Trump Nominates Deputy Director to Top ATF Role

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) could quickly have a brand new everlasting director.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump nominated Robert Cekada to run the ATF. Cekada is presently the company’s Deputy Director. Trump appointed him to that place again in April.

If confirmed, Cekada will substitute Appearing Director Daniel Driscoll–who can also be the Secretary of the Military. Driscoll himself changed the brief, hazy tenure of Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel–who could have served for as little as sooner or later within the function. Patel changed the final everlasting ATF Director, Stephen Dettlebach–who served within the place for 3 years and resigned in January.

The nomination may present new stability to the company liable for imposing the nation’s gun legislation, which is the final federal company to get a everlasting director nominee for the reason that starting of Trump’s second time period. President Trump deciding on a comparatively uncontroversial nominee like Cekada may additionally assist get the choose by the deeply polarized Senate, probably even with bipartisan assist. Nevertheless, it could additionally sign he’s unwilling to spend political capital on the function, which could alienate some gun-rights activists.

The White Home didn’t reply to a request for remark about Cekada’s nomination, nor did it even launch an announcement on its determination. As an alternative, information of the choose was damaged by gun-rights teams the day after it was formally submitted to the Senate.

Cekada is a profession legislation enforcement official. He has labored for the ATF for twenty years in roles starting from particular agent to Government Assistant Director and, lastly, Deputy Director. He oversaw ATF divisions in cities throughout the nation, together with Miami, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Earlier than he joined the ATF, Cekada labored on anti-gang operations on the New York Police Division and within the Particular Weapons And Techniques part of the Metropolis of Plantation Police Division in Florida.

He has comparatively few public feedback, and doesn’t seem to have taken a place on controversial gun coverage questions–such because the constitutionality of so-called assault weapons bans. Nevertheless, he has spoken to the press or at public occasions through the years. Most of these feedback have been associated to ATF operations, reminiscent of his latest joint press convention with the Nationwide Taking pictures Sports activities Basis (NSSF) on the twenty fifth anniversary of their joint Don’t Lie For the Different Man program, or ATF personnel, like his heat farewell speech to Dettelbach earlier this yr.

In his time on the ATF, Cekada has labored intently with trade members. A number of gun trade teams celebrated his nomination to run the company.

“NSSF is inspired by President Donald Trump’s nomination of Robert Cekada to be confirmed because the ATF Director,” the commerce group stated in a social media put up. “The women and men of ATF, and the firearm trade which they regulate, deserve a Senate-confirmed director to steer the bureau. NSSF respects the expertise, knowledge and confidence of Cekada’s colleagues to successfully lead the ATF. We look ahead to listening to and contemplating his testimony earlier than the Senate Judiciary Committee.”

“In his function as Deputy Director, we have now labored intently with Robert Cekada to make sure law-abiding gun homeowners have a seat on the desk in shaping coverage,” Knox Williams, President and Government Director of the American Suppressor Affiliation, stated in an announcement. “If confirmed, he can be the primary ever really pro-Second Modification nominee to move the company.”

Gun teams on both aspect of the problem weren’t as definitive of their response to Cekada’s nomination. Not one of the main gun-control teams issued an announcement on the information. A number of of the most important gun-rights teams appeared not sure of how precisely how one can react.

The Nationwide Rifle Affiliation introduced the information on its social media accounts, however didn’t endorse or oppose the transfer. Gun House owners of America was lower than enthused, posting, “Let’s simply abolish the ATF already. Then we received’t must care who’s working it…🙄.” The Nationwide Affiliation for Gun Rights, which has been extra vital of the Trump Administration than most and has even referred to as for Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi to resign, stated it’s nonetheless researching Cekada’s background.

“We’re already digging into his report,” the group posted on Fb. “Gun homeowners need to know precisely the place he stands on the Second Modification.”

Residents Committee for the Proper to Maintain and Bear Arms, a sister group of the Second Modification Basis, had essentially the most optimistic response of the gun-rights teams.

“We recall when Mr. Cekada was named Deputy Director again in April that he acquired excessive reward from many within the firearms group,” Alan Gottlieb, the group’s chairman, stated in an announcement. “He brings appreciable expertise, together with what we consider are really pro-Second Modification views, which might be a pleasant change from the earlier administration.”

The group stated it valued each Cekada’s views on gun coverage and his report on the ATF itself. It stated it believes these facets of his background will shine by when he goes earlier than the Senate.

“Having somebody along with his institutional data taking the helm could possibly be what the company must straighten its course,” Gottlieb stated. “We’ll look ahead to the affirmation course of, the place his views about gun possession and the Second Modification can be on full show.”

The Senate has not but scheduled Cekada’s affirmation listening to.