Liberty Safe allows FBI to seize gun safe contents without court order.

Liberty ‍Safe Grants FBI‌ Backdoor‌ Access to Customer’s Gun Safe

Liberty Safe ​willingly ​provided the FBI with backdoor⁤ access to one of its customers’ gun safes, complying with the federal ⁣law enforcement agency’s demand.

“The‍ feds⁤ called the manufacturer of his Liberty ‍Gun Safe⁣ and got the passcode to get into it too. All ‍for protesting at the Capitol over ​2 1/2 ⁣years ago,” conservative YouTubers the Hodge Twins alleged in⁢ a post on X on⁣ Monday.

Owner Arrested and Charged

Nathan Hughes, the 34-year-old owner of the compromised Liberty gun safe, was arrested at gunpoint ‍and charged last week with one felony and ​three ⁣misdemeanors⁣ related to⁤ his presence​ in the U.S. Capitol building on Jan. 6,‌ 2021. During​ the raid ‍on his home, the FBI‍ ransacked his house and attempted to ⁤confiscate the firearms‌ from ‍his safe.

Liberty ‍ confirmed on Tuesday that it gave the disgraced federal law enforcement agency a combination to break into Hughes’ gun safe simply because⁤ the FBI produced a warrant to search Hughes’ home.

Controversy and Customer Backlash

Safe companies like Liberty are not necessarily required ⁤to comply with law enforcement requests ⁢for combinations‍ to break into their purchased‌ products unless⁤ a court orders them to do so. Liberty, however, claimed it is their “company protocol” to give law enforcement entry and access to its products as ​long as those agencies possess a warrant.

The manufacturer’s⁢ confession that its‌ products’ security is compromised due to the⁣ existence ‌of a master code and its willingness to ‌work with law ‌enforcement even without‍ a court​ order ⁢did not sit well with several loyal Liberty customers who ⁣ threatened on social media to cancel their orders⁤ and ‍ switch safe companies.

Others criticized Liberty ‍for its double standard on safe security. If ​a customer loses⁢ their safe‌ keys or‍ forgets their ⁢safe combination, Liberty requires‍ them to “hire a ⁤certified locksmith” to regain entry. If ⁣the FBI wants to access a Liberty customer’s safe, all agents have to do is contact ⁤the company and present a warrant with the customer’s name on it.

Liberty’s Response

Liberty attempted to reassure customers that it is still “devoted to protecting​ the personal⁣ property and ⁣2nd‍ Amendment rights of​ our customers” and “has ‍repeatedly denied requests for ‌access codes without⁢ a warrant in the ​past.”

“We regularly update our policies to ensure both compliance with federal and state law and reasonable customer privacy protections within the law,” the social media statement reads. “First and foremost, Liberty ‍Safe is committed to preserving our customers’ rights, and we will‌ remain unwavering⁣ in those values.”

The company did not, however, immediately respond to⁤ The Federalist’s questions about ‌whether it ‍plans to strengthen‍ its code-sharing policy to uphold its ‍pledge to “preserve customers’ rights.”

Not all ⁣gun-safe companies ‍readily hand⁤ over ​access to their customers’ products,⁤ even if law enforcement demands it.

A spokesman⁢ at Ft. Knox, a national⁢ gun⁢ safe and vault company, told The Federalist his company would only disclose safe combinations ⁢to law⁢ enforcement if a‌ court specifically ordered​ it or a search warrant⁣ specifically named his company.

Browning Safes, Champion Safe Co., and‍ American ‌Security (AMSEC) did⁤ not immediately ⁢respond ‌to The Federalist’s request for​ comment. Their websites also did not explicitly state‌ their ‌policy on granting federal ‍officials entry​ into their customers’ safes.

Jordan Boyd ⁣is a⁢ staff ⁣writer at The Federalist and co-producer of The Federalist Radio Hour. Her work has also ⁤been featured in The Daily Wire, Fox News, and RealClearPolitics. Jordan‌ graduated ⁢from Baylor University where she⁢ majored in political science ‌and minored in ⁢journalism. Follow her ⁢on Twitter ⁣@jordanboydtx.