Giffords Law Center Sues ATF For Access To Public Records

Published: Friday, November 10, 2017 - 2:14pm
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Gabby Giffords’ anti-gun-violence group is suing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for access to public records.

The civil complaint alleges the ATF broke the law when it did not properly respond to a pair of requests made under the Freedom of Information Act. 

The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence sent the ATF two records requests in October, according to court documents. Center officials think the records will reveal if the ATF had contact with the gun lobby immediately following the mass shooting in Las Vegas, and if the gun lobby has caused ATF to oppose “common sense gun violence prevention measures” since Donald Trump was elected president.

Lawyers for Giffords’ group say by law, the ATF had to say if it would produce the records within 20 business days. Instead, it sent an automatic response the day before the deadline saying the requests were still under review.

The lawsuit was filed the day before a federal holiday. The person who answered the ATF media line in Washington said there was no one else in the office.

Court summons were also sent to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.