Folks, if you’re tired of rogue agencies abusing their power and our tax dollars, you’re going to want to stick around for this one because the walls are closing in on the ATF. But first, a quick shout out to today’s sponsor, Attorneys on Retainer. If you carry a firearm for self-defense, you need a legal team that actually understands your rights. AOR is the only law firm in America that specializes in self-defense cases. It’s Attorneys for Freedom. That is all they do. They’ve got your back. From red flag orders to self-defense claims in every state.

Learn more at the link below and save $50 off your individual plan sign-up fee or $25 off your family plan sign-up fee only by using code GNG at the link below. Check them out. It might be the best thing you ever do for yourself and your family. All right, let’s get into the meat of this. A whistleblower inside the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Farms, and Explosives has just pulled back the curtain on what’s being called an illegal salary scheme, one that could result in millions of taxpayer dollars being clawed back and potentially criminal charges being lodged.

Now, here’s what we do know. According to documentation released by Senator Joni Ernst, the ATF has been misclassifying agents as law enforcement availability pay employees. LEEP pay is what it’s known as. LEEP is a special classification that gives federal agents, law enforcement agents, an extra 25% salary boost for being available 24-7 for emergency law enforcement duties. The problem? Many of these ATF employees were not eligible for that classification under federal law. We’re talking about support staff, analysts, non-operational roles, people who were allegedly working 9-5 jobs but collecting salaries that are supposed to go to agents in the field.

Now, the whistleblower alleges that senior ATF management knew this was happening and not only let it continue but may have encouraged it. This isn’t just, you know, bending the rules, it’s flat out illegal. And according to Title 5 of the US code, only certain criminal investigative roles qualify for LEEP status. And here’s where it gets worse. Not only did the ATF misclassify these positions but they also backdated the reclassifications, meaning these individuals got retroactive raises. And one source estimates the costs at $20 million and that source is OPM, the Office of Personnel Management.

Now, the case has landed on the desk, like I said, of Attorney General Pam Bondi. Why? Why Bondi? Well, because the Biden administration stonewalled all requests to address the larceny of taxpayer funds by the ATF. And Bondi is reportedly reviewing the whistleblower documents right now, it’s on her desk, and considering a full-scale investigation into ATF’s financial misconduct. And this could just be the start. For example, the reports show that in February of 2020, Human Resource Division Chief Ralph Bitelary, fraudulently certified that a position description for the chief of the ATF’s Workforce, Wellness and Services Division, that’s WWSD, located at ATF’s DC headquarters, was a law enforcement position.

All right, it’s not. And according to the report, the primary duties of the chief position were focused on developing workforce wellness programs and not law enforcement related. The report states that ATF HR specialists assigned to classify the position and their direct manager, the branch chief supervisor Nina Cox, both determined that this position should be classified as non-law enforcement. But it was. Now, Office of Personnel Management, like I said, they estimated that this scheme cost the taxpayers around $20 million just during the five-year period that they reviewed. So there could be a lot more.

Senator Joni Erst is calling for blood. She’s issued a letter to ATF and the Office of Special Counseling, demanding accountability, transparency, and restitution of funds. In her words, the American people deserve to know why their hard-earned tax dollars were spent unlawfully patting the pockets of federal employees. Excuse me, I’m losing my voice. As a result, the U.S. Attorney General, Pam Bondi, the acting ATF Director, Daniel Driscoll, and the Assistant Attorney General for Administration, Jolene Ann Lorry, they have until May 23 to respond to Senator Joni Erst and Chuck Grassley.

Now look, this isn’t just about a bureaucratic scandal. This just adds to why millions of Americans no longer trust the ATF. This is the same agency that’s tried to regulate pistol braces by executive fiat that keeps an illegal gun registry despite being told not to because it’s illegal. They keep being used as a political weapon against us law-abiding gun owners, and now they’re giving themselves illegal raises on our dime while coming after our rights. This is why oversight actually matters. This is why every American, especially gun owners, needs to stay informed and get active.

We can’t let rogue agencies just run wild with no accountability. So stay informed. That’s what this channel is here for, and I humbly ask you to join Guns and Gadgets to stay in the know. You hit the little red button down there, it’s free, doesn’t cost you anything. The ATF just got caught red-handed. The question now is will the Department of Justice and Congress actually do something about it? Or will they let another scandal just quietly fade away? If you believe the ATF should be held accountable, sound off down below and let me know what you would do if you were holding the keys to the castle.

Don’t forget to like this video, subscribe to the channel, and hit the bell icon so that you don’t miss the next update on this and other Second Amendment news. And once again, a big thank you to today’s sponsor, Attorneys on Retainer. If you carry your protection every day, you need protection in court too. Use the link down below and use my code GNG to save. Like I said, it could be the best investment you’ve ever made. Until next time, stay safe, stay free, and keep fighting for the second. Take care, y’all. [tr:trw].

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