Another Gun Control Bureaucrat “Retired” From ATF Leadership

Megan Bennett, a high-ranking official at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), is out. According to reporting from John Crump of AmmoLand and John Crump News, as well as Curtis Hallstrom of The VSO Gun Channel, Bennett was recently “retired” from her post as Assistant Director of the Office of Enforcement Programs and Services (EPS). But this wasn’t a quiet sendoff for a long career – it was the latest shake-up in what appears to be a deliberate purge of anti-gun leadership within the agency.

Both sources agree: Bennett didn’t jump. She was pushed – forced out in the wake of numerous missteps and a long-standing pattern of behavior hostile to the Second Amendment community.

A Gift That Violated D.C. Law

One of the major scandals leading to Bennett’s removal involved a ceremonial presentation at the retirement of former ATF Director Steve Dettelbach. During the event, as captured in multiple video sources, Bennett handed Dettelbach what appeared to be an 80% AR-15 lower receiver. In Washington, D.C., this kind of item is legally considered a firearm and must be serialized. No background check was conducted.

Absurdity and Hypocrisy

Curtis Hallstrom, in his breakdown on The VSO Gun Channel, pointed out the absurdity and hypocrisy of this moment: the same agency pushing aggressive enforcement of serialized lowers was now publicly flaunting those rules, so long as it was an internal gift for one of their own. Hallstrom called it “astounding hypocrisy” and said it showcased how disconnected Bennett and her circle had become from legal reality.

The Pistol Brace Controversy That Just Won’t Die

Even more concerning than the gift scandal, however, was Bennett’s aggressive push to enforce the ATF’s controversial pistol brace rule, even after multiple court injunctions blocked its implementation. According to Crump, under Bennett’s leadership, the Office of EPS responded to citizen inquiries stating that pistol-braced firearms were still illegal, despite judicial rulings saying otherwise.

One specific incident cited by Crump involved a Gun Owners of America (GOA) member who asked if he needed to register his CZ Scorpion equipped with a brace. EPS replied that registration was still required. GOA swiftly responded with a legal threat, and only then did EPS walk back its position. But as Crump noted, the agency’s begrudging retraction said a lot about its mindset – it wasn’t a mistake; it was a strategy that failed under pressure.

“You Know It When You See It”: The Rule That Made No Sense

The pistol brace rule itself was a confusing mess. According to AmmoLand, it started with a proposed “point system” using ATF Form 4999 to decide if a braced firearm was legal. But the final rule bore no resemblance to what had been proposed, violating basic administrative law under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA). The final result was a vague standard best summed up as “you know it when you see it.”

This approach allowed EPS, under Bennett, to arbitrarily declare virtually any braced pistol to be a short-barreled rifle (SBR), a classification that triggers felony charges for unregistered owners. That stance directly contradicted multiple court rulings. Yet Bennett pushed forward until forced to retreat.

“She Was Going to Be Fired”: A Controlled Exit Strategy

Curtis Hallstrom made it clear on his channel that Bennett wasn’t leaving voluntarily. “She was told to get out or get fired,” he said bluntly. While technically described as a retirement, the truth behind the scenes was very different.

This kind of soft exit has become a trend in federal agencies. As Hallstrom explained, official firings are slow, bureaucratic nightmares, often taking months due to union protections and internal appeals. But by pushing for resignations, leadership can quickly remove problematic officials, at least on paper, while avoiding a prolonged public battle.

The Public Fallout of Anti-Gun Bias

Bennett’s downfall isn’t just about a few missteps – it’s about a long pattern of behavior that many see as aggressively anti-gun. Crump and Hallstrom both referred to her as an “activist” who blurred the line between neutral regulator and ideological enforcer.

Bennett proudly supported sweeping gun control rules under the Biden Administration, including the pistol brace rule. She praised their implementation during her tenure and seemed openly dismissive of judicial restraints. For gun rights advocates, she became a symbol of regulatory overreach and bureaucratic arrogance.

GOA’s Letter That Pushed the Line Back

It’s worth emphasizing the impact of grassroots organizations in this case. GOA’s letter confronting EPS after the pistol brace interpretation was key. According to Crump, the message was simple: follow the law or face litigation. EPS backed off – not because it wanted to, but because it had to.

This was more than a policy correction. It was a clear demonstration that watchdog groups still have power. When ordinary citizens stand up, they can win against powerful agencies, even when those agencies try to defy court rulings.

Other ATF Officials Already Removed

Bennett isn’t the first official to be “retired” in recent months. AmmoLand reports that Chief Legal Counsel Pam Hicks and Deputy Director Marvin Richardson were also removed from their posts. Hicks, described as a favorite of anti-gun groups, was replaced with Robert Leider, a far more gun-friendly legal expert.

Meanwhile, Richardson was swapped for Robert Cekada, who has openly said he wants to repair the relationship between the ATF and the gun community. That’s a radical change in tone for an agency long seen as hostile to lawful gun owners.

A Good Sign, But Not Enough

Here’s where things get interesting. Yes, Bennett’s removal is a win for gun rights. But as Hallstrom warned, this may not be the end of her story. There’s nothing stopping her from taking a job at Giffords or a similar group tomorrow. And if a future administration reverses course, she could be back in power, shaping policy once again.

To truly keep people like Bennett out of government, actual terminations, not quiet resignations, are needed. Otherwise, they’re just on political standby, waiting for a new appointment.

A Bureau in Transition, But Still Dangerous

Crump described these ATF changes as a “good first step.” That’s exactly right. But it’s only a step. The ATF still holds tremendous regulatory power, and its history of overreach, abuse, and murky enforcement hasn’t vanished just because of a few personnel swaps.

Gun owners should be cautiously optimistic but remain vigilant. The agency’s leadership might be shifting, but its ability to reshape the gun landscape with the stroke of a pen is still intact. Until Congress reins in that power, the fight continues.