GOAL Requests Massachusetts Attorney General to Intervene in Illegal Licensing Activities

On Monday, March 3, 2008 Gun Owners' Action League took the next step in our attempt to hold the state accountable for its firearm licensing system. As our members know, GOAL has been seeking the Patrick's administration's assistance in enforcing the firearm licensing laws as they pertain to the illegal actions of local licensing agents. Unfortunately this administration has expressed little interest in protecting the civil rights of lawful citizens.

GOAL has also sought to rectify the problems by asking the Massachusetts Inspector General's Office to investigate these illegal activities and to take action against rogue agents. Although that office did respond to our first request in ruling against Cambridge regarding their illegal overcharging for licenses, the Inspector General's Office declined to conduct any action to ensure the return of the overage to the citizens. In a further letter from the Inspector General's Office concerning more towns violating the fee laws, their office suggested that they were not interested in any further actions. In fact, the letter instructed GOAL to use the previous letter to settle any further problems with other towns.

"It is frankly unconscionable that GOAL has to expend this much effort in an attempt to get the state to adhere to the very laws they created," said Jim Wallace Executive Director of GOAL. "For a state that is supposedly so concerned with firearm licensing, how do they expect to maintain any credibility when the very agents that are empowered to determine our 'suitability' are themselves violating the firearm laws."

The next step for GOAL is to ask the Massachusetts Attorney General's office to investigate the matter and intervene on behalf of the lawful citizens of the Commonwealth. Click here to view .pdf version of the letter to the Massachusetts Attorney General.

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