Lies, Damn Lies, and Mexican Gun Statistics

90 percent of guns used to commit crimes in Mexico come from the United States. You’ve heard Hillary Clinton and Dianne Feinstein say it. Bob Schieffer of CBS News said it to President Obama during an interview, and even the assistant BATFE director said it. So it must be true.

Except it is a LIE.

Fox News reports that the number, which represents the percentage of weapons recovered in Mexico that could be traced to sources in the United States, is 17%, and does include those guns legitimately purchased by the Mexican government from U.S. sources. That’s right, so even if the Mexican version of the DEA buys some Rock River Tactical assault rifles and issues one to an agent who switches sides (like that never happens) and is later arrested with it, that gun is included in the 17 percent. Or the Mexican cop who sells his issue Springfield Armory XD-40, bought from a U.S. wholesaler, for some extra cash and claims it was “stolen” (Like this never happens, either), and the gun is later recovered at a crime scene.

It seems that the Obama administration is using every tactic it can to bolster its case for more gun control, this time in the name of international security.

Except the case would be more compelling if they stuck to the actual facts.