New York Post, February 28, 2023 Disastrous Waco raid 30 years ago still fuels extremism by James Bovard In his “V for Vendetta” raging September speech in Philadelphia, President Joe Biden denounced “an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.” His Department of Homeland Security and FBI are ramping up crackdowns on “domestic […]
Tag Archives | ATF

Biden Re-Ignites the Waco Fire
UPDATED: Here’s my riff on Waco and Biden from my Saturday speech to the Maryland Libertarian Party convention. Great audience, great banter – a joy to talk to folks who understand the depravity of what the feds did at Waco. Click here to listen or download American Conservative, April 13, 2021 Biden Re-Ignites the Waco […]

Deadly Precedent of the Waco Whitewash
The Deadly Precedent of the Waco Whitewash by James Bovard March 19, 2021 The easiest way to achieve sainthood in Washington is to cover up a federal atrocity. Thus, it is no surprise that former senator John Danforth continues to be treated by the Washington Post as a visionary statesman. The Post showcased Danforth’s attack on […]

Ruby Ridge and Deval Patrick: The 542 Page DOJ Report Patrick Scorned
In my USA Today piece on Deval Patrick, I mentioned the 542 page confidential Justice Department task force report on Ruby Ridge which was compiled after an Idaho jury trounced the FBI and Justice Department in the Randy Weaver trial. Patrick dismissed the findings of that report and exonerated the FBI, helping spur widespread fears […]

Waco Atrocity & Coverup Riff from Mises Institute Conference
My old friend Bill Anderson kindly asked me about the Waco coverup during the question-and-answer portion of my spiel at last week’s Mises Institute conference. Here’s my response: The feds got away with covering up the worst parts of that atrocity – or at least with delaying the damning evidence so long that the political damage […]
The Hill: Gun Crackdowns Ignore Waco & Other ATF Atrocities
The Hill, March 7, 2018 Gun crackdowns have already led to too many federal abuses by James Bovard President Trump declared last week that the law enforcement should “take the guns first, go through due process second.” But the history of federal firearms enforcement shows that due process is often a mirage when federal bureaucrats […]
25 Years Ago: Feds Attack at Waco in Name of Gun Control
25 years ago today, federal agents launched a military style attack on peaceful Texas residents who were suspected of having modified firearms. At a time when much of the media is in a frenzy in favor of gun control, the ATF raid on the Branch Davidians is a reminder of how armed bureaucrats will convert […]