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September 9, 2021

President Biden Withdraws Nomination of David Chipman for ATF Director


NEWTOWN, Conn. — The National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the firearm industry trade association, is pleased to learn of President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw the nomination of David Chipman to become the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

NSSF led the opposition to Chipman’s nomination. Mr. Chipman is clearly unqualified to lead ATF due to his employment as a gun control lobbyist for Everytown for Gun Safety and Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. He had previously testified on Capitol Hill in favor of gun bans, gun registration and gun control policies that were not in keeping with the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. He also made denigrating remarks about the 8.4 million first-time gun buyers last year, calling into question his ability to fairly and evenly apply the law as written and firearm regulations.

Chipman was later accused of making racially-denigrating remarks, to which he has yet to answer. NSSF called on The White House or Chipman himself to release his personnel records from his 25 years as an ATF agent. Neither has done so.

“We believe strongly that ATF needs a Senate-confirmed director to lead the brave men and women of ATF,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “David Chipman is not that person.”

The firearm industry hopes The White House will now nominate a qualified candidate who possesses executive leadership experience and will apply the law without a political agenda. NSSF has supported every prior nominee in the past, including President Barack Obama’s nomination of B. Todd Jones and more recently President Donald Trump’s nomination of Chuck Canterbury.

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About NSSF
NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org.

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Media contact:
Mark Oliva
203-426-1320 ext. 204

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