Virginia Senator to Bring Back Expanded Background Check Bill

“It’s coming back,” said Virginia Senator Joe Manchin Tuesday about his bipartisan bill to expand background checks on gun sales, a bill which failed to pass on its first run through the Senate last month. [more]

HOUSTON - Members of the National Rifle Association were assured that they would never have to surrender their firearms. Along with this statement they were told that the fight against government gun control is far [more]

Senate Rejects Expanded Gun Background Checks

WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans backed by a small band of rural-state Democrats scuttled the most far-reaching gun control legislation in two decades Wednesday, rejecting tighter background checks for buyers and a ban on assault weapons [more]

Day of Reckoning for Expanded Background Checks

D-Day: Today, consideration of the Manchin-Toomey background check proposal and a myriad other gun amendments, including a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity clips, will be the main event on Capitol Hill. The outcome of [more]

Deal Reached on Gun Background Check Bill

WASHINGTON - Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa. announced that they have reached a compromise bill on Wednesday that expands background checks on gun purchases, and possibly paving the way for votes [more]

Both Gun Control Parties Make Public Appeal

WASHINGTON — Two of the loudest voices in the gun debate say it’s up to voters now to make their position known to Congress. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and National Rifle Associate Executive Vice President [more]

••••••

Background Report Mistake Still on Record after Three Decades

Denver, Colorado – A Denver resident was pulled over and was mistaken for a murder homicide suspect from Michigan, almost four decades ago back in 1975 in Commerce City. He sat in a county jail for 5 days and was later released and was never charged with any crime.

Decades later, James White, has forgotten about the incident, but his criminal background check records never forgot. For years, Mr. White has been denied by lenders, landlords, and employers, and rarely received any call backs, because they only saw one word in his background check report – Homicide.

He only discovered this mistake on his report when a landlord talked to him and explained why he couldn’t rent out an apartment to him. He was shocked to learn what was on his report and what people who have viewed his report had been seeing.

White has had very bad luck in looking for jobs in the past years and has also had trouble finding a place to rent. “I never murdered anybody” White said. He’s not sure how much of his misfortune can be traced back to that incident back in 1975.

Landlords, lenders and employers regularly run background checks on any applicants to check whether or not they pass their qualifications. They use background checking services which keep records of arrests, charges and convictions and can be searched by the public for a small fee.

When White learned of his record, he convinced authorities to add a disposition line noting that no formal charges were filed. Usually when a person wants a record to be removed from their background check report, they would need to request the court to seal the said records, but this would require the use of lawyers and will take a lot of time and money.

This situations shows the need for people to know what is on their background check reports, as mistakes and errors do occur. Sometimes through mistaken identity or identity theft, which is rampant in the United States. There’s a very real possibility that someone might have stolen your identity. This does happen, and they use your name and information, and if they’re arrested, it might show up on your record.