A bunch of Democrats are calling on President Trump to take away FBI Director Kash Patel because the appearing director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Fourteen Democratic members of the Home Gun Violence Prevention Activity Power, chaired by Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), expressed “grave concerns” over Patel’s management place on the company in a letter to Trump dated March 3 and shared on social media by Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday.
“As you are aware, ATF is the lead law enforcement agency responsible for addressing the gun violence epidemic in our country. At a time when gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teenagers in the United States, it is unconscionable that someone without experience fighting crime, responding to mass shootings or confronting domestic terrorism has been named as ATF’s Acting Director,” the Democrats wrote.
The president named Patel to function appearing head of the home legislation enforcement company inside the Division of Justice late final month. Patel beforehand held varied positions inside the division and was confirmed by the Senate to steer the FBI, regardless of controversy over his {qualifications} and staunch help for Trump.
The previous ATF director, Steve Dettelbach, resigned from his place in January. He was the primary everlasting chief for the company since 2015.
The company works to divert trafficking of unlawful weapons and medicines.
The Democrats famous that in Trump’s first time period, gun murder charges rose by 34 %. For the reason that Biden-era Safer Communities Act handed in a bipartisan method in 2022, there was a “historic reduction” in gun violence, they wrote.
They famous that the ATF performs a crucial function in state and native investigations and the company should proceed to help different legislation enforcement arms.
“Running ATF is a deadly serious job. Naming an unqualified partisan to oversee our federal gun violence prevention laws is a disservice to the American people and offensive to every American child who has grown up fearful of gun violence in their schools and communities,” the Democrats wrote.
“We urge you to name a qualified director at ATF who will faithfully administer laws that keep Americans safe,” they concluded.
The Hill has reached out to the White Home for remark.
