Firearms Owners Against Crime
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Chief Counsel Joel Roessner is retiring on September 30. 2021.
The Chief Counsel is the most powerful lawyer at the ATF and determines the ATF’s direction on all legal matters. The position is one of the most powerful not only in the ATF for the Justice Department as a whole. The Chief Counsel will play a significant part in crafting new rules and regulations surrounding pistol stabilizing devices and unfinished frames and receivers. Mr. Roessner played a role in reclassifying bump stocks as machine guns.
With the stepping down of Mr. Roessner at the end of September, it left many to wonder who would fill his shoes. Would the new Chief Counsel uphold the Constitution, or would they continue as business as usual? Due to an AmmoLand exclusive leak from our sources within the ATF, we now know the answer, and it is probably not good for gun owners.
Deputy Chief Counsel Pamela J. Hicks will be stepping up into the role of ATF Chief Counsel. Ms. Hicks took over the position of the ATF’s Deputy Chief Counsel in October of 2019. She has worked for various agencies within the Federal government for over 20 years. Ms. Hicks originally worked the ATF’s Arson Division and in the field as the Division Counsel for the Los Angeles Field Division before leaving the Bureau. After leaving the ATF, she worked for the DOJ’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section Criminal Division. She also worked for the Department of the Treasury as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary (Law Enforcement).
Just because someone works for the ATF doesn’t mean they are necessarily anti-gun. The ATF also investigates arsons and bombings. In this case, the political donations made by Ms. Hicks to Democrats and Democrat causes would indicate she is probably not as strong on gun rights as gun owners would hope. Just because someone is a Democrat doesn’t mean they are anti-gun. However, it can be said that there is a strong correlation between someone who has donated thousands of dollars to Hillary Clinton and other groups that have a track record of being anti-gun and not being gun-friendly.
Not only did Hicks donate money to Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee (DNC), but she also gave money multiple times to Emily’s List. The organization is a left-leaning feminist group with an anti-gun lean. The main goal of Emily’s List is to be an organization that pushes for the election of pro-abortion Democrat women. The group has backed and advocated for the election of Kamala Harris and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Emily’s List has helped anti-gun activists win elections. The group also called for gun control because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is safe to say anyone that gives money to Emily’s List is not pro-gun. These connections bring into question how unbiased Ms. Hicks will be when weighing in on topics like unfinished frames and pistol stabilizing devices.
Will Hicks march to the Draconian orders of President Joe Biden, or will she follow the Constitution? Only time will tell.