Two Missouri lawmakers looking to dismantle the ATF
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two lawmakers representing Missouri are now leading the charge of dismantling the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.
The agency dates back to 1886 but has worked in a standalone capacity since 1972.
The ATF has a field office in Kansas City, so that would mean more locally based federal employees laid off. This agency does a lot of work we don't always see, from leading firearm and arson investigations, to background checks, and making sure firearm dealers are in accordance with federal law.
KCKPS employee on leave after alleged bank robbery
Steve Brackeen owns a local gun shop and he calls the agency's role 'critical'.
It was almost two years ago when Brackeen had his gun shop robbed, nearly 50 guns were stolen.
'This was our book keeping. They drove right through the wall, smashed all the furniture and computers into the wall. If the secretary was sitting here, she would have been dead.'
The ATF was the agency tasked with solving this crime.
'Shortly after they broke in, the ATF comes in and of course they start collecting evidence. After a short while, they knew everybody involved and arrested them all.'
The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office stated:
'As a result of our strong collaboration with the ATF, prosecutors are able to secure convictions in firearms and arson cases that might otherwise remain unsolved.'
But two congressmen—Mark Alford and Eric Burlison—are part of a group of GOP lawmakers who want the bureau dissolved.
Alford's team said because of his 'packed schedule,' he couldn't speak on camera but sent FOX4 a statement that in part says:
'The ATF is a rogue bureaucracy with one of the worst track records in law enforcement. Time and again it has infringed on Americans' God-given Second Amendment rights, while inappropriately collecting vast amounts of personal information on law abiding citizens. If this agency is not willing to respect the constitution, it should be abolished, and its authorities reallocated to other departments with a record of following the law.'
Prosecutors not pursuing criminal charges against former pastor, school board president Bobby Hawk
The statement did not provide any evidence supporting those allegations.
'They're the critical part of the gun world. We have to follow their rules and their regulations and keep everything up to date and up to snuff,' Brackeen said.
KCPD told FOX4 today they appreciate their relationships with all federal partners, which includes the ATF
We reached out to the ATF. A spokesperson said they were given a 90-day period where they are not allowed to do media interviews. That person reached out to headquarters and our request was denied.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
Cloudy skies can't dim joy as thousands fill nation's capital for World Pride parade
WASHINGTON -- Gray skies and drizzle gave way to sunshine, multicolored flags and celebrations as the nation's capital held the World Pride parade Saturday. Tens of thousands of people participated in parades and other festivities, in defiance of what activists say is an unprecedented assault on the LGBTQ+ community that challenges the rights many have fought for over the years. A rainbow flag the length of three football fields flowed through the streets, carried by 500 members of the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C., to kick off the parade. Behind them, people waved Pride flags and flags representing the transgender, asexual and bisexual communities from atop a bus. Singer-songwriter and actor Reneé Rapp laughed and blew kisses from the back of a pickup truck draped with a transgender flag while Laverne Cox, a transgender actress and activist known for her role in Netflix's 'Orange is the New Black,' waved from an open convertible. 'Pride means us looking out for each other no matter what,' she declared to the crowd as the convertible rolled to a stop. 'We know how to be there for each other.' Many LGBTQ+ travelers have expressed concerns or decided to skip World Pride due to anxieties about safety, border policies and a hostile political climate that they say hearkens back to another time. But that did not keep international travelers and other participants away, with groups visible from Iran, Namibia, Kenya and Russia. Along the parade route, hundreds gathered outside the National City Christian Church as rainbow flags and balloons lined its steps and columns. A child with rainbow face paint blew bubbles at the base of the steps while Whitney Houston's 'I Wanna Dance with Somebody' blared from loudspeakers.' 'D.C. is already one of the biggest cities in the country for celebrating Pride,' said Cheo White, 33, from Annapolis, Maryland, 'But we are all collectively more united and turning out more because of what's happening in the White House.' Many have said the gathering has taken on a new meaning amid the Trump administration's aggressive policies against protections for transgender Americans and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. White's partner, Nick Kerver, 26, who was visiting from Toledo, Ohio, said Pride has 'always been a political tool' but has taken on more importance this year amid mounting threats to the LGBTQ+ community, especially transgender and nonbinary Americans.' 'It feels more important than ever,' Kerver said while wearing a rainbow hat, sunglasses and a T-shirt. 'But we also have to get involved in our local communities too.' David Begler, a 58-year-old gay man from Philadelphia, expressed disappointment that many international travelers felt unsafe visiting D.C. for World Pride but said he appreciates its presence in the city during this political climate. 'It's the perfect time to have World Pride in D.C.,' Begler said. 'We need it right now. I want us to send a message to the White House to focus on uplifting each other instead of dividing.' Stay DeRoux, 36, usually plans a day trip to D.C. Pride from her home in Fredericksburg, Virginia. But this year, she and her wife, Deenie DeRoux, planned a full weekend. ''This is a really big year,' Stay DeRoux said. 'There's been a lot of turmoil. So it's an amazing thing to be among allies, among people who love because we've experienced so much hate on a daily basis.' For the day, the idea of threats and opposition took a backseat to the celebration. Streets were closed, but filled with floats, and impromptu parties broke out with music and food in streets adjoining the parade route. Johnny Cervantes Jr., dressed in a black suit and top hat, headed to a grandstand at a church themed float to marry his partner of 28 years, Freddie Lutz, owner of Freddie's Beach Bar and Restaurant in Arlington, Virginia. Events culminate tomorrow with a rally and protest March Sunday and a giant street party and concert covering a multi-block stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue. 'This is World Pride in the best city in the world,' Mayor Muriel Bowser declared as she walked the parade hand-in-hand with her daughter, Miranda.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Andrew Yang reaches out to Musk to collaborate on new political party
Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang said he's reached out to Elon Musk in hopes of collaborating on the creation of a new political party, according to a Saturday interview with Politico Magazine. Yang, along with mutual friends, believes the Tesla CEO has what it takes to form a new faction that propels America's strongest leaders. When asked if Musk has responded to his inquiry, Yang told the outlet 'Not yet, but I assume he's been very busy.' 'We have been of the opinion that America needed a new political party for a number of years, and so waiting another 24 hours is nothing,' he added. Musk's push for a new political caucus emerged from his public feud with President Trump over the 'big, beautiful bill.' The tech giant strongly opposed the national debt increase after months of working with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut federal spending. Yang, the founder of 'The Forward Party,' said it's political outsiders like Musk who consider non-traditional approaches to the country's problems. 'I want to work with people that recognize that America's political system has gone from dysfunctional to polarizing to even worse. And at this point, the fastest growing political movement in the United States is independents,' Yang said. 'They feel like neither party represents them, and the two-party system is not delivering what they want to see,' he continued. Many people have recently left the Democratic party, including former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who announced she became an independent after seeing political polarization throughout the campaign trail. 'If you look at Musk's politics over the last number of years, he waited in line to meet Barack Obama, he endorsed me in a Democratic cycle, and even earlier in this cycle — 2024 — he was looking for an alternative to Trump,' Yang said. 'There are a number of things that I think Elon shares in common with a lot of other folks I talk to who want to see some kind of middle ground or balance. The problem is: In our two-party system, you get whipsawed either one direction or the other,' he continued. Last year, Musk was a major donor for Republicans but has supported a wide array of candidates like Yang in the past. Now that he's severed ties with the GOP, political hopefuls have been looking to capitalize on the billionaire's powerful funding reserve for future campaigns.
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Surprising Trump-Musk rift worsens a huge Tesla problem
Tesla CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump appear to be in the kind of chaotic relationship that social media lives to warn you about. First the two seemed to be enjoying a business alliance-turned-bromance when Musk was invited to become a special government employee in January and spearhead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter The pair cheerily appeared together in photographs as well as in the Oval Office, and they seemed to be harmoniously working together. Musk even donned a red baseball cap that read "Trump was right about everything," which sent a pretty clear statement about the billionaire's beliefs. Related: Elon Musk latest message sends Tesla stock surging Of course, things can change. And when Tesla's (TSLA) sales plummeted 71% as reported during its first quarter earnings call, Musk's tune began to do just that. The Tesla CEO said he would refocus on the EV business, and not long after, he announced he would be stepping away from DOGE entirely. Soon after that shift, Musk suddenly started to take shots at Trump's "big beautiful bill" on X, first disagreeing with it and then seemingly escalating the issue to an all-out war against the president. Now the two have been trading barbs and threats alike, and while it looks like they're having some sort of weird breakup spat that's bristling with resentment, the whole thing is having a bad effect on a situation that Musk promised he would work to repair. Image source: STR/AFP via Getty Images Tesla's reputation has taken a beating this year. Musk's involvement with President Trump and the government rubbed many the wrong way, leading the stock to tank in mid-March when Musk was heads down on the DOGE project. What followed was a rash of people either demonstrating outside Tesla dealerships, vandalizing them, or both. Tesla owners, uncomfortable at being yelled at on the streets, started to offload their cars. Related: Forget tariffs, automakers face an even bigger threat from China Meanwhile, Tesla sales are dropping fast in key markets such as Europe and California. "Tesla's sales in Europe dropped 49% year-over-year in April to 7,261 vehicles, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association. Meanwhile, total EV sales in the region rose 34%. So far, Tesla's Europe unit volume is down nearly 40% through the first four months of this year," TheStreet's Todd Campbell reports. Musk's public spat with Trump, including posting the whole thing on social media rather than having private conversations with the president, comes off as attention-seeking and inappropriate for a person of his status. And while the president has responded more or less in kind, it's really Tesla that will suffer further, as Trump is known for his outbursts, and they don't stand out that much from his regular behavior. Tesla, however, had already been beaten down by Musk's involvement with the GOP. While Musk is clearly trying to separate himself from Trump with these moves, the way he's handling them reflects poorly on his plans to reinvigorate the EV brand. It's exactly the move Tesla didn't need at this moment. Trump, in the meantime, has decided he has bigger things to focus on, telling CNN today, "I'm not even thinking about Elon. He's got a problem. The poor guy's got a problem." Related: Analyst says Tesla faces one big beautiful hit from Trump bill The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
