As Twitchy reported, Stephanie Soechtig, director of Katie Couric’s deceptively edited documentary “Under the Gun,” admitted in an interview with The Lip TV that she sent one of the film’s producers to Arizona to purchase a Bushmaster rifle and three handguns from a private, non-licensed seller to demonstrate how gun buyers can skirt background checks.
In pulling off the stunt, though, the filmmakers themselves had to skirt federal gun laws. Sean Davis of The Federalist followed up with several questions for Soechtig, who in a statement admitted that multiple rifles were purchased by a non-Arizona resident but argued that the transaction was “perfectly legal” in that state.
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/739971089602912256
So the Under the Gun director has completely changed her story on those interstate gun purchases https://t.co/zjDEsS9TXw
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) June 7, 2016
“Arizona law allows out-of-state residents to buy long guns (i.e. rifles, shotguns, military style assault rifles) from a private seller without a background check. It also allows Arizona residents to buy handguns from a private seller without a background check,” Soechtig maintained, adding that the guns purchased never left the state but instead were turned over to law enforcement and destroyed.
If the guns don't leave the state they are only subject to state laws. See why we need stronger laws? https://t.co/2kppoFO7gp
— Stephanie Soechtig (@stephsoechtig) June 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/seanmdav/status/739997227918209024
Why did your story change from the interview in February and today's statement?
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) June 7, 2016
Something did seem amiss there. Didn’t she tell Lip TV her producer, a Colorado resident, purchased three handguns and a rifle from an Arizona resident? According to her statement to The Federalist, an out-of-state resident purchased multiple rifles on hidden camera, while the handgun was purchased by an Arizona resident.
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The Federalist reports:
One key portion of Soechtig’s new statement, however, directly contradicts key portions of her previous interview with The Lip TV. In that interview, Soechtig said her out-of-state producer purchased three handguns in Arizona without going through an FFL. In the most recent statement, Soechtig states that only one handgun was purchased and that it was purchased by an Arizona resident, not a Colorado resident. Under federal law, all interstate handgun purchases must be processed by an FFL in the buyer’s home state. If Soechtig’s latest statement is an accurate representation of what happened, then it is unclear why she originally claimed that three handguns were legally purchased by an out-of-state resident without going through an FFL.
@StephenGutowski You may be the most dishonest person in America.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) June 7, 2016
Not only have you changed your story completely, you're now lying about federal law. https://t.co/QyDxqWeyA5
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) June 7, 2016
Other than advocacy and lying, @stephsoechtig is an impartial gun debate arbiter.
— Anthony Bialy (@AnthonyBialy) June 7, 2016
Cite the section of the United States Code supporting this. Here's the Cornell Law Library. https://t.co/xeld6zaDRs
— Lord Woodstone (Toss all MAPS out the airlock) (@EricMertz_KC) June 7, 2016
Not how it works, the buyer can only take possession of guns in the state he resides from a FFL.
— What Would T.R. DO (@demaxx1rs) June 7, 2016
@StephenGutowski @seanmdav Absolutely FALSE statement Steph. As CO res, I can't buy a gun from my AZ sister without FFL help.
— Gary HokieHawk (@grsvt81) June 7, 2016
Let me be the first to call you an intentionally dishonest dogmatic hack…probably not the first, but there, I've said it
— "It's Always Jimmy in Philadelphia" (@JimmyMcSavage) June 7, 2016
You're quite sure of that? You've consulted folks who actually know what they're talking about? No? OK.
— Bert Hyman (@berthyman) June 7, 2016
amusing but ignorant. The buyer must also be a resident of that State, or it's interstate by defn and therefore a crime.
— (((Dal Jeanis))) (@DalJeanis) June 7, 2016
That is an absolute lie. cc @ATFHQ @LorettaLynch All gun purchases are subject to federal law. pic.twitter.com/5VMk8Ifejl
— Rob Tam (@robtr2) June 7, 2016
@StephenGutowski Know how I know the case for more gun control is so weak? Cause your side has to constantly lie to make it.
— Safing Sector (@Gplavallee72) June 7, 2016
Lie? Didn’t the director spice in unrelated footage to make a gun rights group appear stumped by Couric and then try to get away with claiming she was just giving viewers some quiet time to ponder the very important question? After that, anyone would be foolish to take Soechtig at her word.
Anti-gun filmmakers and lobbyists always seem to know more about the law than licensed gun dealers and law enforcement authorities, none of whom contacted by The Federalist said that the purchases as described (both times) were legal.
Are you sure it's not still a crime? Everything I've read indicates otherwise. Who provided you with legal advice on this?
— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) June 7, 2016
Not a crime! Multiple lawyers, scholars & govt officials. See the problems with the law? At last we agree Stephen! https://t.co/iA0YzuwQgA
— Stephanie Soechtig (@stephsoechtig) June 7, 2016
The biggest problem with the law seems to be that no one is bothering to investigate. So what good are stronger laws?
Hi, @ATFHQ.
When can we expect @stephsoechtig and @jkunau to be arrested for federal gun crimes?#GunGate https://t.co/sP7SalCTWU
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) June 7, 2016
Hi @marissamayer. Now that @katiecouric's director has TWICE admitted gun felonies, will you FINALLY fire your dishonest anchor?#GunGate
— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) June 7, 2016
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