A Chicago-based Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent could move one step closer to heading up the entire organization, Tuesday.
Andrew Traver, the Chicago head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who was nominated by President Obama to lead the organization, is scheduled to meet with senior Justice Department officials Tuesday as pressure grows for the organization to oust its current director, Kenneth Melson.
Melson is expected to resign after orchestrating the agency's "Fast and Furious" operation, a controversial gun trafficking that has been linked to the death of a U.S. Law Enforcement Officer, The Washington Post reports.
It is unlikely that Traver will be confirmed as full time head of the department. Since 2006 when Congress required the head of ATF to be confirmed by the Senate the department has been without a permanent director.
Traver was nominated to the position in November of 2010 by President Obama.The National Rifle Association strongly opposes Traver. The organization has said that they believe that Traver is connected to gun-control advocates and anti-gun activities.
