Senate Democratic centrists are calling on President Joe Biden to nominate another director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms a week after lukewarm support from those same lawmakers prompted Biden to pull his initial pick.
The White House withdrew David Chipman’s nomination amid hesitation from members of the Senate Democratic caucus, including Angus King of Maine, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana.
King, who privately told the White House and Democratic colleagues that he opposed Chipman’s nomination, said Monday that he “unequivocally” wants to see a permanent head lead the agency.
“I hope it will be an ATF professional,” King said. “And I would be delighted and I am very much [for it]. And I have a couple names.”
Meanwhile, Tester, who was noncommittal about Chipman’s nomination, said there “absolutely” needs to be an ATF director.
— Marianne Levine and Burgess Everett in Democratic centrists want Biden to nominate a new ATF director