🚀 go-pugleaf

     Neal Knox Update, April 13 -- The Centers for Disease Control
yesterday announced that the number of "gun-related deaths" had
declined 25 percent since 1993, to the lowest levels since 1966
(Note: that was two years *before* the Gun Control Act of 1968 and the
string of subsequent gun laws).

     According to an Associated Press story, CDC analysts credited
"stricter sentencing in some areas, new laws that make it more
difficult for criminals to get guns, the waning crack trade and low
unemployment because of the booming economy."

     CDC, which has been attempting to convince the nation
that violent crime is a disease, is right about stricter sentencing
of gun-wielding criminals, but dead wrong about criminals having
any difficulty obtaining guns.  Despite decades-old bans on guns in
high-crime cities like New York, Washington, D.C., and Chicago,
criminals have all the guns they want.

     The AP report doesn't mention that the National Center for
Health Statistics report for 1998 (latest available) shows that of the
30,708 total firearms-related deaths, only 11,798 -- slightly more
than a third -- were homicides (some of which are justifiable).

     Suicides account for well over half of the gun deaths
-- 17,424, or 57%.  An incredibly low 866 were accidents, and 620 were
listed as "undetermined" or "other" -- which probably includes a
lot more self-defense shootings.

     The NRA supposedly told the AP reporter that the lower death
rates "are evidence that gun-safety programs are reaching Americans
and that gun laws are working."

     NRA spokeswoman Patricia Gregory is directly quoted as saying:
"There are tens of thousands of firearms laws on the books. Strict
enforcement of existing law could reduce these numbers even
further."

     NRA-ILA Director Jim Baker, after talking with Ms. Gregory,
told me the reporter distilled the quote from a 15 minute interview.
The reporter did not understand she was talking about enforcement of laws
against criminal misuse.

     AP promised Baker to run a corrected story.
--------------

     The internet lit up this week after a commercial ammunition
reloading and manufacturing operation told a customer he had quit
selling new brass in his retail store to avoid paying taxes on
component sales.

       BATF reportedly had informed the commercial reloader/
manufacturer that each component would be subject to the 11
percent excise tax if he sold all components of ammunition
separately in his store.

     Manufacturers of guns, ammunition, fishing and archery
equipment pay an 11 percent excise tax which has funded the
Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Fund, the backbone of
state wildlife conservation departments since 1937.

     It may have seemed logical to some BATF agent or office that
a manufacturer should have to pay the tax on individual components
but he'd be wrong.  Components have never been subject to the tax.

     From the late 1960's through 1977, as editor of Handloader
Magazine, I opposed, and testified in the Senate against, a series
of bills which would have imposed the tax and added the revenues to
the 10% excise on handguns, half of which goes to P-R and half to
support state Hunter Safety programs.

     All those bills were defeated.

     A BATF spokesman in D.C. told me he knew of no "new ruling."
I was not able to reach the manufacturer.

     For clarification:  Commercial reloading is a service
operation if the customer supplies or separately purchases,
reloadable brass, but it is considered as taxable manufacturing if
completed ammunition is sold.
--------------------

     The Bush Administration had filled only 29 of 487 political
appointments, and announced only 94 as of Monday.

They got off to a slow start due to the delayed election results.  The
"vetting process" has been further slowed by the cumbersome FBI
paperwork and background checks.  But this is getting ridiculous.

     A swarm of Clinton holdovers are still in position, although
all senior officials hopefully will soon be gone.  Numerous
Clinton supporters have burrowed into their jobs by getting
themselves classified as Civil Service; they cannot be fired, but
they need to be transferred.

     Law Professor Jimmy Gurule has been named to the key position
of Treasury Under Secretary for Enforcement, which is directly over
BATF, but he told a friend of mine that he does not expect to be
confirmed and in place until June.

       He also told my friend that he is a gunowner
and will not tolerate the kind of harassment of law-abiding
citizens that have marked that agency.

     Knowledgeable friends have expanded and broadened the list of
Clinton holdovers who need to be replaced or transferred, which I
gave you in February.  As requested, some of you have gotten that
list to the highest levels in the White House.

     Some of these people may be gone by now -- let's hope -- but
I know that most aren't.

     REMOVE AND/OR TRANSFER AT HOUSING URBAN DEVELOPMENT:

Burgos, Sonia -- Director of the Community Safety and Conservation
     Division
Davidson, Nestor -- Special Counsel
Stier, Max -- Deputy General Counsel for Litigation

       REMOVE AND/OR TRANSFER AT DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE:

Bea Witzleben -- "On loan" from U.S. Attorney's Office


       REMOVE AND/OR TRANSFER AT TREASURY:

Bresee, Elizabeth A. -- Assistant Secretary for Enforcement
Cullen, David -- Unknown Title
Edsall, Alexandra -- Attorney Advisor, Office of General Counsel
Eizenstat, Stuart E. -- Deputy Secretary (reportedly gone)
Frenkel, Jonathan M. -- Senior Policy Advisor, Assistant Secretary
       for Enforcement
Ginsburg, Susan -- Senior Advisor, Under Secretary for Enforcement
Hicks, Pamela J. -- Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Law
       Enforcement
Johnson, James E. -- Under Secretary for Enforcement
Kerner, Francine -- Deputy Assistant General Counsel (Enforcement)
McHale, Steven -- Assistant General Counsel (Enforcement)
Medina, David -- Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement Policy
Wallwork, Anne -- Policy Advisor, Under Secretary for Enforcement
Wehner, Karen A. -- Deputy Assistant Secretary for Law Enforcement
Wellington, Claire S. -- Chief of Staff, Under Secretary for
       Enforcement
Wolin, Neal S. -- General Counsel

             REMOVE AND/OR TRANSFER AT BATF:

Manfreda, John -- Chief Counsel
Rubinstein, Steven -- Associate Chief Counsel for Firearms
Slattery, Janette -- Attorney Advisor, Firearms and Explosives


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