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 the president would nominate you to this position without knowing you would move forward with putting forward these 30 regulations you say you had been working on because of the executive order," Frost said. "Were the regulations discussed in any interview you have for your promotion?"
Cekada insisted he had never talked to the president about any regulations. But Frost was dubious.
"It is just yes or no," the lawmaker said. "Did you agree to enact any of these regulations or put forth these 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 answer yes or no to a question that cannot be answered yes or no – sorry," Cekada said. "You're trying to argue with something you are wrong 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 on any of the rules, not one," Cekada fired back.
"I don't believe that is true," the congressman retorted. "In fact, I know for a fact that you worked on some of the rules under the Biden administration. I ask the questions, sir. It is unfortunate you have now been put in a position with an administration that has done everything to undermine the agents and the work of the ATF – budget cuts, firings. The ATF has not had political appointees in any position other than 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."