If these allegations turn out to be true, and they did indeed try to frame one of the whistle blowers for a crime, then someone needs to go to jail. I think they really need to name a special prosecutor to look into this. Orin Hatch was on NRA News last night, and was being wishy washy on the subject of naming a special prosecutor, but it has to be done in this case. There’s too much we just don’t know, and the DOJ is likely not to be cooperative. Hatch’s reluctance is based on the history of special prosecutors, which is not a remarkably good one, and that’s understandable. But sometimes it’s the right tool for the job, and this is one of those times.
Category: Government
A Sign of the Times
I figured the Obama Administration was never going to live up to people’s high expectations. What I did not expect is that Congress would need to insert a funding amendment that would essentially tell the Administration that it can’t traffic firearms to drug cartels anymore. This funding rider passed with overwhelming bipartisan support. I am pleased that not trafficking firearms to drug cartels is a position that draws support from both parties.
Funding riders like this have actual teeth. While F&F arguably broke a number of federal laws, misappropriating funds is also a crime, and one that’s easier to prosecute for.
Schultz Subpoenaed as Well
He was the White House staffer that was screaming at Sharyl Attkisson, and apparently Issa subpoenaed his butt too.
The Subpoena
Dave Hardy has a link to the details of what was demanded of the Justice Department. I had not realized until listening to Cam & Company last night (or maybe the night before) that this is actually a rare thing, for Congress to issue to a subpoena to an Attorney General. Apparently this hasn’t happened since Watergate.
Holder is a slippery bastard, so I haven’t been skeptical he’s going to get punished for any of this, but in that vein, things seem to be decidedly looking up.
The Eric Holder Defense
The BattleSwarm Blog notes Eric Holder’s latest defense, ““I didn’t lie, I swear, I was just incompetent” It’s kind of sad when those are your choices.
Bush Did it Too
That seems to be the latest deflection from the Administration. I’m not really all that concerned about whether there were guns being walked during the Bush Administration too. If that’s the case, a pox on the Bush Administration as well. But Bush isn’t in office, Obama is, and Holder decided to let it continue rather than stopping it. Sorry guys, but trying to deflect the blame isn’t going to cut it. You want to go after Gonzalez or Mukasey? Be my guest. But this isn’t a get out of jail free card.
A Little Touchy Are We?
Instapundit is reporting that CBS reporter Sharyl Attkisson was screamed at by the White House over her reporting on Fast and Furious:
 They will tell you that I’m the only reporter–as they told me–that is not reasonable. They say the Washington Post is reasonable, the LA Times is reasonable, the New York Times is reasonable, I’m the only one who thinks this is a story, and they think I’m unfair and biased by pursuing it.
I guess they want her in the tank along with all the other papers mentioned. It’s worth noting that at one time, reporters felt it was their responsibility to hold the government and its officials accountable. I guess that time has passed.
Ms. Attkisson better watch it, or she’ll get the Chicago treatment. I hope she’s been meticulous and scrupulous about her tax returns.
UPDATE: House GOP is calling for a special prosecutor to investigate Eric Holder. This is coming from Judiciary. Maybe this is why the White House and DOJ are so testy.
Holder Knew Sooner than He Testified
New documents obtained by CBS News show Attorney General Eric Holder was sent briefings on the controversial Fast and Furious operation as far back as July 2010. That directly contradicts his statement to Congress.
Of course, the White House is claiming they never knew this operation was about letting guns walk. Holder is also claiming he didn’t know details. The documents released by the White House this weekend would appear to show that if the White House wasn’t aware guns were being walked, they are pretty stupid:
As CBS News has reported, the email exchanges between Newell and O’Reilly lasted for more than a month. Among the documents produced is an email Newell sent O’Reilly with an “arrow chart reflecting the ultimate destination of firearms we intercepted and/or where the guns ended up.”
It was mostly the latter since, as we have documented, ATF agents were ordered by superiors not to interdict the weapons traffic, surveillance would be called off, and requested interdiction teams were not sent to arrest the traffickers when opportunities to do so arose. Most of the guns were allowed to “walk” into Mexico.
I’m wondering if Congress has enough now to at least impeach Holder.
Latest in Fast and Furious
Fox seems to be moving farther away from the “botched operation” that’s been prevalent in the “in the tank for the Administration” news outlets, and understanding that Fast and Furious was working exactly the way it was intended to work. Here’s more evidence from Fox:
In June 2010, however, the ATF dramatically upped the ante, making the U.S. government the actual “seller” of guns.
According to documents obtained by Fox News, Agent John Dodson was ordered to buy six semi-automatic Draco pistols — two of those were purchased at the Lone Wolf gun store in Peoria, Ariz. An unusual sale, Dodson was sent to the store with a letter of approval from David Voth, an ATF group supervisor.
So taxpayer money was being used. The article goes on to note that this wasn’t your standard undercover sting. Agent Dodson is essentially reporting that he was ordered to let the weapons go. No attempt at all was made to interdict the weapons, or the people trafficking them, on order from ATF superiors.
I’d really like to know how all these gun violence organizations continue to dodge, deflect, and continue to make excuses for this. There is a world of difference between guns that, through criminal theft, or through an unlawful gun purchase, happen to end up in criminal hands, and guns that are deliberately being trafficked to criminals with the full aid and blessing of our government. Where is their outrage? They should be joining our call to get to the bottom of this scandal and try to find out who’s responsible. The fact that they are not should tell you everything you need to know about what they really stand for.
Fast and Furious Not Getting Play in GOP Field
The Daily Caller is upset that the GOP isn’t saying anything about the widening scandal involving Fast and Furious. Now we have tapes, just like in Watergate. Today comes news that Customs has seized 30 guns headed south into Mexico. Anyone bother to check to see if any of those 30 were Fast and Furious guns. Also note Reuters continuing the meme that this was just a botched operation, rather than a deliberate effort. It’s pretty clear Fast and Furious was working exactly how it was intended to work.
It’s sad enough that the media is, for the most part, completely ignoring Fast and Furious. There’s no reason for the entire GOP field to ignore it too.