NRA Gets Money’s Worth

The boast last year from one of its top officials that the National Rifle Assn. would practically have an office in the White House if George W. Bush won the presidency was not an idle one. First Bush appointed John Ashcroft, a life member of the NRA, as attorney general. Now Ashcroft is recklessly pandering to the gun lobby with an order requiring the FBI to step up its destruction of gun background check records. This will surely undermine even Ashcroft’s stated goal of coming down harder on gun crime.

In February, Ashcroft declared there are “enough [gun] laws on the books.” In May, the president offered funds to Ashcroft’s Justice Department to hire additional prosecutors and get tougher on violators of existing gun laws. Gun rights advocates much prefer this to new limits on firearms ownership. Many gun control groups also support such vigorous prosecution but see it as only a partial answer.

Last week, the attorney general appeared to pull the rug out from under that plan, ordering the FBI to destroy government records on millions of gun purchases almost immediately after the weapons are sold. Since 1998 the FBI has operated a nationwide clearinghouse, reviewing about 7 million gun purchases a year for evidence of fraud and corruption. About half the states rely on the FBI’s database to perform background checks required under the federal Brady law. California officials perform this check using first a more detailed state database, although they also check with the FBI.

The FBI clears most purchases in a matter of seconds, once it determines the gun buyer has no criminal record or other problems that would void the purchase. This system also blocked more than 153,000 illegal gun sales last year. The FBI has said, however, that it needs at least 90 days to periodically audit these gun checks to ensure that they have been properly done--for example, determining whether gun buyers have used false identification. Ashcroft will cut that window to a single business day if his order stands. That would leave federal officials with no way to police the background check system and would hamstring efforts to track gun criminals.

The NRA spent $20 million in the last election to help put into the White House the man who appointed Ashcroft. So far, it has certainly gotten what it paid for, and more.

The rule will go into effect after a 60-day comment period. Ashcroft is unlikely to budge, but the expressed concern of citizens could give pause to the White House.

To Take Action: Telephone Atty. Gen. Ashcroft’s office at (202) 514-2001 or e-mail ASKDOJ@usdoj.gov.