ATF Director Nominee Robert Cekada Addresses Agent Diversion and Arbitration Testimony

ATF Agent Deployment and Immigration Enforcement

• 🎯 Robert Cekada, ATF Director nominee, stated that the number of ATF agents diverted to immigration operations is significantly lower than reported.
• ⚡ Cekada clarified that an average of 75 to 100 agents per day are involved in Title 8 enforcement, not the previously cited figure of two-thirds of all agents.
• 🤝 The nominee affirmed support for ATF agents enforcing federal statutes and assisting federal partners, particularly in targeting illegal aliens involved with gangs like MS-13 and 18th Street who are carrying firearms.

Forced Arbitration and Sexual Harassment

• ⚖️ Senator Dick Durbin questioned nominee St. John regarding her past testimony against legislation to end forced arbitration for sexual assault and harassment survivors.
• 🗣️ St. John testified that forced arbitration can offer higher recoveries for plaintiffs and a quicker process, while also allowing individuals to avoid public disclosure of their cases.
• ❓ She maintained her position that individuals should have the right to choose between arbitration or court, and denied that her testimony minimized the experiences of sexual harassment and assault survivors.
• 📢 Gretchen Carlson, a leading advocate against forced arbitration, expressed concern over St. John's nomination due to her previous testimony, which Carlson felt downplayed victims' stories.