HELENA – Seventeen state attorneys general joined Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen today in asking major shipping companies to clarify new policies that allow them to track firearm sales with unprecedented specificity and bypass warrant requirements to share that information with federal agencies.
Reports from Montana federal firearm license (FFL) holders made to Attorney General Knudsen’s office indicate that UPS and FedEx are now burdening them by requiring them to ship separately and track firearms, firearms parts, and firearm products so gun purchases can be tracked and retain documents about what specific items those shipments contain and make that information available to the companies upon request.
Knudsen and the coalition of attorneys general sent letters today to leadership at both companies requesting additional information on their new policies and the possibility that the effort was coordinated in part with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“These demands, in tandem, allow [UPS/FedEx] to create a database of American gun purchasers and determine exactly what items they purchased… In doing so you, perhaps inadvertently, give federal agencies a workaround to normal warrant requirements. This allows [UPS/FedEx] to provide information at will or upon request to federal agencies—information detailing which Americans are buying what guns,” Attorney General Knudsen’s letters state. “Additionally, we recommend that you consider taking actions to limit potential liability moving forward, including the immediate cessation of any existing warrantless information sharing with federal agencies about gun shipments.”
In addition to requesting updated FFL-related shipping policies from the two companies, Attorney General Knudsen asked them to clarify the following: MORE
h/t Entheos.
Communism, plain and simple. Keep yer powder dry.
“…we recommend that you consider…”
…ooh, I’m sure THAT strong wording has them trembling in fear and snapping to…
Sounds more like legislative law(s) that only elected members of the US Congress are responsible for legislating, since this involves crossing state lines.
Either that, or the Deep Snake is preparing to disarm, and then, to murder even more Americans. But what do I know? Just sayin’.
Many years ago, back in the early 60’s one of my dad customers and friend was accidentally shot by a rifle that was being shipped in a gun case by REA, the Railroad Express Agency at the old train depot in downtown Spokane. When the gun case was being handled by REA the gun accidentally went off and shot him, fortunately he survived, and I heard from my dad later that REA had to change their shipping policies regarding shipping both loaded and unloaded guns after that.
The theft of firearms and ammo going through the UPS and FedEx systems is already bad. It will only get worse when the thieves will be able to more readily identify the packages.
^^^^^ And ammo is even much worse. You have about a 50/50 shot a getting your ammo from Fed Ex or UPS.
Did the FedEx and UPS merger go through yet? They are going to call it Fed-Up.
Brad, so far, I’m 100% good on ammo delivery – I tell the driver that the heavy little box is another of mother in law’s fruitcakes, he just grins and says “You sure eat a lot of fruitcake!”
UPs yers!
If chances of getting your guns and ammo thru UPS and FEDEX is only 50%, what do gold buyers do?