Despite a whistle blower reporting this in 2021, it took another 2 years for an investigation spanning a 5 year period to conclude the ATF was purposely misclassifying administrative positions so a select group of about 108 workers (that they know of) over 5 years received between $20M and $100M in undeserved pay, benefits and retirement pay.

The practice of misclassifying workers to scam the system has been going on at the ATF for at least 2 decades, so this 5 year investigation period is just a potentially small number comparatively.

As if there isn't already enough evidence that this agency needs to be disbanded.  I've read that the FBI would pick up most of the ATF responsibilities if the ATF went away, but I'm okay with that.  Those agencies have too much overlap as it is, so reducing the footprint by one autonomous agency would be a good move for law abiding gun owners.

 

Congressman Gaetz to ATF head: ATF keeps what they should not keep and they lose what they should not lose.


 

Wow, thats crazy...

I am not against enforcement of ATF laws but I see no reason why they need to be a separate agency

Wow, thats crazy...

I am not against enforcement of ATF laws but I see no reason why they need to be a separate agency

You should read the history of the ATF.  They were a function of the Department of Revenue, since alcohol and tobacco were highly taxed.  Those are the 'revenuers' that found and destroyed illegal moonshine stills during and after Prohibition.

Under the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA), the taxes imposed on registrants of NFA controlled items fell under the Dept of Revenue.  So, they added firearms to the list of tax enforcement duties for the IRS. 

The ATF didn't exist as an independent agency until 1972 under Treasury Dept Order 221. 

They've been on a roll ever since, picking up more and more power with each firearm act and executive order that came along.

https://www.atf.gov/our-history/atf-history-timeline