Heavily armed agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) raided a gun store in Great Falls, Montana, last week in what was described by a local lawmaker as a “Soviet-style intimidation raids.”
Tom Van Hoose, the owner of Highwood Creek Outfitters, told the local media outlet KRTV that 20 heavily armed agents swarmed his gun shop on Wednesday morning, confiscated 13 years of 4473 forms, and copied the firearm acquisition and disposition book.
“The fact that they think we make so much money as a gun business that they had to come investigate all the thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions of dollars whatever it is we supposedly absconded with, anybody that knows the margins in the gun business knows they’re not that high,” said Van Hoose.
He said the reason for the raid is unclear. He believes it could be part of a nationwide trend by Biden’s ATF:
“I can only assume that it’s because of the style of weapons that we have and the press that’s so against them.
“The current administration seems to be hell-bent on getting those guns out of the hands of average Americans.”
Van Hoose spoke to the firearms blog The Truth About Guns, stating that the IRS claimed he had underreported and failed to report millions of dollars of income. The shop owner denied the accusation.
On Friday, Congressman Matt Rosendale sent a letter to ATF Director Steven Dettelbach and IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel, asking for answers and calling the raid “outrageous.”
20 armed IRS agents raiding a small business in Montana is unacceptable. Confiscating 4473 forms with sensitive personal information to create a database on American citizens is unacceptable.
This Stormtrooper activity by the Biden Administration must end! pic.twitter.com/rBWtvQzRur
— Matt Rosendale (@RepRosendale) June 19, 2023
“Under Director Dettelbach’s leadership of the ATF, a pattern of intimidation and harassment against hardworking Americans has emerged – Montanans will not tolerate these political witch hunts. I remind both Director Dettelbach and Commissioner Werfel that Congress has the power of the purse, and I will ensure that funding for these agencies is not weaponized against the American people,” Rosendale said in his letter.
He continued: “I request that the ATF and IRS cease conducting these Soviet-style intimidation raids.”
@Dc_Draino on Twitter: “Remember those 87,000 IRS agents that Biden is hiring? Republicans had the chance to stop all of them in the debt ceiling deal Any you know how many we cut? ZERO Who sits on the Rules Cmte that voted to increase the debt ceiling?
What a Constitutionalist!”
At 0730hrs on June 14, 2023, Twenty (20) Heavy Armed Agents From the IRS Criminal Investigation and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Raided Highwood Creek Outfitters, a Gun Shop and Indoor Firing Range in Great Falls, MT.
Tom VanHoose, the Store Owner was Served a Warrant… pic.twitter.com/H7gomdt4sH
— Tony Kambeitz (@Kambeitz9) June 17, 2023
Remember those 87,000 IRS agents that Biden is hiring?
Republicans had the chance to stop all of them in the debt ceiling deal
Any you know how many we cut?
ZERO
Who sits on the Rules Cmte that voted to increase the debt ceiling?@RepThomasMassie
What a Constitutionalist! pic.twitter.com/sxt0py9H9t
— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) June 19, 2023
20 heavily armed IRS and ATF agents RAIDED a gun store in Great Falls, Montana, seizing firearms purchase records. @gatewaypundit’s @jimhoft_ joins #AmericanSunrise with the latest on the story.@edhenry @mrsflorida2016
Watch LIVE➡ https://t.co/aeKhZCtVbe
Watch the full show… pic.twitter.com/uVMtNcfeck
— Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) June 19, 2023
WONDERED WHY BIDEN WANTS THE IRS TO BE HEAVILY ARMED? Could it be that they don't intend to adhere to the law but use brute force if necessary?
ATF form 4473’s include each gun purchaser’s name, gender, date of birth, address, location of birth, social security number and the… pic.twitter.com/KMyhVTcQor
— BelannF (@BelannF) June 19, 2023
