Biden to Nominate New ATF Director, Unveil New Ghost Gun Rule

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden on Monday will nominate former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio Steve Dettelbach to head the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Dettelbach, who is currently a partner at Baker Hostetler in Cleveland, was the Democratic party’s nominee for Ohio Attorney General in 2018. He lost to Dave Yost. Before becoming U.S. Attorney in 2009, he spent over two decades as a Justice Department prosecutor.

An advisory from the White House about the upcoming announcement says Dettelbach has a proven track record of working with federal, state, and local law enforcement to fight violent crime and combat domestic violent extremism and religious violence, and that he has previously partnered with ATF to prosecute complex cases and take down violent criminal gangs.

“Dettelbach also worked closely with local law enforcement and community leaders to develop and implement data-driven and neighborhood-based efforts to prevent and fight violent crime,” the advisory says. “His leadership and his record of innovation in fighting crime and violence make him ready from day one to aggressively and creatively address these pressing issues at the Director of ATF.”

The Biden administration also plans to announce efforts to crack down on “ghost guns” that are difficult for law enforcement to trace because they are made from kits and lack serial numbers.

It will announce new rules to clarify that the kits qualify as “firearms” under the Gun Control Act, and that commercial manufacturers of such kits must therefore become licensed and include serial numbers on the kits’ frame or receiver. Commercial sellers of these kits must become federally licensed and run background checks prior to a sale, as they must do with other commercially-made firearms.

Biden initially selected former ATF agent and gun control advocate David Chipman to head ATF, but withdrew the nomination amid opposition from gun rights groups.

The job would require confirmation by the U.S. Senate, which previously approved Dettelbach’s selection as U.S. Attorney during President Barack Obama’s administration.

When asked Dettelbach’s potential nomination to a Biden administration post several months ago, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, released a statement that described Dettelbach as “an experienced public servant who served Ohio well.

“He would bring leadership and commitment to government if that’s the path he chooses,” said Brown.

The Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action, and Students Demand Action gun control groups released a statement on Monday to applaud the ghost gun rule and Dettelbach’s selection to head ATF.

“Steve Dettelbach will be the strong leader the ATF needs to lead a top-to-bottom overhaul of the agency, and we urge the Senate to swiftly confirm him,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety.

“With gun violence killing 110 people every day and wounding hundreds more, the Senate must quickly confirm Steve Dettelbach,” agreed Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action.

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