Biden’s Gone – So Why Is His Anti-Gun Agenda Still Alive at the DOJ?

According to Phil Reboli of Gun Owners of America (GOA), something strange is happening at the Department of Justice: the Biden administration may be out, but its anti-gun prosecutions are still rolling forward. In a recent episode of Law & Ammo, Reboli laid out the evidence that Biden’s weaponization of federal agencies like the DOJ and ATF against law-abiding gun owners and conservative sheriffs hasn’t stopped under the new Trump administration – and that’s raising serious concerns for Second Amendment advocates.

Reboli calls it a continuation of the “law letter prosecutions,” which started under Biden and targeted gun dealers and sheriffs for legally obtaining and transferring post-1986 machine guns. Despite these actions being lawful under existing ATF regulations for decades, the Biden-era DOJ flipped the rules on their head and began charging people with conspiracy and false statements. The surprising part? These prosecutions are still being carried out.

Understanding the “Law Letter” Loophole

At the core of these prosecutions is a set of provisions in federal law known as the Hughes Amendment, part of the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986. As Reboli explains, this law bans new machine guns for civilian use but carves out an exception for government agencies. That means gun dealers can still obtain and demonstrate machine guns, as long as a law enforcement agency provides a “law letter” expressing interest.

This loophole allowed gun dealers to import or manufacture “post-1986 dealer samples” for law enforcement demonstration purposes. For decades, the ATF accepted these law letters without requiring that an agency actually buy the firearm. All that was needed was interest or intent to evaluate a weapon, not proof of purchase.

A Rule Change with No Legal Basis

Reboli points out that Biden’s ATF, led by officials like Eric Epstein, decided that wasn’t enough anymore. Without a change in the law, the ATF suddenly claimed that law letters must be tied to actual use for “official duties” and that any deviation would constitute a crime.

For the first time, the ATF also started claiming that gun dealers couldn’t keep post-1986 machine guns unless those weapons were specifically demonstrated or sold to agencies. Reboli notes that none of this is in the statute – or even in the ATF’s own prior regulations. It’s a completely new legal standard created out of thin air.

The DOJ Begins Charging Gun Dealers and Sheriffs

This shift didn’t just stay on paper. According to Reboli, Biden’s DOJ began criminally charging those who followed the old rules, including sheriffs and licensed gun dealers. Charges included making false statements on law letters, unlawful possession of machine guns, and conspiracy.

Reboli says it was clear who the targets were: conservative lawmen, MAGA-aligned sheriffs, and outspoken supporters of former President Donald Trump. These weren’t shady underground dealers. These were public officials and business owners with clean records who had followed the same process the ATF had previously approved for years.

The Test Case: Chief Bradley Wendt

Reboli highlights the DOJ’s test case: Chief Bradley Wendt of Adair, Iowa. A licensed gun dealer and local police chief, Wendt was charged with making false statements under ATF’s new rules. He was convicted in a criminal trial, but the conviction is now under appeal in the Eighth Circuit. GOA has filed an amicus brief supporting Went.

During oral arguments, two of the three appellate judges appeared deeply skeptical of the DOJ’s legal theory. They pointed out that the law only requires that possession be “under the authority” of a political subdivision, not necessarily tied to a narrow view of “official duties.” Even the FBI, the judges noted, regularly conducts public machine gun demos without violating the law.

The Frederick County Acquittal

The second case didn’t go so well for the DOJ. In deep-blue Maryland, a jury unanimously acquitted gun dealer Robert Krop on all charges. Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, a Trump-supporting MAGA sheriff from Frederick County, had his charges quietly dropped shortly afterward. Reboli believes this was a clear sign the DOJ’s made-up standard couldn’t survive courtroom scrutiny.

This outcome dealt a major blow to the credibility of the prosecutions – and yet, Reboli says, the cases didn’t stop.

The Larry Vickers Case Raises Eyebrows

Among the highest-profile targets is Larry Vickers, a decorated Delta Force veteran, YouTuber, and vocal critic of gun control. Reboli explains that Vickers and several others – police chiefs, gun dealers, and even former sheriff Manny Gonzalez – were all swept up in a sweeping conspiracy charge over law letters. Vickers eventually took a plea deal in late 2023, while three others still face trial.

It’s worth asking, as Reboli does: why would such a politically charged case, launched under Biden, still be active today under a DOJ now led by Attorney General Pam Bondi?

The Biden Agenda Is Still Haunting the DOJ

Reboli is baffled, and frankly frustrated, that these cases continue under a supposedly pro-gun administration. President Trump, he says, has been a strong Second Amendment defender. He even helped create a Second Amendment Enforcement Task Force at DOJ. And Bondi, his pick for Attorney General, has rolled back countless Biden-era rules and launched lawsuits against anti-gun states.

So why, Reboli asks, are these old prosecutions still funded, still active, and still threatening people’s lives and livelihoods?

A Political Witch Hunt Disguised as Law Enforcement

Reboli makes no effort to sugarcoat his view: these prosecutions were politically motivated from the start. They weren’t about enforcing firearm laws – they were about targeting Trump supporters, law-abiding gun owners, and anyone who dared to resist federal overreach.

From conservative sheriffs to YouTube personalities, it’s no coincidence, Reboli says, that the targets all share one thing in common: opposition to Biden’s gun control policies.

This Should’ve Been Canceled on Day One

Here’s where things get interesting – and frustrating. If Biden had won a second term, no one would be surprised to see these prosecutions continue. But under Trump and Bondi, these cases should’ve been the first to get tossed. Reboli says he hopes this is just an oversight – a leftover agenda item that simply slipped through the cracks.

But every day these cases continue is another day that gun owners are being punished under a political agenda that’s no longer in power. That’s not just bad optics – it’s dangerous precedent.

Time to Speak Up and Shut It Down

Reboli ends with a call to action. He urges gun owners, GOA members, and Second Amendment supporters to flood Congress with letters, calls, and emails. Tell your lawmakers: stop funding DOJ’s anti-gun prosecutions. Demand Attorney General Bondi review every case and dismiss those rooted in Biden-era overreach.

Because if the Trump administration doesn’t fix this, then it’s allowing a weaponized government to carry on under a different name. That’s not justice. That’s betrayal.

Prosecutions With No Place in a Free Country

Phil Reboli’s report is more than a history lesson – it’s a warning. When the rules change overnight, and people are punished retroactively for following the law, we’re no longer living in a nation of laws. We’re living under political persecution. And if that persecution can continue even after a major shift in government, something is deeply broken.

The Biden DOJ may have started these prosecutions, but it’s up to the current administration to end them. If they don’t, the message to gun owners is loud and clear: no matter who you vote for, your rights are still at risk.