Politico | Joe Biden announces plan to crack down on ‘merchants of death’ who illegally sell guns
- US president targets lawbreaking gun dealers in anti-crime plan
- Announcement came in response to a rise in violent crime in US
This story is published in a content partnership with POLITICO. It was originally reported by Maeve Sheehey on politico.com on June 23, 2021.
“We’ll find you, and we will seek your license to sell guns,” Biden said in the State Dining Room of the White House.
Biden’s announcement came in response to a rise in violent crime across the country, with recent mass shootings in almost every major American city. In his remarks, the president brought up the seasonal nature of crime, which usually rises during the summer. He also said the winding down of the coronavirus pandemic was likely adding to the crime surge, which is on track to be worse than last year.
Attorney General Merrick Garland outlined details of the plan. Garland noted that most federally licensed firearms dealers sell to those who passed background checks.
“But those dealers that wilfully violate the law increase the risk that guns will fall into the wrong hands,” he said, characterising part of the administration’s plan as a “concerted effort to crack down on gun traffickers.”