When you invest in a safe to protect your valuables and exercise your Second Amendment rights, you’d like to think the company supplying the product is on your side. However, Liberty Safe, which proudly claims to be “America’s #1 heavy-duty home and gun safe manufacturer,” recently shocked its customer base. The company reportedly provided the FBI with the access code to a customer’s safe without a court order, undermining trust and raising questions about the corporation’s allegiance to constitutional rights.
Nathan Hughes, a 34-year-old from Arkansas, became the focal point of this unsettling episode. Hughes, who was arrested in connection with his alleged presence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, had his home raided by the FBI on August 30. During the search, Liberty Safe willingly gave the FBI the access code to Hughes’ gun safe. According to Liberty Safe, “Our company protocol is to provide access codes to law enforcement if a warrant grants them access to a property.”
NEW: America’s top gun safe manufacturer, Liberty Safe, gave the FBI an access code to a safe owned by someone who was present at the J6 protest.
We have officially found the Bud Light of gun safes. Enjoy going out of business, @libertysafeinc.
The situation gets even worse: On… pic.twitter.com/MY7jSlJoyK
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 6, 2023
Liberty Safe’s voluntary compliance with law enforcement sets a dangerous precedent. Notably, other safe manufacturers have clearly stated they would not provide such access without a court order. But Liberty Safe, under no apparent legal obligation to assist the FBI, chose to do so, disregarding their customer’s privacy and property rights.
Social media was abuzz this week with Liberty Safe customers threatening to cancel orders and change companies. And for good reason. If a customer forgets his safe combination, the company requires him to “hire a certified locksmith” to regain entry. Yet, when the FBI showed up with a warrant, all the formalities were thrown out the window.
According to the company, “Liberty Safe is devoted to protecting our customers’ personal property and 2nd amendment rights and has repeatedly denied requests for access codes without a warrant in the past.” But these words ring hollow when the company’s actions show a different reality.
The company’s behavior is symptomatic of a more significant issue — corporations increasingly yielding to government agencies, acting as silent partners in bypassing due process and fundamental civil rights.
This incident serves as a wake-up call. If Liberty Safe truly wants to live up to its promise of “preserving our customers’ rights,” it must seriously reconsider its protocols. A safe is only as secure as the integrity of those who hold its keys.
