Republicans celebrated on Thursday as Joe Biden withdrew his nomination for David Chipman to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
GOP lawmakers and politicians, as well as gun rights advocacy groups, lauded the move to block a so-called ‘gun-grabber’ from rising to a position where they felt he could attack the Second Amendment.
‘David Chipman is an unhinged gun-grabber,’ Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton tweeted on Thursday. ‘His defeat is a win for the Constitution—and a crushing loss for Joe Biden.’
Texas Representative Chip Roy told DailyMail.com: ‘President Biden should have never nominated anti-gun David Chipman for ATF Director, and I’m pleased to see reports that his nomination will be withdrawn.’
‘His confirmation would have jeopardized the constitutional rights of every legal firearm owner in America, and his anti-Second Amendment beliefs make him completely unfit to serve in any kind of leadership position anywhere in this administration,’ Roy added. ‘The right to keep and bear arms in self-defense is a human right enshrined in our Constitution; those who enforce our laws need to understand that.’
Chipman has faced a slew of bipartisan criticism since his nomination earlier this year and has received backlash, in particular, in relation to his gun control advocacy.
In announcing the withdrawn nomination, the White House released in a statement Thursday that Chipman ‘would have been an exemplary Director of the ATF and would have redoubled its efforts to crack down on illegal firearms traffickers and help keep our communities safe from gun violence.’
They went on to blame Republicans for the failed nomination, despite members of both parties opposing his appointment.
Joe Biden is preparing this week to withdraw David Chipman as the nominee to head the ATF
Republican Senator Tom Cotton called the withdraw a ‘win for the Constitution’ and ‘crushing loss for Joe Biden’
‘Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress have made clear that they intend to use gun crime as a political talking point instead of taking serious steps to address it,’ the statement read. ‘That’s why they’ve moved in lockstep to block David Chipman’s confirmation, and it’s why they side with gun manufacturers over the overwhelming majority of the American people in opposing commonsense measures like universal background checks.’
Republicans immediately lauded the withdrawal as a win for America and a loss for what they call Biden’s anti-gun agenda.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to take credit for Biden’s change of heart on Chipman.
‘Glad to hear reports the White House is taking my advice and pulling the terrible nomination of David Chipman,’ the Kentucky Republican tweeted before the announcement was official. ‘Absurd that a vocal opponent of Americans’ constitutional rights was ever picked to run ATF. This is a win for the Second Amendment and law-abiding American citizens.’
Arizona Republican Representative Andy Biggs tweeted: ‘Radical anti-gun nominee for the ATF David Chipman has been stopped. This is why we fight!’
Representative Byron Donalds of Florida, however, was a bit less optimistic about the impending withdrawal of Chipman’s nomination.
‘While I am pleased that the White House withdrew the nomination of anti-Second Amendment radical David Chipman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), I have little hope that the next Biden nominee will be any better,’ he told DailyMail.com.
‘The administration has already made their position clear on the Constitution of the United States, stating that ‘no amendment is absolute,’ he added. ‘With this as the doctrine, I am more than confident that the next AFT nominee will be a sellout for the anti-gun lobby and pursue an agenda that makes it harder for law-abiding citizens to obtain their constitutional rights to keep and bear arms.’
GOP Rep. Dan Bishop of North Carolina also told DailyMail.com: ‘David Chipman wanted to trash Americans’ Second Amendment liberties. It’s good news that the White House is withdrawing Chipman’s nomination to lead the ATF, but the reality is that he should have never been nominated in the first place.’
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Chipman worked at ATF for more than 20 years. He now works as a senior policy advisor at Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, a role that has, in part, led to the widespread opposition to his confirmation.
The center is led by former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who resigned after she was shot in the head in an assassination attempt outside of Tucson during an event with constituents in January 2011.
‘This is why we fight!’ Arizona Republican Representative Andy Biggs tweeted
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared to take credit for the withdrawn nomination, tweeted he was ‘glad to hear’ Biden ‘is taking my advice and pulling the terrible nomination of David Chipman’
Biden’s nomination of Chipman, a gun control advocate, was likely part of a larger effort to curb the rise in gun violence in the U.S.
A series of missteps have also helped lead Chipman’s nomination off course – including failing to disclose to Congress an interview he did with Chinese state run media that was potentially used as propaganda to cover up a mass stabbing of children in China’s Henan Province.
He was also slammed by Republicans when he botched the definition of assault rifle and dodged questions during a confirmation hearing about whether he would investigate and take action against Hunter Biden ‘lying’ on his background check to obtain a firearm.
‘Good News,’ Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie posted on Thursday of the withdrawn nomination. ‘He NEVER should have been nominated.’
Tennessee Republican Congresswoman Rep. Diana Harshbarger also said: ‘This is great news for gun owners and a great victory for the Second Amendment!’
‘Gun grabber’ appeared to be the insult of choice among Republicans when describing Chipman.
‘David Chipman is a gun grabber who doesn’t respect the Constitution that he would have been sworn to uphold and protect,’ Michigan Representative Lisa McClain told DailyMail.com. ‘The ATF should never be led by a gun control advocate.’
‘I’m thrilled the Biden Administration is withdrawing his nomination, and our Second Amendment rights are protected for now,’ she added. ‘I urge President Biden to nominate someone who is truly tough on actual crimes to lead the ATF.’
Montana Senator Steve Daines said: ‘I’ve been opposed to Chipman leading the ATF from the start. He’s an anti-2nd Amendment, gun-grabbing radical that should not lead the agency that regulates firearms.’
Some gave former President Donald Trump’s son Don Jr. credit for crushing Chipman’s nomination
Trump Jr.’s spokesperson Andrew Surabian said he ahd ‘helped lead the fight against Chipman and got results’
Representative Jim Banks said allies like Don Jr. helped ‘stop this radical, anti-gun activist from leading the ATF’
‘Glad to see @JoeBiden listen to my request & pull this nominee. I’ll always fight to protect MTns’ #2A rights,’ he said.
Some gave credit to former President Donald Trump’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr. for the defeat of Chipman’s nomination.
‘I was proud to lead 68 of my colleagues in the fight against Chipman’s nomination earlier this year,’ Representative Jim Banks tweeted.
He added: ‘The efforts from second amendment allies like @DonaldJTrumpJr to stop this radical, anti-gun activist from leading the ATF were very consequential!’
Don Jr. adviser and spokesman Andrew Surabian tweeted, ‘Don Jr. helped lead the fight against Chipman and got results.’
‘We defeated this anti-2A gun grabber and we’ll defeat all of Biden’s attempts to restrict our Second Amendment rights!’ Trump Jr. tweeted in response to the report.
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