{"id":214252,"date":"2025-03-20T11:32:08","date_gmt":"2025-03-20T16:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=214252"},"modified":"2026-01-02T04:27:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T10:27:16","slug":"huge-hire-by-the-atf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/huge-hire-by-the-atf\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A major shake-up just hit the ATF, and according to Washington Gun Law President William Kirk, it\u2019s a big win for lawful gun owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pam Bondi, the newly sworn-in Attorney General, has just hired Professor Robert Leider as Assistant Director and Chief Counsel of the ATF. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Bondi\u2019s tenure has drawn skepticism from the Second Amendment community, Kirk believes this move could signal major changes ahead\u2014and for once, they might be good ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-who-is-robert-leider-and-why-does-this-matter\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\" data-level=\"2\">Who Is Robert Leider and Why Does This Matter?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-this-means-for-the-future-of-the-atf\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\" data-level=\"2\">What This Means for the Future of the ATF<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-a-rare-win-for-gun-owners-under-bondi-s-leadership\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\" data-level=\"2\">A Rare Win for Gun Owners Under Bondi\u2019s Leadership<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-s-next\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\" data-level=\"2\">What\u2019s Next?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Could This Huge Hire by the ATF Mean that Big Changes Are Coming?\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ty9if-QxPgI?start=2&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-who-is-robert-leider-and-why-does-this-matter\"><strong>Who Is Robert Leider and Why Does This Matter?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For anyone unfamiliar with Robert Leider, Kirk lays out exactly why this hire is a major development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Leider holds a law degree from Yale, a PhD from Georgetown, and an undergraduate degree from George Washington University.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>He has clerked at the U.S. Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Most importantly, he\u2019s a staunch Second Amendment advocate and has written extensively on firearm laws.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This isn\u2019t some bureaucratic pencil-pusher looking to expand the ATF\u2019s overreach. In fact, just last year, Leider wrote a piece titled:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/thereload.com\/analysis-gun-rights-advocates-would-benefit-more-from-atf-reform-than-the-agencys-elimination\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\">Gun Rights Advocates Would Benefit More From ATF Reform Than the Agency\u2019s Elimination<\/a>.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s exactly what Kirk and many in the pro-2A community have been discussing for years. Instead of outright <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/noir-abolish-the-atf\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\"  data-wpil-monitor-id=\"2317\">abolishing the ATF<\/a> (which would just shift its powers to another federal agency like the FBI), a major restructuring could actually protect gun rights better in the long run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Wow. A second piece of good news from the DOJ today. This one could be HUGE.<br \/><br \/>The addition of 2A Attorney and Legal Scholar Robert Leider (<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LeiderRob?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\">@LeiderRob<\/a>) to this key role under <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FBIDirectorKash?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\">@FBIDirectorKash<\/a> could be a sign that the ATF\u2019s continued anti-gun litigation is about to come to an end. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PeUTcpctyh\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\">pic.twitter.com\/PeUTcpctyh<\/a><\/p>&mdash; National Association for Gun Rights (@NatlGunRights) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NatlGunRights\/status\/1902466324762443836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\">March 19, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-this-means-for-the-future-of-the-atf\"><strong>What This Means for the Future of the ATF<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So, does this mean the ATF is going away? Kirk is clear: probably not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, this hire suggests the agency could be undergoing serious changes, possibly even downsizing. A \u201cpartially neutered\u201d ATF, as Kirk puts it, might be far better than one running wild with executive overreach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/testing-the-gen5-glock-17l-mos\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\">Testing the Gen5 Glock 17L MOS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More importantly, Leider\u2019s legal background makes him uniquely qualified to handle the litigation surrounding federal gun laws. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His work at the Supreme Court and appellate levels means he understands exactly how gun cases play out in court, which could help curb some of the ATF\u2019s worst abuses against <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/feds-targeted-lawful-gun-owners-in-sweeping-domestic-terror-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\"  data-wpil-monitor-id=\"2318\">lawful gun owners<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83d\udea8BREAKING\ud83d\udea8<br \/><br \/>Robert Leider, a Scalia Law professor &amp; Second Amendment legal expert, has officially replaced Pamela Hicks as ATF&#39;s new Chief Counsel. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/Z5BboQaOFV\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\">https:\/\/t.co\/Z5BboQaOFV<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qqZGsMpZ55\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\">pic.twitter.com\/qqZGsMpZ55<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/GunOwners\/status\/1902454358689943982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\">March 19, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-rare-win-for-gun-owners-under-bondi-s-leadership\"><strong>A Rare Win for Gun Owners Under Bondi\u2019s Leadership<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Kirk acknowledges that many gun rights advocates remain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZJNqnUZII2Y&amp;t=14s\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\">skeptical of Bondi<\/a>\u2014and with good reason. But he argues that this is, without a doubt, one of the best moves she could have made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, there are still big questions surrounding Bondi\u2019s leadership. Yes, we\u2019re still waiting on Trump\u2019s executive order summaries and other pro-2A commitments. But for today, Kirk says, let\u2019s give credit where it\u2019s due:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;This is an extremely, extremely good hire.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-s-next\"><strong>What\u2019s Next?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While this move doesn\u2019t immediately solve all the ATF\u2019s problems, it does suggest that the agency may be headed in a different direction. And for gun owners who have been fighting federal overreach for years, that\u2019s a step in the right direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtongunlaw.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\">Washington Gun Law<\/a> promises to keep a close eye on what happens next. As Kirk puts it, the jury\u2019s still out on Bondi, but this could be the first real sign of meaningful ATF reform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, gun owners should stay informed, engaged, and ready to fight for their rights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong><em>*** <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"huge-hire-by-the-atf\" title=\"\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF!\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica!<\/a> ***<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pam Bondi, the newly sworn-in Attorney General, has just hired Professor Robert Leider as Assistant Director and Chief Counsel of the ATF.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":158,"featured_media":214253,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_specdata_upc":"","_specdata_placement":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4024],"tags":[132,607,122],"featured":[],"hunt365":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-214252","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-buzz","9":"tag-news","10":"tag-r2kba"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.1 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>\u00a0Huge Hire by the ATF: Prof. Robert Leider<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pam Bondi hires pro-2A legal expert Robert Leider as ATF Chief Counsel, signaling possible reforms. 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