Report: Gun permits weren’t scrutinized

Employee who did background checks couldn't log into system for a year.

TALLAHASSEE —The Florida agency led by GOP gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam did not conduct national background checks on those seeking concealed carry permits for more than a year, according to an inspector general report first reported by the Tampa Bay Times.

Putnam’s Department of Agsingle riculture is in charge of issuing concealed carry permits and conducting background checks. But according to the report, Lisa Wilde, the employee responsible for the background checks, was unable to log in to the system as of at least April 7, 2016. The problem went unnoticed until March 2017.

Wilde was fired when the lapse was discovered.

According to the Times, there were 268,000 applica- tions approved between July 2016 and June 2017, and 6,470 denied for incomplete forms or ineligibility. In the year since, there have been 2,000 more denials than the previous year.

The lapses could potentially have allowed those with mental illnesses to carry weapons in public.

In a written statement Friday evening, Putnam said “a criminal background investigation was completed on every application. Upon discovery of this former employee’s negligence in not conducting the further review required on 365 applications, we immediately completed full background checks on those 365 applications, which resulted in 291 revocations. The former employee was both deceitful and negligent, and we immediately launched an investigation

and implemented safeguards to ensure this never happens again.”

Democrats reacted strongly, with some calling on Putnam to drop out of the governor’s race and some suggesting he resign from his current job of state Agriculture commissioner.

U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, a Democrat whose district includes Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, was furious at the revelation. Deutch, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, called for Congress to investigate.

Writing on Twitter, Deutch said Putnam “failed to run concealed carry background checks for OVER 1 YEAR. My blood is boiling. This is an unimaginable failure for anyone who serves the public. He made FL less safe. He put lives at risk. He must resign.”

Most of the Democratic gubernatorial candidates agreed.

“Adam Putnam should resign,” Chris King, a Winter Park businessman, said in a written statement.

Former U.S. Rep. Gwen Graham offered a similarly succinct statement: “Drop out now, Adam.”

Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum and former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine condemned Putnam but didn’t go as far as the other two candidates in calling on Putnam to step aside as a candidate or quit his current job.

“Adam Putnam’s rhetoric on guns has been dangerous — but this is far worse,” Gillum said. “His department’s failure to conduct background checks is a dereliction of his duties and he should consider whether he is able to continue running for Governor or serving as Commissioner.”

Levine said Putnam’s “lack of due diligence and disregard to follow protocols endangered communities and put people’s lives at unnecessary risk . ... These developments require an immediate response from Commissioner Putnam, starting with if he deserves to continue to serve in his current role.”

U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a Democrat who represents Palm Beach County, said on Twitter that the failure was “shockingly irresponsible.” And Terrie Rizzo, the chairwoman of the Florida State and Palm Beach County Democratic parties, said the new information “should disqualify Adam Putnam from being governor.”

U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, who is competing with Putnam for the Republican nomination, didn’t issue any campaign statements Friday afternoon, and he was silent on Twitter.