NYC's Bloomberg Investigates Gun Shows

October 8, 2009

By Brad Schrade â€¢ THE TENNESSEAN â€¢ October 8, 2009

TN gun show 'loopholes' exposed in undercover investigation

NYC investigators expose easy sales in

Nashville, Smyrna

The firearms trade at gun shows in Tennessee and two other states took a hit from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Wednesday with an undercover investigation that said it was too easy for felons to buy guns.

Investigators using tiny hidden cameras placed in ball caps and purses targeted the gun show industry in Tennessee and across the nation. The report by the city of New York titled "Gun Show Undercover" said loopholes in federal and state law allow violent criminals to easily buy firearms from merchants at more than 2,000 shows each year.

In Tennessee, investigators focused on the monthly show in Nashville at the state fairgrounds and another held in Smyrna and other locations. These gun shows operate under the principle that gun sales between individuals are not regulated.

Bloomberg's office said Tennessee, Ohio and Nevada were chosen because they rank high as out-of-state sources of guns that turn up in crimes within New York City. Tennessee ranked 12th.

The founder of the gun show at the fairgrounds, Bill Goodman, took issue with the critique of his show. It is held monthly and regularly draws 250 merchants and up to 10,000 people, he said.

His son now runs the show, but over the years Goodman himself kicked people out who broke the rules.

A merchant is "warned if he does that he'll never get back in my shows," said Goodman, who founded the show more than two decades ago and has about 75 shows annually around the country. "I've actually evicted them from my shows never to return. I won't tolerate it."

The $1.5 million investigation was conducted by 40 private investigators who went to seven gun shows in the states. Shows are marketplaces for licensed gun dealers and unlicensed private sellers.

"It's a serious public safety concern anytime guns are getting into the hands of convicted criminals in our city," Mayor Karl Dean said in an issued statement.

"I don't know the specifics of this investigation, but I support anything the state and federal government can do to help prevent illegal guns in our community."

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One of Tennessee's leading gun rights advocates questioned the methodology of the investigation and said Bloomberg has been on a crusade to tighten gun laws. John Harris, executive director of the Tennessee Firearms Association, said additional laws and regulations are not the solution to illegal gun sales.

"He's been against guns and private gun owners for a long time," Harris said. "This is an example of an investigation designed to support an existing prejudice."

Bloomberg's platform as mayor of the country's largest city is to draw attention to the issue, gun shows and states like Tennessee.

Most sales legitimate

The report claims that even though most vendors and customers at gun shows are law-abiding, there was a pattern of unlicensed private sellers who sold to apparent criminals. There also were licensed dealers who sold to people buying guns for others to circumvent background checks.

Licensed dealers are required to conduct criminal background checks on purchasers to avoid selling to felons.

They are not supposed to sell to "straw purchasers" â€” people who are clearly buying the gun for someone else. Unlicensed private sellers aren't required to conduct background checks, but are required under federal law not to sell to someone they know or suspect is a felon. The New York report cited a previous federal study that said 30 percent of guns in federal gun trafficking investigations are connected in some way to gun shows.

"The gun show loophole is a deadly serious problem â€” and this undercover operation exposes just how pervasive and serious it is," Bloomberg said in a released statement.

Bloomberg forwarded the report to members of Congress and the federal agency tasked with policing gun sales, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. The report calls for stricter enforcement of existing laws and the passage of a law requiring records and criminal background checks on all sales at gun shows.

Goodman, the fairgrounds show founder, said he has no problem with background checks on all purchases.

"I don't see anything wrong with the background check myself," he said. "I don't want to see anybody packing a weapon if they are not qualified to do so."

Neither senator from Tennessee, both Republicans, expressed any interest in passing additional laws to police gun shows.

Sen. Bob Corker issued a statement saying he was a strong advocate of the Second Amendment.

Sen. Lamar Alexander's office said he had no interest in additional regulation.

"Senator Alexander believes that our nation's gun laws should be enforced, but he does not favor placing new restrictions on rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment," his spokesman Jim Jeffries said.