Gun Owners Rejoice After Anti-Gun ATF Nominee Successfully Defeated

June 4, 2020
For immediate release

Gun Owners Rejoice After Anti-Gun ATF Nominee Successfully Defeated

Springfield, VA – Gun Owners of America (GOA) and its members are rejoicing that Chuck Canterbury has been withdrawn for consideration for head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

“Despite high praises from some firearm-related lobbying organizations and silence from others, GOA sounded the alarm of Canterbury’s anti-gun history,” said Aidan Johnston, Director of Federal Affairs for GOA.

Canterbury’s support for gun control included:

  • Testifying in support of anti-gunners like Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Attorney General Eric Holder.
  • The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), under his watch, backed Congressional measures to expand the unconstitutional and failing NICS system—the same system where 95 percent of the initial denials are false positives.
  • And on the state level, his FOP has supported Universal Background Checks and opposed Constitutional Carry.

Because of grassroots pressure applied by gun owners, many Senators began to doubt Canterbury’s commitment to the Constitution. In fact, Senator Mike Lee stated to Canterbury, “You’ve embraced a number of policies that run roughshod over the rights of law-abiding citizens in favor of the authority of the government.” Senator Lee was joined in his opposition to Canterbury by Senators Josh Hawley, John Kennedy and Ben Sasse.

“Short of dismantling the ATF (which is the proper and Constitutional solution), the ATF’s leadership should not be seeking to enforce unconstitutional gun control. In fact, gun owners could use an ally dedicated to deregulation and who is committed to non-enforcement of any future gun control,” Johnston concluded.

Aidan Johnston, or another GOA spokesperson, is available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization dedicated to protecting the right to keep and bear arms without compromise. GOA represents over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.

— GOA —