Pardoned by Trump, Still Denied at the Gun Counter by NICS

A presidential pardon is supposed to mean something. For two men pardoned by Donald Trump back in September, it hasn't meant they can walk into a gun store and walk out with a firearm.

Key points

• Who got burned: Pastor Russell Fincher and Patrick "Tate" Adamiak, both pardoned by Trump on Sept. 3, 2026, were denied when they tried to buy guns through licensed dealers, according to TTAG News Contributor.
• What they wanted: Adamiak tried to buy a Trump-engraved Auto-Ordnance Thompson; Fincher ordered a Smith & Wesson Victory and ended up telling the dealer to sell it to someone else.
• Who's pointing fingers: ATF Director Robert Cekada told TTAG the agency has nothing to do with the denials, saying the 4473 goes straight to the FBI's NICS system and the Bureau makes the call.
• State system, separate headache: Pennsylvania's own background check system flagged Adamiak too, and he says state and federal records on his pardon aren't synced. He's filed a paper appeal because the state won't take digital submissions, with up to 30 days to decide.
• The real issue: TTAG frames this as a records-reconciliation gap, not a conspiracy, but notes it leaves pardoned citizens prohibited in practice despite being cleared on paper.

Quick take

Pardons restore rights on paper; NICS and state databases don't update themselves overnight. That's cold comfort for two guys who did everything legally and still got told no at the counter.

Read the full story: TTAG News Contributor