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PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: April 1, 2002 Newspaper Classified Ads Allow Prohibited Purchasers to Buy Firearms Without a Background CheckYou’ve heard of the gun show loophole; what about the newspaper loophole?Cedar Rapids, IA – The unregulated sale of firearms through classified ads in newspapers poses a potential threat to Iowans according to a report released today by Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence (IPGV). The report, Newspaper Loophole a Potential Threat to Iowans, provides the results of a survey of newspaper classified advertising policy of Iowa newspapers. The survey revealed that 20 out of 23 (87%) of Iowa newspapers with daily circulation greater than 5,000 accept classified ads for guns from unlicensed sellers. Of the newspapers that accept classified ads for guns, six newspapers stated that they take ads for rifles and shotguns only, while the other 14 newspapers take ads for all guns – rifles, shotguns, and handguns. The three Iowa newspapers that don’t accept classified ads for guns from unlicensed sellers are the Clinton Herald, The Daily Iowan (Iowa City), and the Quad City Times (Davenport). The Clinton Herald adopted its no gun ad policy following the school shootings at Columbine High School in 1999. The Quad City Times accepts classified ads for guns from federally licensed gun dealers only. They do not take ads from unlicensed sellers. Under the Brady law, federally licensed gun dealers are required to conduct criminal background checks on all buyers and maintain records of their transactions. However, unlicensed individuals selling firearms from a “personal collection” are not required to conduct background checks or keep records. The report notes that most Americans have heard of the “gun show loophole” that allows unlicensed sellers to sell guns at gun shows without conducting a criminal background check on the buyer. But gun shows are just one venue for the unregulated sale of firearms by unlicensed sellers without criminal background checks. Other venues include flea markets, estate sales, firearm sales over the Internet, and firearm sales through classified ads in newspapers. We call the unregulated sale of firearms through classified ads in newspapers the “newspaper loophole,” said John Johnson, executive director of Iowans for the Prevention of Gun Violence. “And like the gun show loophole, the newspaper loophole allows felons, domestic abusers, minors, terrorists and other persons in prohibited categories to buy firearms with no criminal background check, no record of sale, no questions asked. This puts Iowans at increased of gun violence.” To support its claim, IPGV points to a 1999 incident in Illinois and Indiana. In June of 1999, Benjamin Nathaniel Smith, a member of a white supremacist hate group, attempted to purchase firearms from a federally licensed gun dealer in Peoria Heights, Illinois. However, the purchase was denied when a criminal background check revealed that Smith was subject to a court restraining order secured by an ex-girlfriend. Shortly thereafter, Smith purchased two guns (a Bryco .38 caliber handgun and a Ruger .22 caliber handgun) from Donald Fiessinger of Pekin, Illinois. Fiessinger advertised the guns sold to Smith in the classified section of the Peoria Journal Star newspaper. Over the following July 4th weekend, Smith went on a shooting spree in Illinois and Indiana that targeted African Americans, Jews, and Asians, killing two and wounding nine others. Killed were Ricky Byrdsong, former Northwestern University basketball coach, and Won Joon Yoon, a South Korean doctoral student at Indiana University. The spree ended when Smith committed suicide following a police chase after his car was spotted in southern Illinois. IPGV recently sent letters to Iowa newspapers that currently take classified ads for guns from unlicensed sellers. The letter asked newspapers to voluntarily stop taking classified ads for guns from unlicensed sellers. The letter noted that the Chicago Tribune and Philadelphia Enquirer recently changed their classified advertising policy stop taking classified ads for guns after the newspaper loophole was brought to their attention. “We would like to commend those Iowa newspapers that have taken responsible action to prevent prohibited purchasers from being able to buy guns through classified ads in newspapers,” said Kirsten Meredith, communications coordinator of IPGV. “We hope that more Iowa newspapers will follow their example as an exercise of civic responsibility.” “This country needs to do more to prevent prohibited purchasers from gaining access to guns,” said Johnson. “Because of inaction by Congress and the Iowa General Assembly, we need to look at non-legislative initiatives. Closing the newspaper loophole is one such initiative.” The survey of Iowa newspapers was conducted by IPGV as part of a national campaign to close the newspaper loophole – a project by 24 state and grassroots gun violence prevention organizations working in 16 states. Of a total of 282 newspapers contacted in the 16 states, 217 newspapers (77%) responded that they accept classified ads for guns. Sixty-five newspapers (23%) responded that they do not take classified ads for guns. IPGV’s executive director, John Johnson, spokesperson for the national campaign, explained that the objective of the campaign is not to criticize newspapers for their current policy, but to explain the concern with the unregulated sale of firearms through classified ads in newspapers. “We are confident that other newspapers, like the Chicago Tribune and Philadelphia Enquirer will reconsider their classified ads policy in the interest of public safety,” said Johnson.
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