Gene Taylor, sales manager over at our sister site GunReports.com, suggested I look at an item on the site entitled, “Gunshow Operator Says Bloomberg Ran Entrapment Scam at Arizona Gun Show.” Taylor said, “I’d heard that [New York City Mayor Michael] Bloomberg was thinking about a presidential run. After his latest stunt in Arizona, I think he can shelve that idea.”
The mayor’s latest stunt was that weeks after the shooting in Tucson, undercover investigators hired by Bloomberg disregarded ATF advice and attempted to entice gun dealers at the Crossroads of the West Gun Show in Phoenix, Arizona, into making sales to buyers who misrepresented their actual backgrounds. Bloomberg has authorized similar sting operations around the country, which have been called entrapment.
“Let me get this straight: From New York City, they are going to send people to Arizona to look into this?” said Arizona State Sen. Ron Gould. “They might take a look a little closer to home if they are concerned about guns getting in their state.”
Under the story, comments from GunReports.com members are scathing about Bloomberg’s scheme (only their online handles are shown here):
“Kevin d” wrote, “Sounds like a straw sale to me. He is having someone buy a gun for him where he cannot legally get one… ATF should be prosecuting him.”
“Retired87068” pointed out, “If any of us did the same thing, we would be prosecuted.”
“Gaviota” seemed to know gun laws well: “Bloomberg’s office said ‘all the investigators were Arizona residents and broke no laws.’ More deceit, misdirection, innuendo, and outright lies from Bloomberg. The men who bought the guns were Arizona residents, who ‘suggested’ that they ‘might’ not pass a NICS check. The private sellers were unable to conduct a NICS check on the men because they’re PROHIBITED from accessing NICS to perform the check. Bloomberg is trumpeting the lie that Arizona’s laws are too lax because he was able to instigate the legal purchase of firearms. It’s terribly twisted, so don’t think about it in logical terms. It will only hurt your brain.”
“Oldbikefixr” asked a pointed question: “Isn’t purposely misrepresenting yourself and background for the purpose of purchasing a firearm ILLEGAL? I guess not since a lawyer said so.”
But my favorite comment came from “Texan”: “The State of Arizona should issue an arrest warrant for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg should he ever step foot into Arizona.”
To read all the comments and smile, log on to GunReports.com and search for “entrapment scam.”
