I'm sure everyone's heard what happened a while back at the Richmond Gun Show and the abuses by the ATF, State Police, yada yada.  You can do a search here or google, I'm sure you'll find the story.

Anyhow, the NRA kept pushing and we got the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security to have some oversight hearings, the first of which was kind of 'our side' (though there was a Judas present DONT get me started), the second hearing was supposed to be 'the ATF's response' or something along those lines.  And the third hearing is tomorrow 3/28.

The first hearing had alot of good from our side.  except for one sh#tstain of a living being, the case was well presented.  The  first hearing is available here Do not watch it near loved ones as that one Judas will make you want to throw a bunch at something nearby.

The second CRUCIAL hearing occured on 2/28 and I'd tell you what was said, except the live webcast never occured (despite numerous calls to the ocmmittee as it was happening) nor has the footage since been posted on the website ( despite the fact that almost every other hearing  SINCE THEN has been posted  - see here ).  This is absurd.  

At the first hearing, the chair insisted over and over again that 'he was not there to criticize or change or blame' the ATF, and (get your tin foil hats on) I'm wondering if the lack of footage isn't deliberate to protect some committee members' softballing from being publicized.  

OR to protect the ATF's BLATANT lies and deception (see the 'pre' documentation from the second meeting here where the ATF all but denies wrongdoing) as well as their local police counterparts whose prepared statements I haven't even bothered to read as I get nauseous easily.

I believe that it is important to find out what was said and by who at that crucial second meeting.  I think that, if this was deliberate, then we will have a repeat of the same tomorrow and that is doubly unacceptable as tomorrow's hearing is followed by a legislative hearing, and though we shouldn't expect anything to happen there, it does set a precedent that if they do something like this again, there at least is the POSSIBILITY of a substantive legislative hearing following oversight.

If we let this (this can be the gun show violations or the lack of hearing broadcast) slide, they'll do it again and again and our elected branch will not be held responsible for not holding the ATF accountable for its overreaching encroachments on our rights.

I've sent this email a couple of times, and would liek to see more arfkommers get involved.  You can send them here, and here's the one I keep writing (they also have a contact number that I try and call daily, but I doubt whatever intern I am talking to is doing anything):

I'd like to get transcripts and/or video of the a) previous oversight hearing (2/28) and the b) oversight hearing tomorrow (3/28) as well as that of c) tomorrow's legislative hearing of the: Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Hearing on "The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE): Reforming Licensing and Enforcement Authorities". Note that the previous hearing (2/28) was not availble online during the hearing nor afterwards.  I was assured by the committee operator that the webcast was to begin 'any second now' yet it did not.  Afterwards I was assured that 'it will be up soon' and it was not.   This is unacceptable.   Hearings that occured after the 2/28 one have been posted to the committee website and yet this hearing has not been. If this is an issue that requires a FOIA request, please let me know so I can get the paperwork started. -XXXX XXXXXXXXXX

How do you get it started?

Post up a very short version of all that, simplified down to;

Somebody's voting on _______________,
contact them here;  __________________.

This is a tad too suffistercated fur me, can't just shout "Molon Labe!" and tell 'em to ferk off?

It seems our one email finally got a real response!

Good Morning, .....wanted to respond to the email....Room 2237 does not have the capabilities that 2141 has....so webcast is not available for hearings held in that room....this particular hearing was moved to 2237 at the last minute...so we couldn't get the recording studio to handle this hearing for us....I am not sure who (committee operator) Mr. Wyszkowski talked to about this....but I can assure it wasn't Seth or myself....and as for Crime's hearing today...it will have the webcast available at the time stated on the website......kerli

responded with a transcript request (heck that's what I asked for originally!