In a letter addressed to Attorney General Garland, Montana Governor Gianforte expressed his disappointment with the ATF's decision to place stabilizer braces under the National Firearms Act.
He argued that this decision undermines the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens in Montana and that the use of stabilizer braces is essential for disabled veterans to operate large-format pistols.
Gianforte referred to House Bill 258, a law signed in April 2021, which protects the gun rights of Montanans by preventing state and local law enforcement from enforcing federal bans on firearms, ammunition, and magazines.
He emphasized that the provisions of this bill prohibit peace officers, state employees, or employees from a political subdivision from participating in the federal enforcement of such a ban.
People think the ATF has the power to make laws. They don't. The ATF is a federal law enforcement agency and is not authorized to make laws.
The only government body with the power to make law is the legislative branch of the United States government.
The role of the ATF is to enforce existing laws related to firearms, explosives, and other regulated substances.
Can anyone show me a brace law passed by congress?
You can't because it doesn't exist.
The ATF is making up rules and trying to enforce them as law.
The ATF is, by and large, a reflection of the current administration, and right now, we have the most anti-gun administration in the history of this country, so it is no surprise that the ATF feels this bold.
I'm happy that the Governor of Montana is calling them on this.
I hope that other Governors will mimic this example and reign the ATF in because, at this point, they think they are the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government when in reality, they're nothing more than a hallway monitor of the executive branch.
