American Gun Industry Deliberately Flouts Laws, Says Insider
A whistle-blower from inside the gun industry has claimed that dealers knowingly sell firearms to criminals and that "rightwing wackos from the National Rifle Association" were dictating the gun control debate. Robert Ricker, the former executive director of the American Shooting Sports...
A whistle-blower from inside the gun industry has claimed that dealers knowingly sell firearms to criminals and that "rightwing wackos from the National Rifle Association" were dictating the gun control debate.
Robert Ricker, the former executive director of the American Shooting Sports Council (ASSC), once the leading gun trade organisation, has made the allegations in an affidavit on behalf of 12 cities and counties in California who have brought civil actions against weapons manufacturers and dealers.
He has said that "a culture of evasion of firearms laws" exists in the industry and is protected by a code of silence.
A former chief lobbyist for the council, he is the first highly placed whistle-blower from inside what has traditionally been a leak-free industry. His information contradicts the industry's position that it runs a tightly-regulated business.
"Leaders in the industry have long known that greater industry action to prevent illegal transactions is possible," according to Mr Ricker, whose affidavit has been made available to the New York Times.
Firearms business officials were aware of the breaches but "sought to silence others within the industry". There was a "see-no-evil, hear-no-evil approach".
According to Mr Ricker, corrupt dealers were happy to sell guns to people who they knew were buying on behalf of convicted criminals or juveniles who are legally prohibited from buying weapons.
He said the industry did not take action because it feared it would be seen as an admission of responsibility.
Mr Ricker has worked as a lawyer for the NRA, whose president is the actor Charlton Heston.
In his job at the now disbanded ASSC he attended a White House meeting with Bill Clinton in 1999, after the Columbine high school massacre. The meeting was opposed by the NRA.
He lost his job in the wake of that meeting and said in his affidavit that the NRA pressed for the closure of the council and its replacement with a more conservative body, the National Shooting Sports Council.
Robert Ricker, the former executive director of the American Shooting Sports Council (ASSC), once the leading gun trade organisation, has made the allegations in an affidavit on behalf of 12 cities and counties in California who have brought civil actions against weapons manufacturers and dealers.
He has said that "a culture of evasion of firearms laws" exists in the industry and is protected by a code of silence.
A former chief lobbyist for the council, he is the first highly placed whistle-blower from inside what has traditionally been a leak-free industry. His information contradicts the industry's position that it runs a tightly-regulated business.
"Leaders in the industry have long known that greater industry action to prevent illegal transactions is possible," according to Mr Ricker, whose affidavit has been made available to the New York Times.
Firearms business officials were aware of the breaches but "sought to silence others within the industry". There was a "see-no-evil, hear-no-evil approach".
According to Mr Ricker, corrupt dealers were happy to sell guns to people who they knew were buying on behalf of convicted criminals or juveniles who are legally prohibited from buying weapons.
He said the industry did not take action because it feared it would be seen as an admission of responsibility.
Mr Ricker has worked as a lawyer for the NRA, whose president is the actor Charlton Heston.
In his job at the now disbanded ASSC he attended a White House meeting with Bill Clinton in 1999, after the Columbine high school massacre. The meeting was opposed by the NRA.
He lost his job in the wake of that meeting and said in his affidavit that the NRA pressed for the closure of the council and its replacement with a more conservative body, the National Shooting Sports Council.
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