David Chipman, President Joe Biden’s (D) nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will not receive a second hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, according to Senate Judiciary Chairman Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).
The call for a fresh hearing came amidst reports that complaints were levied against Chipman for having previously used racist remarks during his time working at the ATF.
An article from Townhall noted, “We have allegations that Chipman made racist comments, stunted the careers of black ATF agents, and there have been questions about whether he can do the job given his past as a hardcore anti-gun activist.”
Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee called for a new hearing in response to the allegations against Chipman. “[I]t’s critical that we call him in for a public hearing to address these allegations before any move is made to advance his failed nomination to the Floor,” wrote the Republican senators in a letter, led by ranking member Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).
Sen. Durbin responded with a letter, in which he wrote that the allegations against Chipman were “baseless” and that the claims came from an “extreme anti-gun safety website.” He added that Chipman “is well-qualified and has been extensively vetted for the role.”
We’ve written extensively here at A1F.com about Chipman’s record. He is far from qualified to run the ATF. Chipman even called the First Amendment a “frustration,” and he showed a complete inability to keep his facts straight and much more.
Meanwhile, Sen. Durbin recently claimed that there are simply “too many damn guns out there” as he explained the recent rise in violent crime. Durbin, like Chipman, would prefer to punish law-abiding Americans who exercise their rights, not criminals who commit violent crimes. Durbin was also part of a group of senators who outright threatened the U.S. Supreme Court with being restructured if the high court did not adhere to the senators’ anti-Second Amendment wishes.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also called upon President Biden to withdraw Chipman’s nomination. “In light of these credible allegations, and Mr. Chipman’s long record of anti-Second Amendment extremism, the President must withdraw Mr. Chipman’s nomination,” McConnell said.
Chipman, however, will not receive a second hearing and President Biden has not commented publicly on the status of his nominee. We will keep you updated here at A1F.com on what happens with this troubling nomination.
