President Biden has tapped Steve Dettelbach to lead ATF, the federal agency tasked with enforcing gun laws and prosecuting illicit activity, including gun trafficking. His confirmation hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee was last week and he is gaining support among Democrats critical to his quest for confirmation. …
All Republicans are expected to oppose Dettelbach with the agency serving as a boogeyman on the right and a director nomination as a litmus test among conservatives for where you stand on gun laws.
But with 50 votes and control of the Senate, Democrats have the ability to confirm Dettlebach and a failure to do so would send a stark message to the country that not even the party in favor of gun control measures can muster the votes to act in response to the latest mass shootings that have shaken the country.