The Tampa Bay Times reported on Friday that the Florida Department of Agriculture “failed to conduct background checks on tens of thousands of concealed weapons permit applications” after — get this — the person responsible for the check couldn’t figure out how to log into the NICS system:
BREAKING: For more than a year, the Florida Dept of Agriculture failed to conduct background checks on tens of thousands of concealed weapons permit applications.https://t.co/1qVnFUUffZ
— Steve Contorno (@scontorno) June 8, 2018
From the article:
A previously unreported Office of Inspector General investigation found that in February 2016 the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services stopped using a FBI crime database called the National Instant Criminal Background Check System that ensures applicants who want to carry a gun do not have a disqualifying history in other states.
The employee in charge of the background checks could not log into the system, the investigator learned. The problem went unresolved until discovered by another worker in March 2017 — meaning that for more than a year applications got approved without the required background check.
The problem for Florida Republicans is the head of the Department of Agriculture is Adam Putnam, who was the NRA-supporting candidate for governor that inspired Parkland survivor David Hogg’s boycott of the Publix supermarket chain:
Shoppers begin Publix boycott as chain continues supporting Adam Putnam for governor https://t.co/M16Iej4CJn @TB_Times
— Tampa Bay Times (@TB_Times) May 21, 2018
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Gov. Rick Scott responded to the report by saying this is the first he’s heard of it (It should say “permits” at the end of this tweet, not “purchases”):
UPDATE: Gov. Rick Scott's office said it had not previously seen Inspector General report that showed Dept of Ag failed to conduct tens of thousands of federal background checks on concealed weapons purchases.
"Our office was not provided this report."https://t.co/1qVnFUUffZ
— Steve Contorno (@scontorno) June 8, 2018
And Florida Dems are all over it:
Ted Deutch, other Dems call on Putnam to resign over gun check failure https://t.co/5d1Cyt1qNt
— George Bennett (@gbennettpost) June 8, 2018
And NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer is reportedly “outraged”:
Gun background check failure haunts ‘proud NRA sellout’ Adam Putnam and his campaign for governor
Even NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer is outragedhttps://t.co/9b8Adk4G9T pic.twitter.com/caa2pGq1HP
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) June 8, 2018
Here’s 2nd Amendment reporter and gun expert Stephen Gutowski breaking it down:
This is a substantial bureaucratic blunder. https://t.co/CIMU5Re0rk
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) June 8, 2018
The employee in charge of doing NICS checks on Florida ccw permit applicants simply didn't do her job for a year because she couldn't figure out how to log into the system. She was rightfully fired after an IG report figured it out.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) June 8, 2018
However, the other two background checks through Florida's criminal record database and NCIC were still conducted and there aren't any examples of someone getting a permit who shouldn't have one. At least not yet.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) June 8, 2018
So, it's unclear what, if any, real world effect their were from this. Most people applying for a ccw permit have gone through a NICS check to purchase their guns and most criminals don't bother applying for fairly obvious reasons.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) June 8, 2018
And, of course, 13 states don't require a permit for concealed carry so there's an open debate about how effective or useful the process is. If your state has a permit system you obviously want the bureaucrats in charge of it to do their jobs.
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) June 8, 2018
Editor’s note: This post has been updated.
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Related:
'You stood for NOTHING.' Dana Loesch absolutely REKT Sheriff Israel and Supt. Runcie after Publix 'die-in' https://t.co/WvdWBSrIQC
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 28, 2018
Brother of Parkland victim slams David Hogg's Publix 'die-in' and lists 'who people SHOULD be protesting' https://t.co/GcMEqwknzt
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 26, 2018
WHOOPS! Did anti-NRA activists who got Publix to cave on donations stumble into an 'amazing self-own'? https://t.co/KnS3Ri0ICt
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 26, 2018
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