Sen. Chuck Grassley: Confirming David Chipman to ATF like Putting Antifa in Charge of Portland Police

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) suggested placing David Chipman in charge of ATF is like putting “Antifa in charge of the Portland Police Department” during opening comments in the Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings Wednesday.

Grassley began his comments by noting, “Chipman seems to have worked for every prominent gun control group in the country,” and by citing CNN’s description of Chipman as “a fierce advocate for gun control.”

He then noted specific areas of concern in Chipman’s gun control advocacy, such as, “Misleading the public about modern sports rifles, arguing against popular magazine sizes…[and] advocating for universal background checks.”

Grassley added, “Of particular concern is the contempt with which [Chipman] seems to view ordinary Americans who buy and carry firearms.”

Grassley then referenced the time frame in 2020 where the nation shut down for COVID, suggesting Chipman believed gun stores should be closed too. Grassley suggested Chipman did not trust first-time gun buyers.

Grassley said, “[Chipman] said last year, ‘If you keep the gun store open there is a risk of first-time buyers who are largely buying out of fear and panic, and [are] untrained.'”

Grassley closed his opening comments by saying, “Many see putting a committed gun control proponent like Mr. Chipman in charge of ATF is like putting a tobacco executive in charge the Department of Health and Human Services or Antifa in charge of the Portland Police Department.”

The National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Mark Olivia told Breitbart News, “David Chipman should be nowhere near a position of public trust when he’s shown utter contempt for citizens who choose to exercise their Second Amendment rights. He must answer for his patronizing comments, dismissing gun owners as disillusioned preppers getting ready for a zombie apocalypse. He must also answer for his outright false statements about the siege in Waco. He openly calls for the banning of the most popular-selling centerfire rifle in America and has advocated before Congress to demote a God-given right to a government-granted privilege.”

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.