Biden's ATF nominee David Chipman failed to tell Congress about a media appearance on state-run Chinese TV that was potentially used as propaganda to cover up a mass stabbing of children in the country's Henan Province
Joe Biden's pick to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives did not disclose with Congress earlier this year his previous interview with Chinese state-run media, a Wednesday report revealed.
David Chipman, a senior policy advisor at the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence and former ATF special agent, appeared on China Global Television Network – formerly CCTV – to discuss the Sandy Hook mass shooting in December 2012, Fox News first reported.
A YouTube video of the interview, titled 'David Chipman on Connecticut school shooting: What can be done next?', is still up on CGTN's channel, but only has amassed a little over 6,000 views in the eight-and-a-half years it has been uploaded on the site.
The interview, however, was not included as part of the media appearances Chipman disclosed to the Senate as part of a 16-page list of previous interviews and quotes he provided to media.
It is believed that Chipman was used by Chinese Communist Party as propaganda to cover up for a mass stabbing of two dozen children in China on the same exact day as the school shooting in the U.S.
Joe Biden's pick to head the ATF, David Chipman, failed to disclose in a questionnaire for the Senate earlier this year that he participated in an interview with Chinese state-run media about the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012
It is believed that the interview was used as propaganda to cover up a mass stabbing of two dozen children in China on the same exact day as the Sandy Hook shooting in the U.S.
As the Sandy Hook Massacre on December 14, 2012 unfolded, across the world a 36-year-old man, identified as Min Yongjun, stabbed 23 children and an elderly woman at a school in Henan Province, China.
None were fatally injured in the stabbing, but 26 people, including 20 children 6-7 years old and six adult staff members, were killed in the Newton, Connecticut shooting by 20-year-old Adam Lanza.
Chipman was brought on the day after the attacks to speak with CGTN, a state-run television company in China, about the gun violence in America.
'I have done my best to identify all interviews given, including through a review of my personal files, and searches of publicly available electronic databases. Despite my searches, there may be other materials that I have been unable to identify, find, or remember,' Chipman included as a disclaimer.
Chipman, as a Cabinet nominee, was required to submit a questionnaire to the Senate as part of his confirmation process including a list of his media appearances.
Biden's pick to head the ATF has come under intense scrutiny by Republicans who claim it would be unethical to have a gun control advocate lead up the Justice Department sub-agency that oversees the regulation and federal enforcement of firearms laws.
It is not clear when the Senate plans to vote on Chipman's nomination after already going through a round of questioning before the Senate Judiciary Committee in May.
Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, doubled down on his support for the nominee this week.
Chipman appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a confirmation hearing in May, but his nomination process has yet to move forward as Republicans object to a gun control advocate heading the federal law enforcement agency focused on gun crimes and regulation
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also defended the pick during her press conference on Wednesday.
'We knew this wouldn't be easy,' Psaki said when asked about Chipman's nomination seemingly getting held up at the confirmation step. 'ATF hasn't had a confirmed director in six years and only one confirmed director since the position became Senate-confirmable.'
'We are disappointed by the fact that many Republicans are moving in lock step to try to hold up his nomination and handcuff the chief federal law enforcement agency tasked with fighting gun crimes,' she added.
Chimpan's confirmation could hinge on the vote of independent Senator Angus King's vote, who caucuses with Democrats.