'Absolutely humiliated': GOP senators try to get ATF director nominee to define 'assault weapon'

Doug P. | 1:48 PM on May 26, 2021

David Chipman is President Biden’s nominee to be the next ATF director, and Dana Loesch is less than impressed with what’s been said at the hearing so far:

This was always about the start of banning all semi-auto. It’s why they conflate semi with full auto and throw around terms like “assault weapon” (a term only used once in an Army field guide from the 60s specifically describing full-auto). https://t.co/gN08r9mIle

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) May 26, 2021

Million dollar question. This is a reckless conflation and if the nominee is this incompetent — laugage matters as words invoke certain aspects of federal law on these matters — that he can’t distinguish between a semi-auto and full auto why is he being nominated? https://t.co/G9FwM7gqQZ

— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) May 26, 2021

And then the discussion with Chipman moved on to definitions:

Did you just see his answer to Cotton's question about what an "assault rifle" is? I'm speechless.

— Beth Baumann (@eb454) May 26, 2021

Senator Tom Cotton asked Chipman to define “assault weapon”:

Chipman says the definition of "assault weapon" is whatever Congress decides it is.

— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 26, 2021

Cotton and Chipman go back and forth on what Chipman thinks the definition should be but Chipman doesn't really give one. He relays an ATF definition of "assault rifle" which would be any semi-automatic rifle capable of accepting a detachable magazine with a caliber above .22.

— Stephen Gutowski (@StephenGutowski) May 26, 2021

Senator @TomCottonAR asks Biden's ATF nominee David Chipman to define an "assault weapon":

"Any semi-automatic rifle capable of accepting a detachable magazine above the caliber of .22" pic.twitter.com/EA4NveiqKt

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 26, 2021

ATF nominee David Chipman is asked to define an "assault weapon," gets absolutely humiliated.

This man is unreasonable, uninformed, and unqualified. pic.twitter.com/eYaWb4wpJC

— Young Americans for Liberty (@YALiberty) May 26, 2021

Sen. @TomCottonAR: "There really is no such thing as an 'assault weapon.'

That is a term that was manufactured by liberal lawyers and pollsters in Washington to try to scare the American people into believing that the government should confiscate weapons." pic.twitter.com/WXpWw9cyFD

— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 26, 2021

GOP Sen. Kennedy also asked Chipman to define “assault weapon,” and this was the result:

David Chipman, the man who wants to run the ATF, was given one last chance to define "assault weapon."

Here's a summary of his answer: 🤡🤡🤡 pic.twitter.com/7DnjelWtL1

— Young Americans for Liberty (@YALiberty) May 26, 2021

Cam Edwards sums up just how ridiculous it’s gotten:

Chipman himself couldn’t define “assault weapon”, but he knows they should all be banned, including the 20-million that are currently legally owned. https://t.co/lSqesMW9Ze

— Cam Edwards (@CamEdwards) May 26, 2021