Absorbing ATF in FBI re -entering in the abuses of each agency?

By appointing the director of the FBI, Kash Patel, as the head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosibles (ATF), President Donald Trump has taken a step towards a federal agency justified by many as a threat to self -defense rights. He also pointed out that he can strengthen the government bodies that overlap with their responsibilities. The big fans of the Government and the opponents of private firearms will not like the movement, but the idea of ​​combining the agencies is not difficult to be unprecedented. After all, President Bill Clinton had the same idea three decades ago.

Patel wears two hats

“ATF greets the interim director Kash Patel to ATF, who was sworn and had his first visit to the ATF headquarters in Washington, DC today,” ATF POSTED on X on February 24th. “We are enthusiastic to work together for a safer America!”

Patel takes over from Steven Dettelbach, who resigned Just before Trump takes over. Dettelbach presided over an ATF seen as And more hostile TO Owners of weapons than the case was historical.

The announcement of Patel’s new role to ATF came after the anti-arrm brady campaign was already denounced Patel’s confirmation by the Senate as the director of the FBI, calling it “extremist of weapon rights and theoretician of conspiracy”. Also, the group wasn’t happy When the Attorney General Pam Bondi fired the former ATF chief counselor, Pamela Hicks, for “aiming at the owners of weapons“It is fair to assume that the Brady campaign is just as dissatisfied with Patel’s new job that drives ATF with FBI.

The history of ATF of incompetence and abuse

But it is impossible to argue credible that ATF not You need a shaking. After all, this is a federal agency that led weapons to criminal gangs in Mexico As part of a bizarre and failed “investigation” people with mental disabilities to participating in stinging operations – and then he arrested him, lost thousands of weapons and gunparts, people killed Over violations of documents and Unilaterally reinterpreted laws To create new crimes in thin air (which means more cause for sketched investigations and stings). The obsessive federal police agency on firearms seemed to have long been in charge of work, finding more and more things for the police.

But what about putting the same person to the management of ATF and FBI? How does that mean?

Well, there are a lot of overlaps in the responsibilities of federal agencies. During the escapade “The Fast and Furious Operation” of Mexico, coordinated – Badly – with FBI, the administration for drug application (DEA) and immigration and customs application (ICE). In 2012 investigate From this Fiasco, the inspector general of the Department of Justice “conducted interviews with over 130 persons currently or previous department, ATF, DEA, FBI and the Department of Internal Security (DHS)”, on the way of identifying a series of strategies Wrong, tactics, trial errors and management failures that have entered the ATF headquarters and Phoenix field division. “

Clinton has proposed consolidation of federal order forces

Merger agencies – if it is the place where this is directed – they can improve internal communications by clarifying the command chains and eliminating the interagenic competition. Also, they could reduce the emphasis on which to demonstrate the importance, ensuring that there are people who violate the laws of weapons -even if violations need to be made -so there is always someone to arrest and parade on television. A larger multifunctional agency – basic, a overloaded FBI – could change the gears from one crime concentration, if there are not enough violators. May be.

The merged agencies should also be more efficient, because they will not double each other. At least, this was the idea when the national review of the Clinton Administration’s performance, later rebuilt the national partnership for the reinvente of the government, proposed the idea.

“Over 140 agencies are responsible for applying 4,100 federal criminal laws.” 1993 review noted. “Unfortunately, too many chefs spoil the broth. Agencies are slamming over the lawn. They fail to cooperate or delay issues while trying to agree with common policies.”

The revision of the performance, led by the then vice -president, Gore, recommended the merging of the DA in the FBI to “create savings in administrative and assistance functions, such as laboratories, legal services, training and administration facilities”. Then he suggested the assignment of the law enforcement functions of the ATF to the FBI and its regulatory and revenue functions to the IRS.

Opportunity and danger in a merger

Done correctly, you would not need as many agents for the combined agency and you have a lower level. But – and this is a great Concern – wrong, you would reach a federal agency of federal application overloaded with all hostility for civil freedoms its old components incorporated when it is separated, but now with many more influences.

When he took over by the FBI, Patel became the leader of an agency who had for a long time served as a kind of political police. His abuses date for decades and never seem to leave, just to turn into new ways to target anyone criticizing who is currently in power.

“The FBI attracts unpleasant people all the time, arrests them, accuses them with offenses of internal terrorism or other serious crimes, claims the victory in” War against Internal Terrorism “and then asks Congress more money to attract more people,” John Kiriakou, former CIA officer and whistleblower, wrote in 2021.

This means that there is already a problem that needs to be addressed or could infect a combined agency, rather than taking the sharp edges from the ATF.

Also disturbing is the fact that before his nomination at the leadership of the FBI, Patel made comments by suggesting He wants to target his own political enemies. He is supported these threatsSaying to the Senate Judicial Committee, that he was committed to “give-up, deployed to implement the law dedicated completely to rigorous listening and a singular standard of justice”. But it is worth following what to do with his roles at FBI and ATF separately before combining the two agencies in something more dangerous.

Or maybe the Trump administration will not take the next step for the formal integration of ATF and FBI. Self -defense lawyers have long asked the management of ATF that is not active to the owners of weapons. If all the patel makes it re -entered in ATF, so that the Americans get a few years of exemption from the abuses of this agency, this is a victory itself. But the elimination of a much more distant federal agency would be even better.