To hear the representatives from MSP at their testimony on HB-52 earlier this year, and judging by the LEO statements made on a certain other MD 2A-related forum (which I shall not name), the vetting procedure done by MSP for gun purchase is SO rigorous that it has no parallel in the entire nation, and MSP's procedures are SO thorough that they simply can't trust any other state's background checks to be up to MDs lofty standards.
I think we all know what that really means...
What it means is when they want to deny someone (because of race, political leanings, ethnicity, or location) they just do it as a matter of course.
And when they drop the ball and some criminal ends up with a gun, they push the blame on someone else, as is the case in ALL MD politics...
Dealers DO NOT do background checks in MD or in any other state. The FBI and the MSP do the checks in MD. If a criminal gets a gun through a legal channel in MD, there are FOUR parties, and four parties ONLY that need to take the blame:
1) the FBI/NCIS
2)MSP
3) the criminal
4) any associated "straw purchaser"
Blaming anyone else is plain, unadulterated BS, and is ignoring the REAL problems, which are, that there is almost NO WAY to eliminate straw purchases, and MSP's approval and investigation procedures are so arbitrary, capricious, and non-standardized that they are nearly GUARANTEED to fail, and are impossible to apply any sort of oversight or culpability to...
The Post isn't even worthy of hamster cage liner, IMO. The only thing I use the WaPo for is for is packing material--it's great for wrapping up glassware and dishes when you move.
Maybe all the "fluff" in their articles aids in it's padding abilities...