FBI arrests S&W VP at SHOT show

[boomerang]

The subject was serious: a scheme by military and law enforcement products industry executives to bribe foreign government officials that culminated in Monday's arrest of 21 business leaders in town to attend the Shooting, Hunting Outdoor Trade Show at the Sands Expo & Convention Center. Indictments were unsealed Tuesday in Washington outlining a 21/2-year FBI undercover sting operation that alleges 22 people participated in an attempt to bribe a person they believed to be a minister of defense for an African nation.

Among those reportedly arrested were the VP of sales for Smith & Wesson and a previous deputy assistant director of the U.S. Secret Service.

full story

[drjoker]

Like I said before, Obama might be bringing nuisance lawsuits to gun industry companies that don't comply with his gun ban agenda. Think about it, if the US govt doesn't buy your stuff then you'll have to peddle it abroad. Having done business overseas, I can tell you that ALL third world government officials are on the take. If you don't bribe 'em, you're NOT gonna sell anything to 'em. Expect ammo and gun prices to skyrocket. Expect ammo shortages to continue.

Please, folks, write your congressmen and senators. Let 'em know that we're watching and this is NOT constitutional!

Thanks,

[seamusTX]

Two and a half years. Do the math, people.

The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been the law of the land for over 30 years. A person does not have to like the law, but he breaks it at his peril.

- Jim

[57Coastie]

Like I said before, Obama might be bringing nuisance lawsuits to gun industry companies that don't comply with his gun ban agenda. Think about it, if the US govt doesn't buy your stuff then you'll have to peddle it abroad. Having done business overseas, I can tell you that ALL third world government officials are on the take. If you don't bribe 'em, you're NOT gonna sell anything to 'em. Expect ammo and gun prices to skyrocket. Expect ammo shortages to continue.

Please, folks, write your congressmen and senators. Let 'em know that we're watching and this is NOT constitutional!

Thanks,

Just what makes this a "nuisance lawsuit?" Just what does this have with a "gun ban agenda?" Just what is "NOT constitutional?"

This is a prosecution for the alleged violation of a demonstrably constitutional federal criminal statute.

With respect,

Jim

[joe817]

The defendants are accused of violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), which prohibits U.S. citizens and companies from bribing foreign officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business. (Oddly enough, the law allows for the bribery of foreign officials in an effort to get them to conduct routine business, such as the expediting of licensing and customs processing.)

I find it fascinating and confusing the FCPA. It's against federal law to offer a commission to a minister to win a contract, but it's not against the law to bribe that same minister(or a different government official for that matter) for granting an import license, or to expedite customs processing. Does the reporter have his facts straight regarding FCPA? I don't know.

This will be an interesting story to follow. Thanks for posting boomerang.

[wgoforth]

And they just happen to arrest them at Shot Show? Sounds like doing it for the show doesn't it? I read several articles pertaining to the story, and we know the media only gets facts half correct. That being said, as I pieced it together, what I came away with was that SW and others had an undercover sting in which a man claimed to be the representative of an African Ministry of Defense. He said he would charge them a 20% commission to handle a buy for 25 guns in hopes of a bigger deal. They agreed. If that is all there is, I don't see how that is bribery. Sounds more like they were set up if what I am reading is all there is to it.

http://www.bostonherald.com/business/ge ... 0&srvc=rss" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[android]

The intent is pretty clear if you think about it. It creates a level playing field for US companies operating abroad.

Bribery is not allowed to win or retain business. Allowing this would mean that contracts would go to whoever was willing to pay the biggest bribe. Allowing graft to "expedite" normal duties and procedures is allowed because you can assume that company A will have to pay about the same amount of grease as company B to get their containers unloaded at the dock and this does not influence what company wins the contract.

It's imperfect, but it's the law and if all US companies follow it, then there wouldn't be much of a problem. If a foreign govt wants US goods, and no US corp will pay bribes, then they will have to purchase on the merits of the product and the price just like all the rest of us.

[seamusTX]

It's entrapment when you're sympathetic to the defendant. It's a sting when you're not.

- Jim

[joe817]

More confusion:

The defendants allegedly agreed to pay a 20 percent commission to a sales agent they believed represented the defense minister for an African country.

A sales agent. A broker. A third party. One who earns a living by setting up deals. The U.S. real estate industry is founded on that. Either something's terribly amiss, or I'm just not getting it.

Austinrealtor, what's your take on this?

Thanks for posting wgoforth.

[shootthesheet]

No matter if laws were broken or not they waited to do this until it would get the most media attention and tie every gun manufacturer in to the arrests because they were at the Shot Show. One truth about the Federal government is that separate agencies and such are not directly controlled by any one President. However, if the people in charge of that agency are of the same political belief they certainly work with that leader to help their shared agenda. So, this investigation may have started 18 months ago but was only crafted for entrapment 12 months ago when Obama took office or sometime since. If laws were broken then the guilty should be punished and/or the law changed. The gun industry should track previous arrest and future arrests for all crimes investigated and charged to see if this was not just simply an attack on the 2A rights of Americans, a ploy to scare S & W into another "Agreement" with the Feds or a legitimate investigation. Obama is an anti-capitalist and certainly anti-2A so this may appear to be a winning move no matter the outcome.

This may be a test to see public opinion on further Federal control and take over of even more private industries. Since the firearm industry is one of the few that has been profitable and since those in charge of the Fed are anti-2A I can easily see a direct connection to Obama and the leadership in Congress pushing this. Not really a shock that it happed on/about Obamas one year anniversary in office and their loss of their super majority in the Senate.

I agree that no American company can do business outside of the U.S. without payoffs. That is not just limited to third world countries either. I think we will have to wait and see just what happens and how the media will try to tie other companies in to this at Obamas direction. I expect this is the new "crisis" of the Progressive Socialists in this country and abroad will try to push down our throats since it seems Healthcare is stalled. To me this is just the National Democrats in charge moving down their list of "things to do".

[57Coastie]

More confusion:

The defendants allegedly agreed to pay a 20 percent commission to a sales agent they believed represented the defense minister for an African country.

A sales agent. A broker. A third party. One who earns a living by setting up deals. The U.S. real estate industry is founded on that. Either something's terribly amiss, or I'm just not getting it.

Austinrealtor, what's your take on this?

Thanks for posting wgoforth.

There is no confusion. While waiting for Autinrealtor to reply, let me ask him another question: If a realtor's sales and purchasers are limited to within the United States, do you think that is relevant to "your take on this?"

Let me submit another couple of takes on this.

Is it possible that some readers recognize that by arresting all 21 in Las Vegas, where they were known to congregate at the SHOT show, rather than sending Special Agents all around the country with arrest warrants, saved the taxpayer a few bucks? As did being able to take all 21 to convenient local magistrate? Cooi. Someone was thinking.

Let me share with you a comment made by one attendee at the SHOT show when he learned of these arrests:

Medal of Honor recipient Sammy L. Davis, whose heroic actions during the Vietnam War were portrayed in the 1994 movie "Forrest Gump," lauded the FBI's sting operation.

"Well, God bless the FBI for doing their job," Davis, of Freedom, Ind., said while strolling the exhibit floor with his wife, Dixie.

"There is nothing broken in this nation that we cannot repair," the 63-year-old, retired sergeant first class said, wearing his dress blue uniform with the Medal of Honor strapped around his neck.

"That's what America is all about. That's what my daddy taught me. Stand up and do what's right in your heart."

http://www.lvrj.com/news/fbi-arrests-21 ... 43557.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Respectfully,

Jim

[wgoforth]

I'm not so sure that having Forest Gumps approval makes it any better!

[57Coastie]

... an attack on the 2A rights of Americans...

And I thought I understood the Second Amendment issue, as it is developing in our courts. But new it appears that a right to keep and bear arms includes a right for a manufacturer/dealer to sell them abroad while making a payoff to an agent of an ultimate purchaser.

With respect,

Jim

[joe817]

57Coastie as always, your comments are deeply appreciated.

[57Coastie]

I'm not so sure that having Forest Gumps approval makes it any better!

Funny. Of course you realize that you are not laughing at Forrest Gump. You are laughing at Staff Sergeant (Ret.) Sammy L. Davis, a man who legitimately earned the label "hero," as compared with the loose way we see that word bandied about these days.

If a reader wants to learn something about Sgt. Davis, he can read the citation accompanying his award of the Congressional Medal of Honor here:

http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citatio ... davis.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jim