Posted by Eugene Volokh:
Interesting Question on Incoming Administratin's Questionnaire for those
Seeking High Posts:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2008_11_09-2008_11_15.shtml#1226598045
[1]Question 59:
Do you or any members of your immediate family own a gun? If so,
provide complete ownership and registration information. Has the
registration ever lapsed? Please also describe how and by whom it
is used and whether it has been the cause of any personal injuries
or property damage.
(See the [2]New York Times article.) Naturally, the Administration is
entitled to know a great deal about its prospective high-ranking
members, especially with regard to possible violations of the law,
both for its own sake and in order to anticipate possible political
problems. And the questionnaire certainly asks about a lot more than
just guns, e.g., question 46, "Have any members of your family or
close social or business associates been arrested for, charged with
and/or convicted of a crime, other than a minor traffic violation? If
so, please identify and describe each such arrest, charge or
conviction. Please provide the same information for anyone under your
professional supervision, or anyone of your superiors." Still, it
struck me as interesting that gun ownership and gun registration was
one of the things that they'd specifically ask about. It also struck
me as interesting, though perhaps necessary given the reasonable worry
about political blowback should the facts come out, that people would
be told to report (1) gun ownership not just by themselves but also by
immediate family members, and (2) possible hitherto undisclosed
criminal conduct by their immediate family members (which likely
includes adult children and possibly parents or siblings, though
that's hard to tell).
References
1.
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/national/13apply_questionnaire.pdf
2.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/13/us/politics/13apply.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
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