Tennessee, spearheaded by Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, has joined a coalition of 21 states in filing a lawsuit against a new rule issued by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This rule aims to regulate the private sale of firearms more strictly. The coalition argues that this regulation could unjustly target law-abiding citizens by requiring them to obtain federal licenses for transactions that were previously unregulated.
The rule in question redefines what it means to be “engaged in the business of dealing [in firearms]” to include individuals who sell firearms “predominately for profit,” regardless of the scale of their operations. This change would mean that even those selling firearms at gun shows, online, or between friends would need to become licensed dealers and conduct background checks, as outlined by the White House.
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According to Attorney General Skrmetti, this rule could potentially criminalize ordinary citizens who engage in occasional firearm sales or trades with family and friends, labeling these activities as felonies without proper licensing and background checks. The attorneys general involved in the lawsuit claim that the ATF’s rule is too vague, infringes on the Second Amendment, and bypasses the legislative authority of Congress.
The states standing with Tennessee in this legal challenge include Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. They argue that the rule puts undue regulatory burdens on individuals and is not aligned with either the agency’s statutory authority or constitutional principles.
The full details of the court filing against the ATF’s new rule can be read here.
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U.S. Army Officer Faces Serious Firearms Charges
Frank Ross Talbert, a U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel stationed at Fort Campbell, has been indicted on twenty-one counts of firearms violations, including smuggling and trafficking, in Nashville, Tennessee.