CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey recently joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general in calling on the U.S. Senate to reject David Chipman’s confirmation as director of the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
In a letter sent to U.S. Senate leadership, the coalition outlined the threat President Joe Biden’s ATF nominee would pose to law-abiding gun owners if confirmed to lead the agency responsible for regulating firearms.
“Mr. Chipman has a First Amendment right as a private citizen to work for these political organizations and to lobby for the taxation, registration, and even confiscation of firearms. Americans likewise have the Second Amendment to protect their God-given rights to keep and bear arms,” Morrisey joined in writing. “Accordingly, we ask you to oppose Mr. Chipman’s confirmation to this important position and demand President Biden nominate someone who is not hostile to our rights and way of life.”
Morrisey
The attorneys general note that ATF agents play an important role in upholding the public safety of communities around the country and will be disserved by an agency director with a political agenda. They also assert Americans can be protected from violent criminals without infringing on their Second Amendment rights.
The letter contends agents deserve a director who will inspire confidence from the people they serve. The attorneys general state that given Mr. Chipman’s history of anti-gun lobbying and political activism, Americans cannot be reasonably expected to believe he will be an unbiased enforcer of current laws.
The coalition further argues that Mr. Chipman will make Americans less safe by diverting ATF resources to attack the rights of law-abiding gun owners instead of cracking down on violent criminals and criminal organizations.
West Virginia joined the Montana-led letter with attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and Utah.
