One other long-term Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) worker is out because the purge of anti-gun advocates continues. The most recent casualty, Megan Bennett, has been compelled to retire.
Ms. Bennett was the Assistant Director of the Workplace of Enforcement Applications and Providers (EPS). Not too long ago, she got here underneath fireplace for presenting former ATF Director Steve Dettelbach with what gave the impression to be an 80% AR-15 decrease receiver in violation of Washington, DC legislation. DC requires all AR-15 lowers to be serialized and the transferee to undergo the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Nationwide Immediate Legal Background Test System (NICS).
It was clear by the ceremony that Dettelbach didn’t undergo background checks.
Within the ceremony, Bennett talked about her satisfaction in being a part of all the brand new guidelines applied underneath the Biden Administration. Bennett was an advocate of guidelines such because the pistol brace rule. The rule reclassified pistols geared up with pistol stabilizing gadgets as short-barreled rifles (SBRs). Hundreds of thousands of People personal braced pistols. These residents must register their firearms with the ATF’s Nationwide Firearms Act Division (NFA), or they might be charged with a felony, face 10 years in federal jail, and be compelled to pay a $250.000 wonderful.
A number of gun rights organizations sued over the pistol brace rule, claiming that it violated the Administrative Procedures Act (APA). The proposed rule had a guidelines known as the ATF Kind 4999 with a degree system figuring out whether or not a braced firearm was a rifle or pistol. The Closing Rule lacked any resemblance to the proposed rule. The gun rights teams claimed that the Closing Rule was not a logical outgrowth of the proposed rule. These teams additionally contended that the rule was arbitrary and capricious as a result of it had a “you already know it once you see it” clause.
The courts would difficulty a number of injunctions towards the ATF’s pistol brace rule, stopping the Bureau’s enforcement of its implementation. Braced pistols would return to cabinets of gun shops. This injunction ought to have been an indication that the ATF shouldn’t attempt to implement the pistol brace rule, however Ms. Bennett and EPS disagreed.
A Gun Homeowners of America (GOA) member emailed EPS asking if he would wish to register his CZ Scorpion geared up with a pistol brace to the ATF’s NFA Division.
The EPS responded that although the rule was enjoined, it may interpret the federal statute in order that the ATF may nonetheless implement a ban on non-registered pistols geared up with braces. This assertion induced GOA to push again towards the coverage. Bennett and EPS had been compelled to backtrack, withdraw their conclusion, and admit that they can’t implement the interpretation that pistols geared up with braces are SBRs. Studying the letter that EPS issued after being compelled to backtrack, it was clear they weren’t comfortable being compelled to backtrack.
NSSF Welcomes Robert Cekada as New ATF Deputy Director #NSSF https://t.co/Q7hL4xDKKV
— NSSF—The Firearm Business Commerce Affiliation (@NSSF) April 15, 2025
The ATF appears to be cleansing home of these not on board with the federal government’s new stance on Second Modification rights. For the reason that starting of the 12 months, the ATF has fired Chief Authorized Counsel Pam Hicks, who was a favourite among the many anti-gun teams. Ms. Hicks was changed with a way more gun-friendly lawyer named Robert Leider. Marvin Richardson was additionally eliminated as Deputy Director and changed with Robert Cekada, who has made it clear he desires to restore the connection between the ATF and the gun neighborhood.
The adjustments are first step, however solely time will inform how totally different the ATF will look sooner or later.
The Supreme Court docket Strikes A Main Blow To The Administrative State
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About John Crump
Mr. Crump is an NRA teacher and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed individuals from all walks of life, and on the Structure. John lives in Northern Virginia together with his spouse and sons, observe him on X at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
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