Leadership Shifts at ATF: Marvin Richardson's Departure

Marvin Richardson, the deputy director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), has resigned after 35 years of service. His removal follows a shake-up in agency leadership. The Justice Department is considering merging ATF with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Marvin Richardson, who served as deputy director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), has stepped down from his post after 35 years of dedicated service to the agency. This decision comes amid significant leadership changes within the organization.

Sources revealed to Reuters that Richardson was given the choice to resign or be removed. His departure occurs just a day after FBI Director Kash Patel was also replaced as acting ATF director, with Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll stepping into the role.

The Justice Department remains tight-lipped on the matter, declining to comment on the implications of Richardson's exit. The ATF is already experiencing a leadership vacuum, prompting discussions of merging it with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to bolster its operational capacity.

(With inputs from agencies.)