Fri 2/16 @ noon
When President Biden nominated Cleveland-area native Steve Dettelbach, former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio under President Obama, to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Republicans worked to block the appointment. It wasn’t because they had anything against the accomplished Dettelbach (well, maybe they objected to how accomplished he is) — they just don’t want any oversight of the glut of guns flooding America’s streets.
The ATF director post had been vacant since 2015, after the National Rifle Association (NRA) had successfully lobbied in 2006 to require the post be confirmed by the senate instead of simply appointed by the president. Dettelbach was successfully confirmed in 2022 and now serves as ATF director. And despite a New York Times headline story this week about “The Decline of the NRA,” which has been hit with scandal and membership loss, gun safety laws, widely popular with people in general, are vehemently opposed by Republican office holders even while they fearmonger about “crime.”
“In his second year as director, Dettelbach has advocated for a strategy that focuses on community partnerships, citizen education, and working with state, local, and tribal partners to find solutions that keep Americans safe and improve public safety,” says his bio.
Perhaps when he speaks at the City Club this week on “Combating Gun Violence in America,” Dettelbach will share how to do so when politicians block such sensible and widely popular measures as gun safety education and training, universal background checks, and locking up guns where children have access. Get tickets here.
The forum will also be livestreamed at the City Club’s website starting at noon. If you have questions, tweet @TheCityClub or 330.541.5794.
combating-gun-violence-in-america
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