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Friday’s Fast & Furious Fallout: Fatal Falsehoods From Feds?

By: Moe Lane (Diary)  |  December 3rd, 2011 at 09:05 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

To give a quick background: Operation Fast & Furious, of course, was an incredibly botched government program where federal law enforcement agencies handed over firearms willy-nilly to Mexican narco-terrorists and then lost track of the weapons… no, really, that’s what they did, and the next person who comes up with a legitimate and/or sane reason for them doing that will be the first. As you might imagine, Congressional watchdogs – Republican ones; the Democrats are largely hiding from this one – are a bit perturbed about this, not least because it turns out that the Justice Department gave out patently false information when asked about it the first time. Which is to say, DoJ denied that it handed over firearms willy-nilly to Mexican narco-terrorists and then lost track of the weapons.

At any rate, I think that the paragraph quoted below from the AP piece tells you everything that you need to know about why the official Obama administration’s response to inquiries about Fast & Furious is widely considered to have been insufficient, inexcusable, inappropriate, and just plain insolent:

In another email, [former U.S. Attorney Dennis] Burke wrote, “By the way, what is so offensive about this whole project” of response “is that [Senator Chuck] Grassley’s staff, acting as willing stooges for the Gun Lobby, have attempted to distract from the incredible success in dismantling” Southwest Border “gun trafficking operations” and “not uttering one word of rightful praise and thanks to ATF – but, instead, lobbing this reckless despicable accusation that ATF is complicit in the murder of a fellow federal law enforcement officer.”

It amazes me that the AP managed to write its article without using the term ‘lying suckweasels’ once. To break this down: ‘willing stooges for the Gun Lobby’ is of course inflammatory, not to say utterly unproven; if a program where up to 1,200 guns were essentially thrown to the Mexican drug cartels is considered an ‘incredible success,’ I am too terrified to even contemplate what an ‘utter failure’ would look like; and, given the recent revelation that Border Patrol Brian Terry’s death may have been due to the FBI’s/DEA’s unwillingness to risk exposing a confidential informant, neither ‘reckless’ nor ‘despicable’ really apply as adjectives modifying ‘accusation.’ All in all, this was… pretty representative of this administration when it comes to being questioned on their actions, really.

Which might be one reason why they’ve sealed the records of the Terry murder case. Mind you, if it is, it’s not going to help.

Moe Lane (crosspost)

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COMMENTS

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  • flannery

    The emails released and the portion quoted above are graphic evidence that the new strategy, after ignoring Congressional investigators, after lying to Congress, after name calling the Republicans and all the other typical Holder incompetent, partisan slithering, racist strategies didn’t work, is to dump all responsibility as far away from DC as they can dump. Burke, the US Attorney in Arizona, has been designated as the scapegoat. Damn you know he lied to all the hotshots in DoJ in DC.

    The Holder duck and weave will include a large share of being mislead by a trusted subordinate (who have now be fired by the way) and no resposibility for anything he said or did.

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Jacobson get2djnow

    Why hasn’t every single gun rights organization been touting this scandal and demanding their members write to Congress about it? Why hasn’t Bloomberg (Mayor Stupid) been questioned repeatedly about this operation? (Don’t say that he’s a mayor and has nothing to do with this. This buttwipe has his hand in every anti-gun operation in the country and possibly the planet. I would love to see the FOIA re: his contacts with DEA/FBI/DOJ about F&F and Gunwalker.) Why don’t the unionized Border Patrol Agents demand to know what is going on and why the other federal agencies are putting their agents in mortal danger?

    I do understand why AG Holder is a lying sack of warm, recently expressed fecal matter: he’s covering for his boss. I do understand why the lamestreams are not reporting on this: their covering for their boy-president. I do understand why anti-gun organizations are ignoring this: Their premise that guns kill people is provably false, irresponsible federal officials let narco-terrorists murder people using guns!

  • snowshooze

    This is considered by some…Treason.
    This is a stone wall we may never get through.
    It has nothing to do with right and wrong. It has to do with winning.
    And because the anti-gunners, who by virtue of their existence, should be yelling at the top of their lungs… not a peep.
    Their true agenda.. to disarm every citizen of this country.. where the right was established in order to preserve freedom from our very own government…is obvious. They are tools, nothing more.
    I write to congress.
    But I think it would be better to scribble my thoughts down, stuff them into a bottle.. and pitch it into the ocean.

  • Marcus_Traianus

    I realize that responsibility and concepts like “the buck stops here” are not familiar to the entire Obama Administration. But in the real world when you are the head of department, have full knowledge of what becomes a failed operation, which defies commons sense and should have never been authorized in the first place- you own it and should be fired.

    Not only the aforementioned, but then they lie to Congress and the American people???

    What in Hades is happening to our government? These people work for us. They all need to go.

    Someone should show up at every Obama campaign rally and hold up a big picture of Agent Terry to remind everyone of the terrible injustice that is being perpetrated.

  • http://www4.webng.com/rickbull/lostlucky/ rickbull

    Instead of writing to your congresscritter, write to the attorney general of the state of Arizona asking him to convene a grand jury to indict Eric Holder for the murder of Brian Terry. As I understand it, the USAG does not have to be impeached in order to bring him to trial, unlike the president. Perhaps a grand jury indictment might get the attention of someone in Washington, and it would not be difficult to convince a grand jury that Eric Holder is ultimately responsible for Terry’s death.

  • snowshooze

    My opinion is worthless in Arizona. Sometimes it is just plain worthless anywhere.

  • snowshooze

    I don’t waste my time trying to blame my foreman when I blow it.
    He does everything he can to make anything I ask him to accomplish work. He is my front lines General.
    I picked him because I believed in him.
    All he dies, is what I have requested of him.
    When a deal goes bad, and my Wife grills me on a loss…
    I eat it. Unlike that yellow bastard in public housing in Washington, D.C. The White House.
    Yeah… it is Public Housing. We pay for it. He can’t even come up with rent.

  • http://www4.webng.com/rickbull/lostlucky/ rickbull

    I get regular e-mail correspondence from state and US congressmen and women from all over the country, because I have contacted them regarding issues that were important to me. Heck, I am on Joe Lieberman’s mailing list, and I live in Tennessee.

    Eric Holder is the USAG–he is supposed to work for ALL of us. A friendly e-mail to the Arizona AG reminding him that a murder was committed in his state, and that the man who arranged that murder is walking free and getting a regular paycheck comprised of taxpayer dollars should be enough to incite some real anger. This is one of many tactics of the left that we on the right need to start availing ourselves of.

    Your opinion is only worthless to others if you don’t share it.

  • Right_Again

    I constantly hear from those who don’t want to admit the media is biased that the media chooses mainly to cover sensational stories that sell. Well, here is a sensational story. This story has plenty of potential to sell. And yet, they are mostly ignoring it or providing cover for the administration.

    One reason Gingrich has shot to the top in the GOP race is his willingness to call the media out. As a conservative, I’m as happy to see him attack the media as Obama. Both are complicit in attempts to cover up this and other stories.

  • banzaibob

    While I served I learned the Commanding Officer(CO) of a command especially on ships, the CO is responsble for training, maintenance, and safety of the ship and crew.

    If anything happens to the ship such running aground or death/ severe injury to a crew member of the crew the CO is reponsible.
    This usually results in the CO being relieved by his or her senior due to lack of confidence.

    Well AG Holder you are the CO of the Justice Department and it is time for your senior officer, the President to relieve you due to lack of confidence or just outright incompetence. That is of course we hold the Prsident reponsible and it is time for the voters to relieve him of command.

  • geoph

    Remember when the News Media ran with a story about a break-in and the ensuing coverup by Nixon aides and operatives? I’d like to think that would have still happened had there been a D in the WH.

    Remember when cities had two newspapers, One for the Left spin and one for the Right? At least if you were interested, you had a shot at inferring the truth.

    Remember when Fox News was really news and less entertainment? Not easy with a 24/7 format admittedly, but I remember those first few years when they were a Conservative station.

    Remember when Americans, Left or Right; Rich or Poor; Republican or Democrat; hippie or, well…anyone who was not afraid to bathe, still had a love for the Country even if viewed through different lenses?

    Our politicians are a problem. They’ve become a ruling class, much like King George who vexed us so some 240 years ago (que “Schoolhouse Rock – No more kings…”). Who we put into our system of government is important, but INFORMATION is POWER.
    Until the media (TV, print and even radio) is perceived as those who are truly guiding their agenda and are bound, inseparable, from the facade of politicians that are used to distract us – we seek to treat only the symptoms.
    The Internet and sites such as this, may provide for the free exchange of information – much like the taverns and quilting circles of old did. Missing though is the Thomas Paine, to condense these conversations and present them in a concise manner in a public forum.

    We used to have Fox, and until such an outlet can be created again, our path is more difficult. Partial stories and half-truths will continue to be fed to the masses, and not until the media is exposed and accepted as the problem, they will continue to create our National discussions.

  • johnt

    the story? Doing that would be a ethical act, however minimal and late. Holder is there for a reason, he is a pimp and liar whose experience goes back to the Clinton years. His mere presence is a marker of the obscenity of the Obama administration, as well a marker of the sewage called our media.
    The next time you read a unctous, preening piece anywhere, from any leftist, remember, they know about Fast & Furious, they know and they suppress it, to themselves and their readers. They ignore death and corruption for their politics, and call Normal People “insane”.
    Twisted, very.

  • lookingforward

    Murder of a Federal LEO is a federal crime, and is investigated and prosecuted by the federal government. Although the murder did occur in Arizona, it would be pretty much unprecedented for the state AG to open an investigation. No state AG wants to pick a fight with the Justice Department, as they rely on them for an enormous amount of resources and support. If Holder goes down, it will probably have to be Congress that does it.

  • http://www4.webng.com/rickbull/lostlucky/ rickbull

    for political reasons during a time of high unemployment?

    These are unprecedented times with a bunch of nutjobs running the executive branch of government. Someone needs to make the wake-up call. Why not Jan Brewer and her AG? Even if it went nowhere, the media would have a hard time ignoring it as it spread like wildfire across the conservative blogs.

  • boonerdan

    Why won’t the GOP led House open an investigation? If they do not have the authority, try Door #2: CUT ALL FUNDING for the Justice Department until Holder resigns or is removed by Komrade Obama.

    At this point, the GOP’s silence on this topic speaks volumes and tells me they are either INCOMPETENT or COMPLICIT!

  • celador2

    I think Holder is insulated from more damaging links to Fast and Furious and not much new will come out to drive him out in shame.

    What if Obama wins Nov 2012 and Holder declines another term as AG?

    If a Republican wins Holder also walks away with a hefty pension.

    He walks away with a hefty pension and the Fast and Furious flap is over, or is it?

  • repubnut

    Congress MUST impeach and prosecute Holder–Don’t take “NO” for an answer !!

  • jlsankot

    but just when has this president taken responsibility for anything?

    Daily, I pray that our country be kept safe from her enemies, both foreign and domestic, and that this debacle of this administration be just the thing to keep us safe from our domestic enemies. Keep supporting Issa and Grassley with your emails so they know we want them to finish this to the end.

    (My end would be to charge the whole bunch with treason, because that is exactly what it is.)

  • mutantone

    the Chain of command goes all the way to the White house even as they say they know nothing about it we must go all the way up the chain to remove the treasonous group from our society. They have kept the focus on the Mexican portion of the program only while ignoring the two other programs that released three times as many weapons inside the USA and elsewhere with catastrophic results in the number of lives lost. Add to that the Money Laundering by the DEA in conjunction with these projects which funds the narc-terrorist let alone that the amount of money being shifted is not matching up along the way we need to bring a “fast and furious” stop to these programs. Rahm Emanuel reports that he knew about the operations while he was at the White House. Not only high caliber weapons but conversion kits to make semiautomatic weapons full auto, and explosives as well and the makings for grenades and an uncounted number of rocket launchers.
    Operation Gunrunner?in which the government authorized the sale of weapons with the intent of letting these weapons fall into the hands of Mexican drug cartels, which were used to Kill an American border agent.

    Operation Castaway?in which the government authorized the sale of weapons knowing they would fall into the hands of Honduran gangs, such as MS13 and the Mara Salvatrucha and the rival Mara 18, An estimated 20,590 people died violently here in the last five years, according to the Madrid-based nonprofit Observers of Violence in massive shoot outs to control the drug industry.

    Project Gangwalker the ATF and the DOF allowed the straw purchases of weapons which eventually ended up in the hands of United States gang members in Indiana? Operation Community Shield,? individuals are from El Salvador, three are from Mexico, one is from Honduras and one is from Haiti. ICE said the individuals are members or associates of the following street gangs: MS-13, Sur-13, and Zoe Pound.? Charged in connection with the shooting of an Indianapolis police officer last week are gang members, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office Gonzalez-Ramirez is a member of the Puros Vatos Locos street gang, and Taboada-Perez is a member of the SCT-13 gang. Both have tattoos that express allegiance to those gangs, authorities said. and other weapons have been found at crime scenes in that state and surely have spread out from there to other gangs.

  • davesinsanantonio

    n/t

  • huapakechi

    There would have been no mention in any news outlet, simply because such tactics had been de rigueur for the democrat party since its’ inception.

  • edintexas

    But the Federal statute does not eliminate state statutes against homicide, conspiracy, etc. Heck, anyone could bring an action against Holder under the RICO Act (now that would be justice!).

    You are correct that any state gets a great deal of money (more than anything else) from the Justice Department. Support? If you mean the FBI claiming credit for the work of state and local LEOs, yeah, there’s support from DoJ, USMS is another story, but they are primarily involved in apprehending Federal fugitives.

  • ihateliberals

    We need to impeach Holder and send him to jail. we need to go up and down the food chain a prosecute anyone that was involved in the process. What is so hard about this? If this were a Republican administration this would be over and everyone would be serving their time.

  • geoph

    Probably, but I can’t help but think when the press discovered they had the power to Pull off such a coup, was the first big step towards State Media.

  • dcacklam

    Just because they ordered a retarded-stupid operation, and someone died… Same as if some BN commander in the Army sends his troops out on an idiotic, doomed mission – the guy won’t go to jail for murder, but he will likely be relieved of command….

    Holder’s liability for the death of the LEO in question, at most, can get him fired…

    Criminal liability, if there is any, will be based on weather the op itself was illegal, and weather the DOJ/ATF misled Congress… Not based on homicide….

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Jacobson get2djnow

    The military is allowed and sometimes encouraged to sacrifice some people in order to save others. The civilian police are forbidden from doing such a thing. Holder is not allowed to abridge anyone’s Constitutional rights, which he has done in the case of the murdered agent.

    I agree with those above who say that Holder can be held on the criminal aspects of his actions.