Biden ATF Nominee Has Long History of Anti-Gun Statements

President Joe Biden's nominee to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives mocked gun owners and spread a false Waco siege conspiracy theory in controversial comments.

David Chipman, a former ATF agent and gun-control activist, was put up by Biden to run the agency on Thursday. In addition to his work for the gun-control group Giffords and longtime support for strict new gun laws, including AR-15 bans and magazine capacity restrictions, Chipman has spread a false conspiracy theory about the Branch Davidian shootout in Waco, Texas. He also mocked Americans who purchased firearms when the coronavirus pandemic began.

"Most of the new buyers who went out to the gun store and bought a gun have no training whatsoever," Chipman told Cheddar in April 2020. "In their mind, they might be competent, they might think they're die-hard and ready to go, but unfortunately they're more like Tiger King. They're putting themselves and their families in danger."

Chipman's work as a senior policy adviser for Giffords and support for new gun bans coupled with his controversial comments could complicate Biden's effort to make him the first confirmed ATF director since 2015. His support for new gun bans already put him at odds with all Senate Republicans and a handful of moderate Democrats, including Sens. Joe Manchin (W. Va.), Jon Tester (Mont.), and Kyrsten Sinema (D., Ariz.).