turn in their firearms to ATF within 120 days. Stabilizing arm braces are accessories installed on pistols and shotguns that allow users to stabilize these firearms against their arms, resulting in more accurate shooting without compromising safety or comfort, and reducing the risk of bruising and other injuries when shooting from one hand.
Gaetz’s bill never gained traction, but the ATF’s rule was temporarily blocked by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in August.
The lawsuit against the ATF’s unconstitutional rule was remanded to the district court, where it remains ongoing.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
