‘They Must Have Been Cheating’: Watchdog Group Sues For Records Relating To Derogatory Comments Biden’s ATF Pick Allegedly Made Against Black Agents
Andrew Kerr
Investigative Reporter
June 22, 2021 3:40 PM ET
A conservative watchdog group filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit for records related to an incident in which President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms allegedly made a derogatory comment about black ATF agents.
American Accountability Foundation President Tom Jones said he spoke with a former ATF agent who said he personally witnessed the nominee, David Chipman, making the derogatory comment in 2007 after reviewing the results of candidates taking an assessment to become an Assistant Special Agent in Charge.
Jones said the former ATF agent recalled Chipman saying: “Wow, there were an unusually large number of African American agents that passed the exam this time. They must have been cheating.”
The former ATF agent reported Chipman’s comments to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, according to Jones.
A conservative watchdog group filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit Tuesday for records that could shed light on an incident in which President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives allegedly made a derogatory comment about black agents.
The pro-gun control nominee, David Chipman, told Sen. Ted Cruz in writing that he received two Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaints during his 15 years as a manager with the ATF. Chipman said the complaints were “resolved without any finding of discrimination and no disciplinary action was taken against me.”
Chipman added that his ATF personnel file is under the control of the federal government, but he did not answer when asked if he would be willing to provide his file to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The ATF declined to comment to the DCNF.
Tom Jones, the president of the American Accountability Foundation, said he filed two FOIA requests with the ATF in May requesting records related to any complaints and disciplinary measures taken against Chipman during his 25-year tenure with the agency. The AAF’s lawsuit said the ATF failed to produce the records in the timeframe allotted by the law, despite Chipman’s acknowledgment in his written statement to Cruz that the federal government has control of his personnel file.
Jones said AAF’s FOIA lawsuit could produce records related to an incident around 2007 in which Chipman allegedly made a derogatory comment about black ATF agents performing too well on a selection exam.
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https://dailycaller.com/2021/06/22/american-accountability-foundation-david-chipman/
