Republican Congressmen Andy Biggs and Jim Banks have written a letter to Senator Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell blasting Biden's nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms.
"On April 8th, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated long time gun control activist and lobbyist David Chipman to be the Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). His beliefs and hostile attitude toward the rights of gun owners are well known. Thus, we respectfully ask that you oppose his confirmation," Biggs and Banks wrote. "Throughout his career, David Chipman has made it no secret that he is an enemy of the 2nd Amendment. In October 2018, Chipman argued in favor of subjecting all AR-15s and potentially all semi-automatic rifles to regulation under the National Firearms Act. As a former agents of the ATF, Chipman knows all too well that such action would effectively ban the most popular rifle in America as well as most other items regulated under the National Firearms Act."
"Legal firearm ownership and integrity go hand-in-hand, and President Biden should not nominate anyone to lead the ATF who has repeatedly lied to further their own gun control agenda," the continued. "As recently as 2019, Chipman was trying to mislead the public on the basic facts of firearm ownership."
Biggs and Banks also detailed Chipman's ties to Waco, where 76 civilians were killed after a failed ATF and FBI raid.
"When participating in an online 'ask me anything' forum discussion, Chipman published historical falsehoods to empower his advocacy for gun control. For instance, he stated, 'At Waco, cult members used two .50 caliber Barretts to shoot down two Texas Air National Guard helicopters,'" they wrote.
President Biden nominated Chipman to head ATF as part of his gun control executive actions last month.