FBI Calls For Gun Licensing
                          By NEAL KNOX

     WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 11) -- FBI Director William Sessions
has recommended to Attorney General Janet Reno that the Clinton
Administration call for a wide range of new firearms laws,
including licensing the possession of handguns after mandatory
training, with "appropriate reimbursement" for firearms of those
who can't pass the training or who voluntarily turn in their
guns.

     This incredible document, which notes that the FBI does not
publicly comment on political matters to avoid "destroy(ing)
confidence" in the agency, says "(t)he proliferation of firearms"
and their use in violent crimes justifies "an extraordinary,
singular departure from this policy."

     The last item of Sessions' 10-point recommendation -- which
the FBI refuses to release -- calls for the FBI Office of Press
and Congressional Affairs to "develop a media strategy to
publicize and develop support for the FBI's position."

     In short, the FBI Director is recommending to Attorney
General Janet Reno that she authorize violation of Section 1913
of Title 18, U.S. Criminal Code -- which prohibits lobbying with
appropriated funds.

     Naturally, the FBI recommends enactment of the "Brady Bill,"
though raising questions about the accuracy of state criminal
records checks and other "technical problems."

     The FBI also recommends "a complete prohibition upon the
transfer, importation, transport or possession of assault
firearms" -- which are not defined, except as high capacity and
"fast firing."

     Sessions calls for "a complete prohibition upon the
possession of armor piercing ammunition," which would be defined
"upon performance standards, not composition" -- presumably on
the basis of penetration of aluminum plates such as the FBI used
in its mid-1980's tests of AP ammo.

     Much conventional high-velocity handgun ammo can penetrate
the Kevlar bullet-resistant vests worn by police.  However,
because the FBI's recommendation is not limited to handgun
ammunition, it could be used to ban almost all center fire rifle
ammunition.

     Finally, the FBI recommends "reallocation of existing
resources to increase the regulation and oversight of" Federal
licensees -- and, among other things, increase license fees,
require an existing place of business, and a background check
with fingerprinting of potential dealers.  That just happens to
jibe with the FBI's long ambition to have BATF's firearms
enforcement powers.

     The "FBI Working Group" which prepared the recommendations
"discussed at length whether the FBI should recommend a general
ban on the possession of handguns.  After careful consideration,
the group concluded that a proposed ban would not receive
sufficient support."

     Clearly, they really wanted an outright handgun ban, but
didn't think it would pass and, as they wrote, "would likely
place us outside the scope of the current debate over firearms,
and thus perhaps marginalize our overall impact."

     I first thought that the FBI proposal was a trial balloon to
make the Administration's firearms recommendations in the omnibus
crime bill (due out later this month) appear modest by
comparison.  But, amazingly, neither of the Washington newspapers
has said a word about the FBI's landmark proposals.

     That indicates that the anti-gun "Washington Post" doesn't
want to talk about the Clinton Administration's "next step" until
the "first step Brady Bill" has been signed and sealed.

     The "New York Times" and other newspapers which have
reported the FBI recommendations have focussed on their support
for the "Brady Bill," with little or nothing about the radical
handgun licensing and "assault weapons" (whatever that is) ban.

     Those reports have speculated that Sessions -- whose job has
been hanging by a thread since being charged with ethics
violations at the end of the Bush Administration -- was merely
currying favor with Reno and the White House.

     Nonsense.  No bureaucrat, or "Working Group" of bureaucrats,
would make such a radical recommendation, or openly move to
politicize the FBI, without orders -- or at the very least, a
wink and a nod -- from someone much higher up.

     I think we're getting a look at the Clinton firearms
platform -- and we'll see all of it before the next four years
are over.

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(c) 1993 by Neal Knox and Associates.  All Rights Reserved.