I think it would be a more accurate representation to say that the ATF is an evil group of liars.
The ATF has lied before.
The ATF has set people up before.
It is likely that they are continuing this habit and pattern.
Let's say that you believe the ATF (Which you apparently do). Have you asked yourself why the ATF should be able to, by their own admission, break federal law, and pay others to break federal law, for the sole purpose of trying to get their "target" to also break the law?
If you or I (assuming you don't work for ATF) were to go into a gun store and try to persuade the salesperson into selling a firearm without proper paperwork, do you think that only the saleperson would go to prison? Or, is it more likely that BOTH buyer and seller would go to prison? Why, then, if such an act is a federal felony when done by us, is it acceptable for the ATF to have felons perform the same activity in the name of "justice?" Government authority comes FROM us, and as such, how is it possible that we have granted them more authority than we ourselves have?
Where in the 9th and 10th Amendments does it grant federal employees power and authority superior to that of the citizens? Where in Article I, Section 8, does Congress have the ability to enable such activities?
You can turn a blind eye to ATF if you want, or even condone their actions and history wholesale, but you have to remember, that ATF is, at its core, a TAX enforcement agency, and is a part of Dept. of Treasury. Doesn't 70 federal agents (plus support personnel) seem excessive to enforce a TAX CODE? Or does it seem more like ATF's traditional grandstanding?
No, I don't work for the ATF. I have no more information on this situation than anyone else here. It's possible that the ATF acted illegally in making this arrest. It's possible that the ATF acted legally in making this arrest. Neither you nor I know the details of the arrest or of the sting providing probable cause for the arrest. Setting up a sting operation is a normal way for law enforcement to catch criminals, provided that's the way they did it. It certainly sounds like that's the way they did it. It's no different than a drug buy sting, or a prostitution sting. My point in addressing your post is that you appear to have no interest in accepting the truth should it differ from your opinion. You obviously have preconcieved opinions about the ATF and the only "truth" you will accept is the one you have already decided. Ludco himself could probably admit that he was doing it and you'd say the ATF coerced him into making a false statement.
To address your last point, it probably was overkill to sensationalize the situation. I don't really know though, but it would appear it's a possibility.