Here's a Bill That Is Too Dangerous

I agree that there is some real danger of terrorists buying guns, and if I had confidence in the integrity and intelligence of the Justice Department, I wouldn't object. But this administration hasn't shown that its Justice Department can be trusted to do its job, and I sure wouldn't trust President Clinton's Justice Department to show integrity or intelligence:

WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department and a Northeastern Democrat have formed a rare alliance intended to restrict gun sales to terror suspects.

The bill, introduced late Thursday by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., after two years of study produced an endorsement by the Justice Department, would give the attorney general power to block gun sales to persons on terrorism watch lists. In some instances, the attorney general could let a sale go through - for example, when stopping the sale would hinder a terrorism investigation.

The measure also includes ways for would-be buyers to appeal a denial by the attorney general.

"The administration finally realized that letting terrorists buy guns is dangerous," Lautenberg said. "This 'terror' gap in our gun laws has been open too long."

The Justice Department, which endorsed the idea in letters this week to congressional leaders, said the delay was necessary in part to study potential situations in which barring a gun buy could interfere with investigations and intelligence collection.

I would like to think that Homeland Security has enough agents to keep an eye on terror suspects who are buying guns. If not, either there are too many suspects on the list, or we are in a lot deeper trouble than anyone is letting on.

I will be curious if Teddy Kennedy, who was upset about being on a "no-fly" list several years ago, would be upset about the government setting up a "no-guns" list without any due process requirements. Do you suppose the ACLU would fight such a measure?