Bondi said the reason for the firing was that Hicks was targeting gun owners and they’re no longer doing that…..
Feb 20, 2025, 4:29 PM
Attorney General Pam Bondi fires chief counsel of ATF, who was escorted out of office
The chief counsel of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was fired and escorted out of her office, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Pamela Hicks posted about her termination notice from Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday afternoon, though she did not disclose any reasoning behind the decision.
Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks as she announces an immigration enforcement action during her first press conference at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., Feb. 12, 2025.
Craig Hudson/Reuters, FILE
"Earlier today, I was served official notice from the Attorney General of the United States that I was being removed from my position as the Chief Counsel of ATF and my employment with the Department of Justice terminated," Hicks said in a post on her official LinkedIn account. "I have had the privilege of serving in the federal civil service for almost 28 years, including 23 as an attorney for the Department of Justice. Serving as ATF Chief Counsel has been the highest honor of my career and working with the people at ATF and throughout the Department has been a pleasure. I thank my colleagues for their friendship and partnership over the years."
Hicks is just the latest among dozens of longtime career officials ousted by senior leadership of Trump's Justice Department. A DOJ spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reasoning for Hicks' termination.
-ABC News' Alexander Mallin and Luke Barr
