SHOT SHOW SHOCKER? ? ?

[CJS3]

I wonder why the company names weren't mentioned? I wonder how many of the companies have big fat contracts with the US gov?

[jaybet]

First, arresting these guys at SHOT makes sense. They are all at the same place and it got every other company's undivided attention. Fair enough. Thing is though, I'm iffy on the law itself. From an FP position it makes good sense. Problem is though, that in a lot of foriegn countries (and Florida) its a pay to play system. If companies from other countries can offer payola and US companies can't, we'll lose every time. If something like this happens, it should be in the form of a treaty where major players in the arms trade like China, France Russia and Israel agree to pass similar laws. Otherwise it seems like we're making a fashion statement at the expense of reality.
FQ13

Yes this is all true...but it wasn't a bust of dealings with a foreign country, it was a STING. The federal government set out to ENTRAP these "undesireables" with a (most likely) irresistable deal, and have now locked them up for doing what our own government has been doing for years with foreign countries: making shady deals. But it's not even a shady deal!!!
It's an OBAMA CRANK BAIT that they all bit on! This is BS. Of course the little dictators and the cabinet guys get their cut...how many of them are being greased right now by our own government? But Bho can't get them one way, he'll get them another.

[TAB]

Aresting them at shot makes perfect sense.

1 they are all there, so there is very little chance of the word getting out and them fleeing.

2 sends a very strong message to the industry.

[GUNS-R-US]

I have a had time believing 22 different companies would be in together on something like this.

[tombogan03884]

First, arresting these guys at SHOT makes sense. They are all at the same place and it got every other company's undivided attention. Fair enough. Thing is though, I'm iffy on the law itself. From an FP position it makes good sense. Problem is though, that in a lot of foriegn countries (and Florida) its a pay to play system. If companies from other countries can offer payola and US companies can't, we'll lose every time. If something like this happens, it should be in the form of a treaty where major players in the arms trade like China, France Russia and Israel agree to pass similar laws. Otherwise it seems like we're making a fashion statement at the expense of reality.
FQ13

The problem is that ever since Boeing got in trouble with Korea, it's been established law that "Payola" violates US law.
One of the companies I worked for years ago made us all sit through a class on Business ethics, the basic rule of thumb was play it by the book because seemingly small things can have major consequences.
Example, You've been doing a lot of work with Mr. X over the years and have gotten to know his family, You give his wife a set of earrings for her birthday. 2 weeks later His company signs another contract with yours. An investigator could present the "Birthday Present" as buying influence.

[Sponsor]

[Solus]

I wonder why the company names weren't mentioned? I wonder how many of the companies have big fat contracts with the US gov?

My guess is that, at this time, they have no proof this was with the company's approval or knowledge and thus are only prosecuting the individual and protecting the name of the assumed innocent company.

[Woody]

 This ammo for the U.N. Arms treaty, watch your rights gun owners.

[Paraguy]

Those Executives should have renamed themselves "Lobbyists" so what they were doing would be legal.  The difference between bribing officials and lobbying is like the difference between a "cemetary" and a "marble orchard" - one just sounds better than the other but at the end of the day they are the same thing.

[ratcatcher55]

I attended an ITAR course last year that was pretty interesting.

Big loser was ITT. They gave away (gifts) 4th gen night vision google to folks without proper export license.
Total fine in 2007 was $100 million.

The strange thing about this the criiminal invetigation is that it's usually run by DCIS, State, Commerce or ICE. The warrants are served by the US Marshals. The FBI normally works on this stuff only if there is espionage involved.

I think this is grandstanding to the gunmakers by AG Holder. Message delivered by the FEBE's

[tt11758]

BTW: Anyone heard from M'ette lately

We exchanged some texts about an hour ago that ended with her telling me to hang it in my ass.