We’ve done a lot of talking about the Newspaper loophole, because that’s the way that Tacoma, Washington mall shooter got his weapons, but that’s not the only loophole that criminals use to get their guns. In that state, a group called Washington Ceasefire has joined with law enforcement to get the message out about another way guns get into illegal hands: the gun show loophole. When you buy a gun at a gun show, the seller is not required to peform any type of background check at all on the buyer, which means almost anyone can buy any gun at any time. This is craziness, and of course Washington Ceasefire found that more than seventy percent of Washington’s citizens are for legislation that would close this loophole.
In an effort to drum up support for a proposal requiring background checks on those who buy firearms at gun shows, a gun control advocacy group reported a survey strongly supporting the idea.
Washington Ceasefire conducted the survey, asking 403 registered voters whether they would be more or less likely to support candidates who wanted to close a loophole in state law that allows gun sales without background checks at gun shows.
The group reported that more than 70 percent of the people surveyed said they would be more likely to support such a candidate.
At a press conference Monday, Seattle police Chief Gil Kerlikowske threw his weight behind the law, contending it would limit access to firearms for criminals and others prohibited by law from owning guns.
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer agrees, and has run an editorial saying as much.
Firearms sales through licensed dealers in Washington require the buyer to either have a concealed pistol license or undergo a national background check of criminal, mental health and domestic violence records, as well as a five-day waiting period. Licensed dealers must also follow those rules while selling at gun shows.
But private sellers are not under those restrictions, even at gun shows. That makes gun-show sales a potential firearms source for those who cannot legally buy from a licensed dealer.
Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske has joined Washington CeaseFire in a reasoned call for lawmakers to require background checks on all gun-show firearms sales.
Here’s the facts: we know these loopholes are completely open, and we know that criminals knowingly and continuously use them to get weapons they’re not supposed to have. We even know exactly how to close them, and we have actions open to us (that are risk free) that we can take to stop them. Why haven’t we done this yet? These are no brainers: we must close the gun show and newspaper loopholes.
