Trump nominee busted selling out his own work to suck up for promotion

President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives faced withering questions from a Democratic lawmaker, who busted him lying about his own past work to improve gun safety.

ATF chief Robert Cekada announced 34 proposals to "modernize" agency regulations minutes after his April 29 Senate confirmation, and Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) asked the law enforcement veteran when he had started working up those proposals, and he suggested the changes were requested by Trump.

"I do not see a world where thepresident would nominate you tothis position without knowingyou would move forward withputting forward these 30regulations you say you had beenworking on because of theexecutive order," Frost said. "Were the regulations discussedin any interview you have foryour promotion?"

Cekada insisted he had never talked to the president about any regulations. But Frost was dubious.

"It is just yes orno," the lawmaker said. "Did you agree to enact any ofthese regulations or put forththese rules or proposals?I know how the process works, director."

Cekada disagreed, but Frost insisted he did understand the process and pressed him repeatedly to answer yes or no and whether he had discussed the regulatory changes while talking about his potential promotion from ATF deputy director.

"I'm not going to answeryes or no to a question thatcannot be answered yes or no – sorry," Cekada said. "You're trying to argue with something you arewrong on. First of all, the regulations are not finalized."

Frost assured the ATF director he understood the process and knew those had been only proposed rules during the discussion process. He again asked Cekada to say whether he discussed the proposals while seeking the promotion.

"You worked on a lot of these proposed rules that were enacted by the ATF under the Biden administration that help save lives, yes?" Frost said. "Did you work on some of those rules the Biden administration put forward to help save lives? You didn't? You're saying you didn't, under oath, that you didn't work on any of those?"

"I did not work onany of the rules, not one," Cekada fired back.

"I don't believe thatis true," the congressman retorted. "In fact, I know for a fact that youworked on some of the rulesunder the Biden administration. I ask thequestions, sir.It is unfortunate you have nowbeen put in a position with anadministration that has doneeverything to undermine the agents and the workof the ATF – budget cuts, firings. The ATFhas not had politicalappointees in any position otherthan the director in any administration until this administration."

"Now you're put in here to put forth regulations that are going to make our communities less safe," Frost continued. "The work that you are a part of doing and many other people at the ATF were a part of doing helped us, and I asked for a little more time because we had three minutes go over for the last person. Gun violence has been going down because of the work you helped do ... that you helped to do to help end gun violence. I would be upset. This works. What we have been doing works, and the fact that you were sworn in and the same day you come forth standing with industry behind you shows us where your allegiances are or where you were told if you want this promotion what you need to do is undermine the agency you have done work in for a lot of your life. I think it is disgraceful, and I yield back."