The FBI has already attacked our First Amendment freedoms of speech, press, and religion. It was only a matter of time before it went after our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.
Earlier this month an FBI search raised concerns over both government overreach and corporate America’s role in protecting consumer privacy.
Liberty Safe, a popular American gun safe manufacturer, confirmed in a statement that it gave the FBI an access code for a safe belonging to Nathan Hughes, 34, who was the subject of an FBI search warrant.
"Liberty Safe is devoted to protecting the personal property and 2nd amendment rights of our customers and has repeatedly denied requests for access codes without a warrant in the past," the statement said. "We do not give out combinations without proper legal documentation being provided by authorities."
If the FBI presents a search warrant signed by a federal district judge, one might believe that should be sufficient. But not necessarily, according to Andy Ross, chairman of American Rebel Holdings, which owns American Rebel Safe Company.
"The FBI had a warrant to go into Nathan Hughes' home," he told Newsmax. "But that doesn’t apply to Liberty."
Ross formerly hosted "Maximum Archery" and "American Rebel" on the Outdoor Channel for 12 years, where he bowhunted the world over and featured his love of self-defense, firearms, tactical skills and music.
He said it’s not supposed to be that easy for the FBI.
"What we would have done and what you see the tech companies do, is you can get a warrant for a back-door code, to, in the case of Apple, to retrieve some text messages or what have you."
However, "you will fight that court order and go through the courts to protect that privacy as best you can," Ross said.
Individuals who purchase safes — whether to store firearms, valuables, or mementoes, are purchasing security and privacy from others — including the government. And that privacy should be honored.
In other words, customers of safe companies don’t so much buy a product so much as they do a service — peace of mind.
In the case of Liberty, “they basically just rolled over and gave the information, willingly, without putting up any type of resistance or fight or putting it through any legal process,” Ross said.
A larger problem exists with respect to this incident, which was arguably another case of government overreach.
Hughes was targeted by the FBI after he had been charged with felony civil disorder and several misdemeanors related to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol Hill riot.
The problem is that there’s no connection between the alleged offense — civil disorder related to the January 6 riot — and the items sought by the FBI — the contents of a gun safe.
The Jan.6 protesters neither used nor even displayed firearms.
The only gun discharged was one owned by Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd, who lay in wait before shooting and killing unarmed protester and female Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt.
And the fact that it was another Capitol Hill riot story added fuel to the fire.
Said Ross, “If this story wasn’t related to the January 6 incident, I don’t know that it would have made the news cycle like it did.”
He added that back-door codes are for the customer’s use — not law enforcement’s.
"We get 500 calls a year from people who need to get into their safe.
"They forgot their combination, maybe they screwed up when they reset their combination. Maybe someone has passed away in the family who was the only person with the combination."
In such an instance "you go through a double-verification process to make sure that we’re dealing with the registered safe owner.
"And that’s why the back-door for each individual lock exists — so they don’t have to destroy their safe in order to get into it."
The back-door passcode is the property of the safe owner — not the company, and not law enforcement.
Accordingly, "on our warranty card and registration there is a box you can check. if you check that box, we will delete the back-door passcode. So if you don’t want us to have it we don’t have to have it."
He added, "and if we have it, we’re only authorized to give it to the registered safe owner."
Since Joe Biden entered the White House, the FBI has targeted conservative Christians, moms speaking at school board meetings, and journalists with stories critical to the administration — activities protected under the First Amendment.
Some have suggested that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms is in place to protect our rights under the First.
It was only a matter of time before they’d go after our Second Amendment rights.
Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.