Washington, D.C. – Back in July, New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan – never one to fall out of line with the wishes of her Washington Democrat bosses – stuck her neck out to support David Chipman to run the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). Chipman has long been a supporter of restricting gun ownership and his nomination was cheered by the anti-Second Amendment crowd.
Today, President Biden withdrew his nomination after it was clear that some Senators in his own party, from states that support the Second Amendment, would not support Chipman due to his stance on guns.
Perhaps no Democrat was more vocal about their opposition than Maggie Hassan’s neighbor from Maine, Angus King. New Hampshire, like Maine, is home to countless outdoorsmen and women and has a rich tradition of responsible gun ownership. In fact, this summer, the New Hampshire House of Representatives reaffirmed their independence from federal gun legislation.
So it’s hard to understand how self-described “moderate” Maggie Hassan would position herself far to the left of Angus King on an issue that citizens from the “Live Free or Die” state care so much about. Maybe the biggest takeaway from Chipman’s withdrawn nomination is that it underscores that Maggie Hassan is far from moderate and religiously toes the liberal party line no matter what.
Statement from NRSC Spokesman T.W. Arrighi: “Maggie Hassan took a gamble on an ATF nominee that was out to crack down on responsible gun owners in New Hampshire. In the end, she failed because her neighbor, Senator Angus King, stood up for the rights of Mainers against pressure from the Administration. Hassan caved, unable to match that resolve. As each day passes, Granite Staters get a clearer picture of just how liberal Maggie Hassan is on nearly every issue.”
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