Jan 9, 2016 2 min read

Days after President Barack Obama signed an executive order mandating that anyone who sells firearms – including over the Internet and at gun shows – is licensed and conducts background checks on their customers, prospective gun buyers filled several buildings at a gun show Saturday at Washington County Fairgrounds in Chartiers Township.

“We have about twice as many people as we normally get,” said Fred Burgdolt of ARH Sports Shop in Claysville, who has been organizing the show four times a year at the fairgrounds for about two decades. “Obama is the best gun salesman.”

“Why in the hell would a criminal come to a gun show to buy a gun,” he added. “If you have three drunk driving arrests in five years, you can’t buy a gun, but you can still purchase a vehicle.”

Burgdolt said laws already on the books need to be enforced.

“When is the last time that a person who robbed a convenience store with a gun got the mandatory five-year sentence,” Burgdolt asked. “The five-year sentence is the first thing to be plea bargained out.”

Burgdolt said Internet gun sales have been talked about, but noted it has been illegal to sell guns through the mail since the 1960s.

“The gun has to be sent from one licensed dealer to another licensed dealer,” Burgdolt said.

The FBI is overhauling the background check system. Envisioned improvements include the ability to process background checks 24 hours a day, seven days a week and improving the notification to local police when certain prohibited persons unlawfully attempt to buy a gun. The FBI is expected to hire more than 230 additional examiners and other staff to help process the background checks.

“Enforce the laws,” Burgdolt said. “We do our part.”

Several visitors at the show were asked to comment on Obama’s executive order, but chose not to respond.

The gun show continues today.