WASHINGTON — Nearly six months after the White House nominated Andrew Traver to head ATF, there’s no sign of a confirmation hearing.
The Senate Judiciary Committee said there’s nothing scheduled for Traver, who heads the ATF Chicago Office, and explained that the committee has so many confirmation hearings to deal with.
But some observers think there’s more to it. They think ATF is a low priority, plus they think there’s no hurry to rush the confirmation process in the midst of the bubbling controversy over an ATF program known as Operation Fast and Furious, in which gun dealers in Arizona were encouraged to sell to straw purchasers — all with the hopes of tracing the weapons to the Mexican cartels. Some of the guns ended up being used in crimes.
James Cavanaugh, a former ATF official, said Friday that he suspects that the controversy over Operation Fast and Furious will probably delay the confirmation.
“I think it will have an impact, I think it will delay the director,” he said. ” Its such a big dust up on the Hill.”
He said the gun lobbying groups, which oppose Traver’s nomination, may also use the controversy over Fast and Furious to delay the confirmation.
“The gun lobbying groups don’t want Traver,” he said. “If they can use the controversy to stall the confirmation and block it and drag it out, they will.”
Traver was nominated last November.
