Post by subdjoe on Jul 6, 2011 18:37:20 GMT -5
nationaljournal.com/gop-lawmakers-accuse-justice-department-of-gunrunner-coverup-20110706
The operation, Project Gunrunner, has drawn scrutiny amid allegations that, rather than stanch the export of guns from the U.S. to Mexico, it has instead facilitated sales to traffickers. Issa and Grassley are raising the prospect that the purported scandal could have spread much wider and higher than the Obama administration has acknowledged.
dailycaller.com/2011/07/06/issa-grassley-blast-holder-in-letter-after-secret-meeting-with-atfs-ken-melson/
One key takeaway from the meeting was that Melson acknowledged to investigators that agents had witnessed transfers of weapons from straw purchasers to third parties without following the guns afterwards. Straw purchasers are people who could technically legally buy guns in the U.S. but their intent was to turn around and sell them to drug cartels in Mexico.
Another point Melson clarified for investigators was that the ATF group carrying out the mission of Operation Fast and Furious was placed under the direction of the Arizona U.S. Attorney’s office. The U.S. Attorney in Arizona, Dennis Burke, is a political appointee of the Obama administration.
oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Letters/2011-07-05%20ceg-dei%20to%20ag.pdf
The evidence we have gathered raises the disturbing possibility that the Justice
Department not only allowed criminals to smuggle weapons but that taxpayer dollars
from other agencies may have financed those engaging in such activities. While this is
preliminary information, we must find out if there is any truth to it. According to
Acting Director Melson, he became aware of this startling possibility only after the
murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and the indictments of the straw purchasers,
which we now know were substantially delayed by the u.s. Attorney's Office and Main
Justice. Mr. Melson provided documents months ago supporting his concerns to the
official in the ODAG responsible for document production to the Committees, but those
documents have not been provided to us.
It is one thing to argue that the ends justify the means in an attempt to defend a
policy that puts building a big case ahead of stopping known criminals from getting
guns. Yet it is a much more serious matter to conceal from Congress the possible
involvement of other agencies in identifying and maybe even working with the same
criminals that Operation Fast and Furious was trying to identify.
What is the saying? "The fish stinks from the head down," isn't it?
This is going to end up going straight to Holder. And if it goes to Holder, Obama has to know about it too.
The operation, Project Gunrunner, has drawn scrutiny amid allegations that, rather than stanch the export of guns from the U.S. to Mexico, it has instead facilitated sales to traffickers. Issa and Grassley are raising the prospect that the purported scandal could have spread much wider and higher than the Obama administration has acknowledged.
dailycaller.com/2011/07/06/issa-grassley-blast-holder-in-letter-after-secret-meeting-with-atfs-ken-melson/
One key takeaway from the meeting was that Melson acknowledged to investigators that agents had witnessed transfers of weapons from straw purchasers to third parties without following the guns afterwards. Straw purchasers are people who could technically legally buy guns in the U.S. but their intent was to turn around and sell them to drug cartels in Mexico.
Another point Melson clarified for investigators was that the ATF group carrying out the mission of Operation Fast and Furious was placed under the direction of the Arizona U.S. Attorney’s office. The U.S. Attorney in Arizona, Dennis Burke, is a political appointee of the Obama administration.
oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Letters/2011-07-05%20ceg-dei%20to%20ag.pdf
The evidence we have gathered raises the disturbing possibility that the Justice
Department not only allowed criminals to smuggle weapons but that taxpayer dollars
from other agencies may have financed those engaging in such activities. While this is
preliminary information, we must find out if there is any truth to it. According to
Acting Director Melson, he became aware of this startling possibility only after the
murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and the indictments of the straw purchasers,
which we now know were substantially delayed by the u.s. Attorney's Office and Main
Justice. Mr. Melson provided documents months ago supporting his concerns to the
official in the ODAG responsible for document production to the Committees, but those
documents have not been provided to us.
It is one thing to argue that the ends justify the means in an attempt to defend a
policy that puts building a big case ahead of stopping known criminals from getting
guns. Yet it is a much more serious matter to conceal from Congress the possible
involvement of other agencies in identifying and maybe even working with the same
criminals that Operation Fast and Furious was trying to identify.
What is the saying? "The fish stinks from the head down," isn't it?
This is going to end up going straight to Holder. And if it goes to Holder, Obama has to know about it too.
