The date of the change is not known. According to officials, Richardson's leading candidate for replacement is currently a U.S. Attorney.
Richardson was made deputy director of the agency on June 20, 2021 and could continue to work as a career agent. According to the biography of Richardson on the ATF's Website , he has been with the agency more than 30 years.
Since 2015, the ATF, which falls under the Justice Department's purview, hasn’t had a Senate-confirmed permanent director. The Reload, a publication that focuses on guns, reported the news about Richardson's replacement.
Last week, President Biden nominated Steve Dettelbach as permanent head of the ATF. However, he will need to be confirmed in the Senate. Dettelbach's confirmation will begin before Richardson's replacement can be found. Biden stated that Dettelbach's track record "makes it possible for him to lead this agency from day one."
David Chipman was Mr. Biden’s first choice for the head of the agency. However, he was forced to withdraw his nomination due to opposition from the Senate. Biden said that Republicans used gun crime as a political point of departure instead of taking action to combat it.
