Operation Fast and Furious: Project Gunrunner

Could get interesting for AG Holder as this heats up.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-cartel-guns-20110717,0,6972222.story

Reporting from Washington— Congressional investigators probing the controversial "Fast and Furious" anti-gun-trafficking operation on the border with Mexico believe at least six Mexican drug cartel figures involved in gun smuggling also were paid FBI informants, officials said Saturday.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/07/atf-guns-operation-fast-and-furious-border-/1

The acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said the Justice Department has been withholding key information from congressional officials and that the department sought to protect its political appointees from criticism over a failed anti-gun trafficking operation that allowed hundreds of weapons to be smuggled to Mexico.

Kenneth Melson told investigators earlier this month that among the materials in Justice's possession was "a smoking gun" document related to the inquiry into Operation Fast and Furious that is being headed by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the Judiciary Committee's ranking member, and Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

"My view is that the whole matter of the department's response in this case was a disaster," Melson told congressional investigators in a July 4 interview.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/06/15/137200205/congressional-report-slams-atfs-fast-and-furious-operation

From 2009

This scandal is completely under reported and in many instances misrepresented by the media. Thanks for starting a thread on the issue.

Here are the full videos for the first Fast & Furious hearing held last month.

Panel 1

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Panel 2

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Panel 3

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Dominic Torretto feels it was a success.

Dominic Torretto feels it was a success.

Brian Terry killed Dec 14, 2010

This man's family would disagree.

original CBS report on Fast & Furious

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Reporting from Washington—

The Justice Department is trying to protect its political appointees from the Fast and Furious scandal by concealing an internal "smoking gun" report and other documents that acknowledge the role top officials played in the program that allowed firearms to flow illegally into Mexico, according to the head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-guns-scandal-20110719,0,2399590.story?track=rss

Some additional background info-

http://oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Other_Documents/2011-07-18_DEI__Grassley_to_Holder-DOJ_-_ATF_re_July_6_letter_from_DOJ_re_7-5.pdf

Another site that has been on this story. I can't vouch for anything regarding this site. Just a link I came across.

The Gunwalker Scandal Made Simple

There are five key accusations against ATF and DOJ made by ATF whistleblowers and other sources within FedGov:

1. That they instructed U.S. gun dealers to proceed with questionable and illegal sales of firearms to suspected gunrunners.

2. That they allowed or even assisted in those guns crossing the U.S. border into Mexico to "boost the numbers" of American civilian market firearms seized in Mexico and thereby provide the justification for more firearm restrictions on American citizens and more power and money for ATF.

3. That they intentionally kept Mexican authorities in the dark about the operation, even over objections of their own agents.

4. That weapons that the ATF let "walk" to Mexico were involved in the deaths of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and ICE agent Jaime Zapata, as well as at least hundreds of Mexican citizens.

5. That at least since the death of Brian Terry on 14 December, the Obama administration is engaged in a full-press cover-up of the facts behind what has come to be known as the "Gunwalker Scandal."

http://www.sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/

Brian Terry killed Dec 14, 2010

This man's family would disagree.

Had to make me feel like crap.

This makes me want to put my tinfoil hat on!

it was either very poorly thought out and neglected from the beginning it is unimaginable that any actual "Team" was involved.

Or it was a setup for the Gun shops along the border to push an agenda.

Being the Government i'd have to guess it was both, but need smarter people to give me the 'nuance'.

I know 2 staffers very well on this Government Reform Comittee. Had a very long and interesting conversation about this, and Elizabeth Warren (who will no longer head up the CFTB) over the weekend.

Lets just say that its in the best interests of the administration that this stays off the media radar. It doesn't look good at all from the AG's perspective, and I would be surprised if Holder stays on in a 2nd Obama term

---------- Post added July-19th-2011 at 09:07 AM ----------

Reporting from Washington—

The Gunwalker Scandal Made Simple

There are five key accusations against ATF and DOJ made by ATF whistleblowers and other sources within FedGov:

1. That they instructed U.S. gun dealers to proceed with questionable and illegal sales of firearms to suspected gunrunners.

2. That they allowed or even assisted in those guns crossing the U.S. border into Mexico to "boost the numbers" of American civilian market firearms seized in Mexico and thereby provide the justification for more firearm restrictions on American citizens and more power and money for ATF.

3. That they intentionally kept Mexican authorities in the dark about the operation, even over objections of their own agents.

4. That weapons that the ATF let "walk" to Mexico were involved in the deaths of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and ICE agent Jaime Zapata, as well as at least hundreds of Mexican citizens.

5. That at least since the death of Brian Terry on 14 December, the Obama administration is engaged in a full-press cover-up of the facts behind what has come to be known as the "Gunwalker Scandal."

http://www.sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/

That is about right and is the understanding I have of it

---------- Post added July-19th-2011 at 09:16 AM ----------

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/02/23/eveningnews/main20035609.shtml

February 23, 2011 6:54 PM PrintText

Gunrunning scandal uncovered at the ATF

BySharyl Attkisson .74 Comments

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(CBS News) WASHINGTON - Keeping American weapons from getting into the hands of Mexican gangs is the goal of a program called "Project Gunrunner." But critics say it's doing exactly the opposite. CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports on what she found.

December 14, 2010. The place: a dangerous smuggling route in Arizona not far from the border. A special tactical border squad was on patrol when gunfire broke out and agent Brian Terry was killed.

Kent, Brian's brother, said "he was my only brother. That was the only brother I had. I'm lost."

The assault rifles found at the murder were traced back to a U.S. gun shop. Where they came from and how they got there is a scandal so large, some insiders say it surpasses the shoot-out at Ruby Ridge and the deadly siege at Waco.

To understand why, it helps to know something about "Project Gunrunner" an operation run by the ATF the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Read the indictment

"Project Gunrunner" deployed new teams of agents to the southwest border. The idea: to stop the flow of weapons from the US to Mexico's drug cartels. But in practice, sources tell CBS News, ATF's actions had the opposite result: they allegedly facilitated the delivery of thousands of guns into criminal hands.

CBS News wanted to ask ATF officials about the case, but they wouldn't agree to an interview. We were able to speak to six veteran ATF agents and executives involved. They don't want to be quoted by name for fear of retaliation. These are their allegations.

In late 2009, ATF was alerted to suspicious buys at seven gun shops in the Phoenix area. Suspicious because the buyers paid cash, sometimes brought in paper bags. And they purchased classic "weapons of choice" used by Mexican drug traffickers - semi-automatic versions of military type rifles and pistols.

Sources tell CBS News several gun shops wanted to stop the questionable sales, but ATF encouraged them to continue.

Jaime Avila was one of the suspicious buyers. ATF put him in its suspect database in January of 2010. For the next year, ATF watched as Avila and other suspects bought huge quantities of weapons supposedly for "personal use." They included 575 AK-47 type semi-automatic rifles.

ATF managers allegedly made a controversial decision: allow most of the weapons on the streets. The idea, they said, was to gather intelligence and see where the guns ended up. Insiders say it's a dangerous tactic called letting the guns, "walk."

One agent called the strategy "insane." Another said: "We were fully aware the guns would probably be moved across the border to drug cartels where they could be used to kill."

On the phone, one Project Gunrunner source (who didn't want to be identified) told us just how many guns flooded the black market under ATF's watchful eye. "The numbers are over 2,500 on that case by the way. That's how many guns were sold - including some 50-calibers they let walk."

Click link for more

Looks like another colossal ****-up and outrageous decision making due to typical government incompetence paired with highly unethical activity with the responsibility squarely on Obama and his people. Between the economy and so many ugly policy moves by the pres and his admin, it's looks like he will be less and less likely to have a second term despite any positives he still holds with many and even given the ridiculous nature of much of the opposition party these days. :doh:

I wish I was omnipotent dictator. I'd outlaw affiliation to either party, ban any official existence of both, and exile all obvious current partisans to Eastern Europe. :evilg:

Looks like another colossal ****-up and outrageous decision making due to typical government incompetence paired with highly unethical activity with the responsibility squarely on Obama and his people. Between the economy and so many ugly policy moves by the pres and his admin, it's looks like he will be less and less likely to have a second term despite any positives he still holds with many and even given the ridiculous nature of much of the opposition party these days. :doh:

:

Meh I don't think people will pay attention to this, and with us approaching a year left until 2012 election, I don't see much politically done about this in that time frame. Something big would have to break a week after the debt ceiling debate is over

Sending 2500 guns to include 50 caliber's that is now killing on both sides is not "big enough"?

The Gun Control segment of the Obama Admin planned to show how easy and reckless it is for guns / assault weapons to get into the hands of scumbags south of the border due to lax machine gun and bazooka laws. Then after a few multiple slayings of hablas in Mexico, paint a sad picture of violence and hopelessness so Citizens would demand and vote for Gun Restriction.

And they would have gotten away with it too if that darn Border Agent didn't go and get murdered with a weapon that was part of the agenda.

The Gun Control segment of the Obama Admin planned to show how easy and reckless it is for guns / assault weapons to get into the hands of scumbags south of the border due to lax machine gun and bazooka laws. Then after a few multiple slayings of hablas in Mexico, paint a sad picture of violence and hopelessness so Citizens would demand and vote for Gun Restriction.

And they would have gotten away with it too if that darn Border Agent didn't go and get murdered with a weapon that was part of the agenda.

Nice right-wing nut job spin, though it lacks any semblence of truth. The truth of the matter is that it's been ridiculously easy for clean straw purchasers, paid off by drug cartel intermediaries, to buy guns in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and California for the drug cartels for a fee, then turn them over to the intermediaries who smuggle them across the border. Ridiculously easy. ATF was nailing some of the straw purchasers, but the effect was a thimble in a lake, and they took criticism for getting a few small fish and not the bigger fish the guns were going to. Fast and Furious was an ill-advised attempt to get beyond the small-time straw purchasers and to the higher ups in the cartels who were paying off the straw purchasers and arming the cartels.

Fast and Furious was an ill-advised attempt to get beyond the small-time straw purchasers and to the higher ups in the cartels who were paying off the straw purchasers and arming the cartels.

The evidence will show this was far more then an "ill advised" attempt.

The administration lucks out here because of the timing of these hearings and revelations. The debt ceiling and a host of other things have pushed this to page 5, and nothing will really happen until a 2nd Obama administration.

This may impact the 2014 election I guess :whoknows:

I'd outlaw affiliation to either party, ban any official existence of both, and exile all obvious current partisans to Eastern Europe. :evilg:

The land of cheap beer and lots of attractive women? They might go willingly.

The evidence will show this was far more then an "ill advised" attempt.

The administration lucks out here because of the timing of these hearings and revelations.

Please share a summary of this evidence.

Nothing to see here, move along.

I've been loosely tracking this since it came to light, and not much, if any of the MSM has reported much on it.

I don't think that will change any time in the near future... I hope I'm wrong about that tho.

The land of cheap beer and lots of attractive women? They might go willingly.

Now that you mention that, I may have to lead them. You know, guide my people to the Promised Land. Jumbo Moses.

BTW, wasn't Jumbo Moses a "black exploitation" movie from the 70's? :pfft:

BTW, wasn't Jumbo Moses a "black exploitation" movie from the 70's? :pfft:

:pfft::pfft:

Jumbo Moses = excellent porn star name.

I've been loosely tracking this since it came to light, and not much, if any of the MSM has reported much on it.

You'd think Limbaugh, FOX, and right wing bloggers would be frothing at the mouth over something like this, whether it was true or not.

You'd think Limbaugh, FOX, and right wing bloggers would be frothing at the mouth over something like this, whether it was true or not.

I don't watch Fox News but i am pretty sure they have covered the issue.

---------- Post added July-19th-2011 at 04:58 PM ----------

Yup check it out...

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Here is a copy of a Briefing Paper from the Pheonix Field Division of the ATF: Jan 8, 2010 http://oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Other_Documents/4-7.pdf

Ollie North is being appointed to the House to investigate this.