Publicola

EPIC, the Electronic Privacy Information Center has filed an amicus curiae in the Chicago vs. BATF case.
The gist of it all is that Chicago wants the BATF to release all it's info on gun purchases, which would include names & addresses of gun owners. The BATF has refused saying it's a violation of an individuals privacy. EPIC is stepping in saying it can guarantee the individuals privacy while providing Chicago the info it wants.
Chicago wants the info to help prepare its lawsuit against gun manufacturers. BATF doesn't want to turn over records because it's a violation of federal law to keep a list of gun owners for the purposes of registration. The BATF keeps records liek that, but they don't like to talk about it. The GCA of 68 requires a form to be filled out for every firearms purchase made by an individual from a dealer. The dealer keeps those forms untill they go out of business, at which point the forms are turned in to the BATF, thereby giving the BATF a gun registry w/o having expressly set one up. So if info is made available that looks like a gun registry, the BATF may have some 'splainin' to do. & if you knwo anything about the BATF they don't do 'splainin' very well. I mention this just so you don't think the BATF is really concerned about your privacy. They're just trying to cover their own backside.
EPIC's angle is unclear, but suspicious.