While showing how easy it is to buy an AR-15, CBS News may have violated federal gun control laws

Guns are bad. Knowing that they exist is really frightening, and the fact that they can be purchased is an affront to human decency. That's the word from the now-rabid gun control crowd, led by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. They're chomping at the bit, desperate to gut the 2nd Amendment, and they're eagerly exploiting the Orlando terrorist attack to push their agenda. Never mind the motive, or the particulars of the attacker. A gun was used, so all gun owners and dealers are to blame. To drive the point home, CBS News decided to show you just how easy it is to buy what anti-2A forces incorrectly label an "Assault Rifle." As usual, they targeted the AR-15. The site of their report was a gun shop in Alexandria, Virginia.

From CBS News:

In Virginia, where the Virginia Tech shootingskilled 32 people, there is no waiting period for a firearm, even for a so-called assault rifle similar to those used in Orlando and San Bernardino, reports CBS News correspondent Kris Van Cleave. CBS News sent a producer into a gun store in Alexandria, just outside of Washington D.C. Per Virginia law, she provided two items to prove state residency - a drivers license and voter ID card - as well as her passport to prove U.S. citizenship. She filled out some federal and state forms requiring her name, date of birth, social security number and a few basic questions about any past criminal activity or current restraining orders. And she passed a brief electronic background check All told, it took 38 minutes and $1,030 for her to walk out of the store legally armed with a rifle, 100 rounds of ammunition and a 30-round magazine.

I'm sure, despite the fact that one of their constantly-demanded background checks was passed, the nation's gun-grabbers and social justice warriors are aghast. They're probably sitting around their drum circle at this very moment, kvetching about how easy it is for any law-abiding citizen to purchase a super-scary death machine. The very idea that this could happen pierces their safe space in the most triggering manner possible. Except.... We now know that CBS News possibly violated existing federal gun control laws in order to break this not-at-all groundbreaking story. As their report states, "The rifle we purchased was legally transferred to a federally licensed firearms dealer and weapons instructor in Virginia, just hours after we bought it." By transferring the weapon to a third party "hours later," their "journalist" may have made what's known as a straw purchase. ...And yes, the store has reported the undercover reporter to the ATF. From the Free Beacon:

“Ms. Paula Reid came into the shop with cash, claiming she wished to purchase an AR-15 to, ‘undergo training,’” Ryan Lamke, SpecDive’s general manager, told the Washington Free Beacon. “She refused basic, free instruction of firearms safety under the pretense that she was using the firearm for training with a NRA certified instructor.” “Due to the information provided in the CBS News report filed today, I suspect Ms. Reid committed a straw purchase and procurement of a firearm under false pretenses.” SpecDive owner Jerry Rapp said that Reid misleading the store about her intention to give the gun over to a third party was a clear violation of the law. “The law is very clear. When you knowingly attempt to purchase a firearm with the intent of giving it to another person, you are trying to bypass the legal pathway to firearms ownership,” he said. “This, in itself, is a very serious crime. I do not see how any member of the press can get away with potentially committing a felony just to boost their ratings and mislead the general public.”

The ATF is aware of the purchase, the story, and the gun shop's tip. However, it's not currently clear if they're investigating the matter. So, let's sum up: A CBS reporter decided to purchase a legal firearm for a story, the underlying premise of which is how people shouldn't own the gun in question. She passed a background check, waived instruction in its use, and lied about her intentions. Then she passed the gun on in a move that may violate extant federal gun control laws - all in an effort to spotlight the need for more gun control laws. Bang up job, CBS. That's the level of journalistic integrity we've come to expect from the mainstream.

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