President Donald Trump has just nominated a new director for the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Here’s what leading Second Amendment advocate Alan Gottlieb has to say about the nomination:
BELLEVUE, WA – The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is welcoming the nomination of Robert Cekada to head the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, where he currently serves as deputy director.
“We recall when Mr. Cekada was named Deputy Director back in April that he received high praise from many in the firearms community,” noted CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “He brings considerable experience, along with what we believe are truly pro-Second Amendment views, which would be a delightful change from the previous administration.”
Cekada, who was nominated Wednesday by President Donald Trump, served previously as a special agent-in-charge of the Miami Field Division and the Baltimore Field Division. Prior to that he was the Assistant Special Agent in Charge in Philadelphia, and resident Agent in Charge in Miami. More recently, he has served as the Executive Assistant Director – Operations, Office of the Director since September 2022, where he oversaw ATF’s Office of Regulatory Operations, Office of Field Operations, and the Office of Intelligence Operations, according to an online biography.
“With these credentials,” Gottlieb observed, “Mr. Cekada comes qualified to head the agency, which is changing its focus under the current administration. He has come up through the ranks, starting his career as a Special Agent in the Baltimore Field Division’s Hyattsville II Field Office some 20 years ago.
“Having someone with his institutional knowledge taking the helm could be what the agency needs to straighten its course,” Gottlieb said. “We will look forward to the confirmation process, where his views about gun ownership and the Second Amendment will be on full display.”
It will be interesting to hear his answers about the ATF’s blatant disregard of the Constitution and their harassment of FFL holders and citizens who dared to buy a trigger or pistol brace under the Biden administration. Did he in any way object to these actions or just play along like a good little stormtrooper?
That assumes anyone in the Senate has the spine to: 1. Ask those hard questions, and 2. Vote against confirmation if the answers are insufficient.
Not to sound pessimistic, but if recent history is any guide, there are about three Senators — maybe five, tops — who meet both criteria. Most Dems won’t ask about Constitutional issues (it would make their own nominees look bad) or anything substantial that doesn’t involve fishing for anti-Trump soundbytes, and most GOPs won’t vote against a Republican nominee.
The only director I want to see declares they will SHUT DOWN the agency permanently and put themselves out of a job like Linda McMahon and the Dept. of Education.
I came here to post this very thing. You captured my sentiments exactly!
I’m also pleased to see many other commenters here saying similar things. Nothing else to add.
Ditto.
as with most government agencies, the ATF is outdated and serves only as an impediment to our 2A rights…
Unless you can get rid of the laws they operate under, you have to answer the question of who you would rather enforce those laws. Sometimes incompetence is a feature not a bug. Oh, and I would request a practical strategy to repeal the laws.
^^ THIS ^^
If the BATFE were shut down, the laws it enforces don’t go away. Another agency would “take up the cause” of enforcing that section of code.
In all likelihood, it would fall to the FBI, which is VASTLY more competent at “law enforcement” than the BATFE. Is that what we really want?
I’d argue, no. Our cause and our rights would be infinitely better served by FIRST repealing bad gun laws so the BATFE has less to do, and THEN trim down the agency into irrelevance.
“More recently, he has served as the Executive Assistant Director – Operations, Office of the Director since September 2022, where he oversaw ATF’s Office of Regulatory Operations, Office of Field Operations, and the Office of Intelligence Operations”
He didn’t get that job under Biden by being “pro-2nd amendment”.
“Executive Assistant Director” sounds somewhat like “Signer of the Signature Card at BATF Budget Agencies.” Similar to “Hatchet Man of the Exalted Executive Director?” How much decisive executive power does any kind of an assistant board director really have?
A win in a war of attrition.
Can’t be happy with someone who supports a shadow list of gun owners. If they’re trying to win over lawful gun owners the first thing they would do would be to destroy that list. I agree that 4473s have to die somewhere (after an FFL closes shop) but the ATF keeps them “just in case.”
Unacceptable.
You’ll have to excuse me if I view a career ATF agent as a lateral step at best. I’m betting he’s pure scum, and he will have an absolute monster of an uphill battle to even break even in my book.
I was working in a gun store when the GCA 1968 passed. One morning right after I opened up 2 guys walked in, flashed their badges and told me I was under arrest for unlicensed possession and sale of automatic weapons. Their proof was the shop being listed in an ad-one showed me a copy- as a stocking dealer of Browning’s new BAR semiautomatic hunting rifle. The other guy spotted a couple of Webley flare guns and immediately added a claim of possession of destructive devices. I asked for the phone number of their office and spoke with their boss. After explaining the situation and getting profuse apologies, the head man spoke to the agents and they slunk out of the store. Like many organizations, many problems start at the very top. Or aren’t the best and brightest. And, each organization has those who pay attention to the way the wind blows. While the ATF has a rep as jack booted scum, and/or nit-picking auditors, there actually are good dedicated individuals working there.
IIRC, the gent named above was previously considered for the post and rejected as unsuitable by the party in power.