Two Shades of Justice

No charges will be brought against Wisconsin DCI Special Agent in Charge Jay Smith who, according to the Wisconsin State Journal, admitted to an agent of the ATF that he made and sold guns, without a license, to fellow law enforcement officers including Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen. Dan Bethards, a special agent who worked under Smith and the whistle blower in this case, also claimed that Smith sought his help in converting a stolen machine gun to fully automatic status. Smith denies this.

Federal law defines ” manufacture ” as an endeavor of profit, and Smith’s claim is that he made the guns and sold them for cost only to people he knew and trusted. DOJ spokesperson Dana Brueck told the WSJ  any suggestion that Van Hollen acted illegally is ” untruthful and defamatory. ”  So suggesting it might be illegal for someone to possess  a fire arm made by someone without a license is defamatory? Interesting.

Would all of this hold true for a group of black men in Milwaukee? If one of them, for whatever reason, went to the police and told them that a friend of his was making firearms in his basement, without a license, and then selling them to other friends and associates, and that the guy had also attempted to convert a stolen machine gun into a fully automatic weapon, what do you think would happen?

It’s not hard to imagine that someone would have been shot and killed in the likely ensuing police raid of the firearm makers home. And it seems likely the cops would round up all of the guns made, and the DA’s office would at least attempt to charge everyone who had possession of one. Or in the event the DA’s office declined to prosecute, it’s not hard to imagine a thundering denunciation of the DA from the likes of Sheriff David Clarke or the Milwaukee Police Association.

But it’s defamatory to even suggest that J.B. Van Hollen acted illegally by buying a firearm that was made by a guy without a license. Right. Gotcha.

I guess life is good when you’re a well connected white guy.

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13 thoughts on “Two Shades of Justice

  1. Manufactured in a African-American household basement? MSM would be chiming in with the inherent DANGER, LIKELY a New Black Panther threat, neighboring homes would have been raided to track down “possible conspirators.” MRAP’s would have been rolled in and fully armored “law enforcement,” officers would be stationed on every intersection. Property, homes, vehicles and any conveniently available asset of the alleged perpetrators would have been immediately confiscated prior to any booking on charges or an actual trial.

    You’ve again hung some exceptional “red-baiting,” meat out here with for the troll squad, SC.

  2. We shoudl all be able to maufacture our guns in basemetn like the pioneers. Keep govt. hon est. and the Liberals on their best behavior.

  3. dohnal, conservatives need to learn their place, like the simple minded grunts they are. Let the Liberals fix the destruction that republicans have caused. It’s past time republicans shut their foolish mouths and listen to their betters.

  4. Geez IG,

    The answers to either of your questions are suggested rather clearly in the OP and in your very own stated acceptance of the premise that “we have two shades of justice.

    Hints: White privilege, class privilege, failure to apply the equal protection clause of the Constitution.

    Statewide: AG’s failure to cooperate with John Doe investigation or defend the GAB, i.e. political motivation behind equal protection clause

    Wider view of things: POTUS/Holder failure to prosecute Bush/Cheney war crimes, rewarding of bank fraud with massive quantitative easing, extra judicial killings of foreign nationals and US citizens.

    So there are one or two significant and historically more recent factors. Seems the obvious way to get out is what? Maybe try reversing those trends?

    Just saying,

    1. Not quite sure if this is the same individual, but we could be looking at the reason for Walker’s success, i.e. divine intervention for the most radical right-wingers, or maybe just the best punked comment to ever hit BB.

      Not sure a water bottle will quench the flames……..

      http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/jsonline/obituary.aspx?pid=172894742

      http://www.newberlinnow.com/blogs/communityblogs/83505732.html

      Scroll down to *Divorce Papers* here:
      http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/83776072.html

  5. NQ, thx for replying to SC’s questions. He must have passed.
    Your reply did not answer either question. Hints: blah blah. Reverse trends. Very good, you did your part.

    1. IG,

      I was trying to say two-tiered was “baked in,” since Columbus arriving, since the first colonial settler leadership passed out small-pox invested blankets to their indigenous land owners to clear the neighborhoods and slightly later larger colonial land holders of European extraction paid extremely low wages to the unemployed to muster the ranks of the colonial armies under Washington.

      Changing things now is an ongoing process. 4% for every monetary transaction going to places like Citibank when you could have possibly used cash, ask for a discount. Push for higher taxes and reduction on tax subsidies on already profitable corps. Shop local, but don’t buy imported trinkets and fabrics from “import stores,” that cannot verify “fair trade,” policies (especially prevalent in Racine), support local more organic food suppliers, boycott Koch Industry products where you can, boycott Wal-Mart, support living wage paying business, ASK ABOUT THESE THINGS when spending. Attend local government meetings, speak up against the crazies. Just a few ideas. Shovel a neighbor’s steps, get to know your neighbors, if that is a possibility. There’s a start toward change. Hope that helps.

    2. Sorry IG,

      I’m in the moderating penalty box for an undisclosed reason. My clarification of an answer to your question is being held up. I guess I got too many or not enough likes in the prior thread from Ed. Hard to tell what is up with the neoliberals around here. I guess a warning like “you all know who you are,” can be just a little vague.

      As I emailed to this posting author, I hope there is nothing unfortunate going on with the website owner or any of his family. Season’s greeting if you get this before April 2015. I’ll throw in a happy Easter to you to be on the safe side.

      1. NQ, Ed consulted with me before he put you in the “moderating penalty box,” and to be quite honest I was the one who made the ultimate decision to put you there. Also, I just want to note that you’re not the only one who’s been put on moderation over the past few weeks.

        As for my absence, I’m allowed to take a break (no matter what the reason may be), and I trust Ed and Steve implicitly in my absence.

  6. IG,

    I haven’t passed. How did we get there? Smarter people than me will have to chime in on that one. How do we get out? Apply the law equally? White folks demanding equal application of the law would be a good start, apart from politics. I should think good libertarians everywhere would agree with an equal application of justice.

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