• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The K-Var ArmoryThe K-Var Armory

The Largest Supplier of Firearms, Gun Parts, & Accessories Online

  • Shop K-Var
  • News
    • Industry
    • Politics
    • Second Amendment
    • Self Defense
    • Comics
  • Reviews
    • Anything AK
    • Anything AR
    • Gear
    • Pistols
    • Rifles
    • Shotguns
  • Newsletter

Release the Identities After the Buyback?

April 17, 2019 by Dave Workman 5 Comments

Washington State gun owners who surrendered their bump stocks in exchange for financial compensation (buyback) from the state are sounding alarms since learning of a Public Records Act (PRA) request from an individual seeking their names and addresses in order to build a database and publicly reveal their identities.

Man shooting an AR-15 rifle from a benchrest to protest a gun buyback program
A public records request for names of Washington state gun owners who turned in bump stocks has ignited a firestorm.

The request was in a brief email to the Washington State Patrol (WSP), which administered the “buyback” program in March. Under a law enacted earlier this year, the state allocated $150,000 for the purpose of “buying back” bump stocks for $150 each, with a limit of five per person. According to WSP public records officer Gretchen Dolan, the money went fast, so at least 1,000 bump stocks were turned in by Washington gun owners.

But then came the PRA request via email from an individual named “Yati Arguna,” which may be a pseudonym.

This is a public records request. I seek to inspect any and all completed WSP bump stock buy back (sic) forms. I seek to obtain the names and addresses where checks will be mailed for the bump stock buy back (sic) program. My intent is to create a searchable database and map of Washington state to overlay the locations. The public has a right to know that these dangerous devices may have been in neighborhoods that the (sic) live in and who has previously owned such devices.

WSP has been sending letters to all people who turned in their bump stocks and will receive compensation, to advise them of the request. It ignited a firestorm, best illustrated by the conversation that erupted on a popular AR-15 internet forum.

In the letter to gun owners, WSP advised, “Disclosure will occur in 15 days (April 26, 2019), absent a superior court order enjoining disclosure.” (emphasis added) This offers a course of action for gun owners, but they will have to act fast. The WSP letter was sent specifically to advise the affected gun owners of the PRA request “to give you the opportunity to seek to enjoin disclosure of the records…” Otherwise, the information on the former bump stock owners will be released because it does not appear to be protected from disclosure by law.

But there is a bizarre development that turned their wrath in the wrong direction.

Coincidentally, Kennewick-area gun rights activist Paul Holgate also submitted a more formal PRA request, with his email address and phone number, and a copy of that request, along with the “Yati Arguna” note was part of the package mailed to each participating gun owner. The result was an avalanche of telephone calls and emails to Holgate from concerned gun owners.

Holgate told Liberty Park Press, “I’m a big Second Amendment advocate and I also believe in government accountability.”

He was “bothered” that the state might be building its own database, and when he initially inquired about that, Holgate said the state declined to answer. So, he filed the PRA request, asking how many individuals turned in bump stocks, what information was collected by the state patrol, any policy or procedure documents that may have been created and how the agency disposed of the bump stocks it collected.

He does not think “Yati Arguna” actually exists.

Liberty Park Press attempted to contact that person via the email address supplied on the original note, but received no response.

Gun owners are wary about such a request because of past attempts, in other parts of the country, to identify people with gun permits and reveal their home addresses. This could, they worry, make them vulnerable to burglary or home invasion robberies, and also exposes them to possible public scorn.

In Washington state, the identities of gun owners with concealed pistol licenses is confidential by law.

For his part, Holgate said he is “just a private citizen” and a longtime gun owner who is frustrated by a wave of anti-gun activism that has erupted in recent years.

“There’s a lot of crap going down in Washington state. They’re trying to degrade our Second Amendment rights and I think the state should be held accountable…I could care less about getting information about people.”—Paul Holgate

“I totally understand why people are up in arms,” he chuckled, “but they’re up in arms at the wrong person.”

About Dave Workman

Dave Workman is an award-winning career journalist with an expertise in firearms and the outdoors. He is the author of several books dealing with firearms politics. He has a degree in editorial journalism from the University of Washington and is a lifelong Washington resident.


Sign up for K-Var’s weekly newsletter and discounts here.

Filed Under: Op-ed Tagged With: Gun Control, Gun Rights, Second Amendment

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. OldGringo says

    April 22, 2019 at 7:20 pm

    Each person who turned in a bump stock should now file a similar request and demand the actual name, address, home and cell phones, copy of current driver’s license, -property tax records, professional licenses, and copies of all public records relating to the persons who received the bump stock data. That way a database could be available on line of all such anti gun persons, along with their photograph, photos or their cars, Google Earth shots of their homes, cell phones, places of work, any professional licenses, and their personal history . And of course, school pictures or their kids and cute photos of their pets. And many jurisdictions have the actual floor plans of their homes on file for public inspection, people have right to know, where they sleep, etc, right?

    I mean, folks need to know who the people are who are undermining our way of life by public exposure, right? Anytime, you put persons data online in matters like these, there is always some wacko out there who may be pushed over the edge. Seems to me, folks should have been told at the time of the buyback that their participation in that program would be voluntary. Nobody should have to hire an attorney to keep their personal affairs private. A judge should grant the injunction because personal privacy is more important that publication of what they formerly owned that was totally legal. It seems to me that posters like a wanted poster with the photo of the anti gun person could be put up all around their neighborhood and perhaps legal protests in front of their homes, might create a level playground. These people are emotional terrorists and should be exposed. Also, any person using a fake name to procure government information could likely be prosecuted under false pretenses. Similar to filing a fake police report. Let us know how this turns out.

    Reply
  2. Chad says

    April 23, 2019 at 12:37 am

    My shit will be buried in a vault before I ever commit to any buyback you can’t buy something back that you didn’t sell in the first place!!!!

    Reply
  3. Twr says

    April 23, 2019 at 2:52 am

    I’m sort of glad this is happening to help settle an argument ang possibly save some people from disappointment; the ATF can’t have a gun database, but there is no law against an “l turned in a bumpstock” database. Now apply that same logic to 80% lowers, and don’t be surprised when show up to talk to you about your “not a firearm”.

    Reply
  4. John Maxwell says

    April 25, 2019 at 7:41 pm

    Screw the State they never can be trusted or have you best interest at heart. In CA after a 20 year ban on 30 round clips San Diego-based U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez wrote as he declared unconstitutional the law that would have banned possessing any magazines holding more than 10 bullets. After a couple winen needed a 30 round clip to fight off intruders in their home. This article mentions concern of mass shooting in San Bernardino as a reason to ban 30 round clips. People can go to Nevada and purchase a 30 round clip and return to California with them. So any law to block their sales is useless. So is “Socialist” California!

    Reply
  5. Docduracoat says

    April 27, 2019 at 7:17 am

    I am at a loss as to how the public has a right to know where bump stocks were located before they were turned in.
    What is the justification for that?
    And why would the state release information to a pseudonym?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to the Muzzle Flash – The K-Var Armory Official Newsletter!








Marketing permission: I give my consent to K-Var to be in touch with me via email using the information I have provided in this form for the purpose of news, updates and marketing.

What to expect: If you wish to withdraw your consent and stop hearing from us, simply click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email we send or contact us at news@k-var.com. We value and respect your personal data and privacy. To view our privacy policy, please visit our website. By submitting this form, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with these terms.


Recent Posts

  • ATF’s “New Era of Reform” – What Does it Mean?
  • Exploring the FIME Group FM-VZ61-01 VZ61 Parts Kit: A Gem for Collectors and Enthusiasts
  • The Vitality of Replacing Parts like Springs and Firing Pins
  • Trump’s 50% Tariff Threat: Impact on Imported Firearm Prices
  • Circle 10 “Waffle Pattern” 30-round Magazine: As Good As it Gets
Gun Broker Auctions

Archives

  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017

Categories

  • 1911
  • Accessories
  • Ammunition
  • Anything AK
  • Anything AR
  • Arex
  • Arsenal
  • Blades
  • Browning
  • Cartridges
  • Charter Arms
  • Colt
  • Comics
  • Conservation
  • Dan Wesson
  • Deer
  • Derringer
  • Gear
  • Glock
  • Hearing Protection
  • Holsters
  • How To
  • How-To
  • Hunting
  • Industry
  • Kahr
  • Kel-Tec
  • Lasers
  • News
  • NFA
  • Night Vision
  • North American Arms
  • Op-ed
  • Optics
  • Optics
  • Pistols
  • Politics
  • Predator
  • Product Recall Notice
  • Red Dot
  • Reloading
  • Reviews
  • Revolvers
  • Rifles
  • Rimfire
  • Rock Island Armory
  • Rossi
  • Ruger
  • Ruger
  • Savage
  • Second Amendment
  • Self Defense
  • Shotguns
  • SIG Sauer
  • Small Game
  • Smith and Wesson
  • Springfield
  • Tactics
  • Taurus
  • Thermal
  • Turkey
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Walther
  • Waterfowling
  • Comics
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • About
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2025 · K-Var Corp · Log in