Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s group supports a bill which would prevent anyone on DHS's "Terrorist Watch List" from owning a gun

New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg’s group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, has turned its attention to Senators Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire), Jeff Flake (R-Arizona), and Max Baucus (D-Montana)  to gain their support for a gun bill which would prevent people on the U.S. terrorist watch list from passing background checks for guns.

The Hill reports that under current law, people on the FBI’s terrorist no fly list are not included in the bureau’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Gun control supporters say this  omission  makes it possible for terrorists legally to purchase guns through a federally licensed dealer.

Bloomberg’s group, with the support of gun owners and military veterans, yesterday and today has been handing petitions to the senators, asking them to support the legislation.

The Hill notes that between 2004 and 2009, 963 background checks matched terror watch list names through NICS. A Government Accountability Office study reported that almost 90 percent of those matches were allowed to go ahead with purchasing a firearm, and about 10 percent were denied  as a result of other red flags which did not include being on the watch-list.

The three senators the Bloomberg’s group has focused on are considered to be the most likely to change their vote to support a gun control bill if it reaches the Senate. All three voted against a gun control measure earlier this year.

Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-New Jersey) has repeatedly introduced a measure which would expand the Justice Department’s authority to deny a suspected terrorist the right to purchase a gun, and would flag someone on the terrorist watch list if they tried to purchase a gun.
http://www.instituteforeducation.org/2013/05/ife-info-panel-on-beyond-boston-the-future-of-global-security-and-intelligence/ 

The truth about "Mayors against illegal guns"(NRA-ILA)
From its inception, one of  Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG) top priorities has been eliminating the Tiahrt amendment, which protects law enforcement safety and the privacy of gun owners and stops the improper use of sensitive gun trace data in civil lawsuits.  MAIG claims it opposes Tiahrt because the amendment ties the hands of law enforcement to investigate illegal gun sales, but that is a false smokescreen.  Tiahrt does not prevent law enforcement from using firearms trace data in criminal investigations. What Tiahrt does prevent is data abuse in lawsuits such as the ones brought by cities like New York, Boston and Chicago, whose mayors are all part of MAIG.

MAIG supports new restrictions and regulations on gun shows that could drive them out of existence. Federal law allows law-abiding persons to sell a firearm to another law-abiding resident from their state. The effort to restrict these sales at gun shows is a veiled first step to outlawing all private transfers between law-abiding people, whether they occur at a gun show or simply between family and friends.

MAIG has opposed the right to self-defense for law-abiding citizens by opposing interstate reciprocity for concealed carry permit holders. There is nothing about this issue that deals with “illegal” guns.  MAIG’s opposition to the rights of law-abiding carry permit holders--persons who have submitted to additional training and background checks--proves that MAIG is not targeting “illegal guns”, but is simply opposed to law-abiding people carrying firearms for self-defense, currently allowed in 48 states. Click here for more information on Right-to-Carry reciprocity.

Targeting Legal Transport of Firearms:

MAIG has announced opposition to an amendment, sponsored by Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), which would require Amtrak to accept firearms in checked baggage as commercial airlines do. The amendment passed the Senate by the overwhelming margin of 68-30. Even the Brady Campaign announced it would not oppose this amendment. No issue more clearly demonstrates that MAIG’s real opposition is to all firearms, not simply "illegal" guns. 

Opposing Important BATFE Reform :

MAIG has fought against bills to reform Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) operations. These bills are designed to protect the rights of federally licensed dealers and set standards for regulation and enforcement activities. Reforms are needed to end BATFE abuses and harassment of lawful firearms dealers, as well as to establish clear guidelines for violations and penalties and to create a fair appeals process. MAIG’s opposition to this legislation encourages the continued harassment of firearms dealers.

Targeting Legal, Not “Illegal” Guns:

MAIG claims to be fighting only “illegal” guns, but its agenda does not include a single item that is directly aimed at criminals. Instead, its agenda is a direct attack on law-abiding gun owners and is designed to increase restrictions on those who exercise their Second Amendment rights.
 http://www.nraila.org/maig