Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida questioned the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms on Wednesday regarding two oversight investigations that claimed the organization failed to act on recommendations following the theft of firearms and improper record keeping.

In front of the House Judiciary Committee, Republicans interrogated ATF Director Steven Dettelbach about actions they claim have hampered the agency and violated the rights of firearms owners.

Rep. Gaetz’s use of his allotted time to ask Dettelbach why independent reports from the U.S. Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office were ignored sparked an acrimonious exchange.

“There were recommendation made on what you do so that you don’t become the victim of the theft, and the Inspector General is saying you’re not following them. I’m quoting directly from the report: ‘Thousands of firearms, firearms parts and ammunition had been stolen from the ATF.’ So you gave testimony that the brave ATF agents are the ones showing up at two in the morning after a burglary but it seems as though, in this case, you were the one burglarized! Why have you not followed the Inspector General’s recommendations so that you are not the mark?” asked Gaetz.

The director responded that the ATF employee responsible for the theft has been apprehended, but he avoided answering a follow-up question about whether or not the Biden administration illegally kept records on more than a billion American gun purchases. The ATF has verified in the past that they track firearm sales, but they insist that their database is not accessible to the general public.

More on this story via The Republic Brief:

Rep. Gaetz remained steadfast in his criticism of Dettelbach’s regulatory efforts, which, according to him, have made it more difficult for gun dealers to remain in business. CONTINUE READING…