ATF Project Gunrunner

As of today, it looks like Leahy and Grassley have struck a deal, and that Melson will be testifying next month. I see two possibilities.

The first is that he'll tow the company line and claim that the Phoenix division was off the reservation. The second is that he'll pull the Nuremberg defense and throw one or more of his superiors under the bus.

there is so much boneheadedness already under the bridge that pretty much anything could happen.
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We could be standing at the precipice of an enormous crossroads.
 
Thanks for the update. It looks like Sen. Grassley's block on all DOJ business before the Senate Judiciary Committee was successful in gaining additional cooperation from DOJ.

The first is that he'll tow the company line and claim that the Phoenix division was off the reservation.
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Well, that one won't help him much since we know he was involved to the level that he was watching the sales via the Internet at his own desk.

The second is that he'll pull the Nuremberg defense and throw one or more of his superiors under the bus.
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The quote that caught my eye from your link:

"But in private conversations with congressional investigators in recent days, Melson has indicated he does not believe he did anything wrong because he carried out his bosses’ wishes and is eager to testify to describe the full picture, according to sources familiar with those conversations."

So, I'm guessing he is going with option #2. It will be interesting to see how DOJ responds.
 
They should stop all ATF funding and hold full coverage hearings daily till this is settled, we deserve the truth and should know that not another day goes by without a full court press to punish everyone hiding anything.
Alex
 
It looks like they are heaping logs on the fire. Are they stupid; or are they completely ignorant of the laws concerning retaliation against whistleblowers?

SOURCE

'Project Gunrunner' Whistleblower Says ATF Sent Him Termination Notice

By Maxim Lott

Published June 27, 2011 | FoxNews.com

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is being accused of retaliating against an agent who helped publicize the agency’s role in allowing thousands of guns to cross the U.S. border and fall into the hands of Mexican drug gangs.

<MORE>
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Oh, they're aware of the anti-retaliation laws, I'm sure. It's just a matter of total arrogance. They think they can get away with whatever they want, and how dare we, the people, question them. We're supposed to be completely bought with social programs and distracted by American Idol and Dancing with the Stars like good little slaves, not watching them try to pull another in a long line of fast ones.
 
The Washington Post again shows their willingness to be the Administration's Gunwalker character assassin in an unsigned editorial today. You know whose fault Gunwalker is? The NRA, that's who. :rolleyes:

And of course, the only way the NRA can atone for its sins in Gunwalker is to completely cave in and agree to a whole host of gun control laws, many of which have not enjoyed any support in Congress or the state legislatures for over ten years now.

The funniest part of the whole editorial is the WaPo thinks one of the answers to straw purchasing problems is "stronger penalties for straw purchase." Apparently they didn't read the transcript from Rep. Darrel Issa's hearing where on Page 21 Agent Forcelli testified that dozens of firearms traffickers were given a pass by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona. He cites a case where the U. S. Attorney declined to prosecute Victor Varela, a known straw purchaser who trafficked .50 BMG rifles, one of which was used to kill a Mexican military commander. This is a crime that can carry a sentence of 10 years in federal prison under U.S. law. The case was declined for prisecution by AUSA Emory Hurley because of perceived legal issues - however the Arizona AG took up the case and successfully convicted Varela, though he was released from prison in July 2010 because of the lesser sentencing guidelines in state court.

In another case, Hurley declined to prosecute a corrupt FFL who admitted post-arrest that he had trafficked around 1,000 firearms to Mexico. Over a half dozen firearms from his shop were found around the body of the head of the Beltran Leyva cartel after he was killed in a gun battle with Mexican authorities.

Once again, the Post misses that the problem isn't a lack of laws; but an uneven enforcement of those laws and an unwillingness to apply them to the people who regularly violate them. The sentence for straw purchasing already goes up to 10 years in a federal prison; but few people are even charged and almost nobody gets the maximum sentence. Increasing the sentence even more is meaningless - much like most of the other steps the WaPo proposes.
 
Someone asked what the Spanish newspapers were saying about this. Well, I'm not necessarily fluent, but I'm good enough for government work. Our local Spanish paper says that Calderon has been fairly anemic in his reaction to the whole incident. He is apparently under fire from his political opposition for it. Also, it appears that Mexican law enforcement officers were briefed on the operation here in the U.S. Mexico has not denied that.

The Catholic church in Mexico has capitalized on the incident to criticize the U.S. for it cynicism (assuming I translated that correctly). The Mexican Congress is calling it a violation of their national sovereignty and have requested full disclosure of operations information regarding the drug war. It would appear they are not currently privy to that information.

That's all the Spanish news my area has on the issue at the moment. I'll update it if the Mexican papers say anything else.
 
MicaWeeks: Thanks. I really thought the Mexican President would try to use it as more political advantage, along the lines of "See! The U.S.A. is hamstringing us, that is why we can not gain ground on this."
 
Eghad said:
Melson's Boss would be AG Holder..

Looks like the committee is going for bigger fish.
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If you look at the DOJ org chart, everyone reports to the Deputy Attorney General who then reports to Holder.

But you're right about the committee. I think Issa has Holder in the crosshairs and rightfully so. He's the captain of the sinking DOJ ship and should know what's going on.

Don H said:
I believe executive privilege can and has been invoked by administrations regarding testimony by supoena'd former Executive Branch employees. Perhaps we'll see this ploy used in this case. I do wonder, though, whether the supoena'd ex-official has the personal option to waive executive privilege if the administration invokes it?
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I agree that invoking Exec. Privilege would be boneheaded since Obama claims he didn't know about it. If he didn't know, it's hard to claim the privilege.

An ex-official is a private individual and free to provide testimony on anything he has first hand knowledge about. The gov't might object with claims of national security or exec privileges, but it couldn't stop someone from voluntarily testifying in public or private.
 
You know whose fault Gunwalker is? The NRA, that's who.
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Oh, I see. So, the Tiahrt amendment led to this because...well, I don't see that. It's beyond apprehension.

We may never know whether the bureau would have launched the Fast and Furious operation had it had other, more effective tools at its disposal. Those who would clobber the bureau for possible mistakes should look in the mirror and accept some responsibility for its failings.
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What's interesting is that the author doesn't even try to deny the ATF's antics here. He's just trying to shift blame.
 
WaPo's writer is running on the "failure means a bigger budget" idea of evaluating government agencies (the other notable example of this mantra are failing public schools).

And what would this savant figure to be "more effective measures" for ATF to have used instead of "walking" guns? These apologists are as criminal as the smugglers, intellectually, and in their complete dismissal of facts in preference for dreams.
 
so the Deputy AG and the AG Never talk or exchange e-mail.

Carney, Obams's press secretary, was very quiet about meton when asked.

Which makes me even more convinced there is a smoking e-mail out there.
 
I had to send a comment on this to the Washington Post.

The NRA was not the organization which allowed these firearms to walk into Mexico. The BATFE was that organization.

The NRA was not the organization which ignored the law and allowed straw purchasers to commit their crimes. The BATFE was that organization.

The NRA was not the organization which chose to not prosecute known straw purchasers -- many of which were known to them prior to the inception of Fast and Furious -- and allow their purchases to be completed. The BATFE was that organization.

The NRA was not the organization which chose selective enforcement of the existing laws. The BATFE was that organization.

Increasing the penalties for laws which are not being enforced is ludicrous. A law which has a one hundred year penalty is just as ineffective as a law which has a one day penalty if neither law is being enforced. It is not the law which lacks teeth, it is the organization which fails to enforce that law which makes it so.

If the First Amendment were treated as shabbily by Second Amendment supporters as the Second Amendment is treated by the press, they would be howling as if their rear ends were on fire. The Constitution and Bill of Rights are not a smorgasbord menu from which you choose the parts you agree with to the rejection of all others; but that is exactly how the press treats them both.

The Washington Post needs to learn that there is a WHOLE Constitution and a WHOLE Bill of Rights out there and start supporting them both in their entirety.
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On a note that was brought up earlier...

Lone Wolf Trading had their reputation dragged through the mud by the government and the press. As Tom Servo noted, it probably won't have had good results for their business.

I usually buy new guns from my LGS, but I think I'm going to make a Fast&Furious exception, and order an M&P40 from Lone Wolf (for FFL transfer via my LGS).

Edit: Decided on a 45 instead of a 40; called Lone Wolf earlier today, and they are trying to find a gun with the options I want. My LGS indicated they are happy to handle the FFL transfer.
 
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More Fast and Furious Hearings on Thursday

MainJustice.com is reporting that Rep. Elijah Cummings is going to hold separate hearings on Fast and Furious this Thursday. They also report that the witness list includes Sen. Charles Schument, an ATF agent, and several of the usual gun control suspects.

I'm really surprised at the level of firepower being expended to defend a position that is basically not defensible. Looks like the Administration has made the bad strategic decision to have a fight on their opponent's terms. Media Matters is pushing hard with the meme that "Fast and Furious was a policy to promote gun control = birtherism", though naturally they don't attempt to tackle the mass of evidence supporting that claim on a point by point basis.

I suspect that tomorrow's hearing will basically be a replay of the WaPo editorial - the ATF wouldn't have had to do such a stupid thing if the NRA hadn't made them do it. As arguments go, I look forward to ripping in to that one.
 
Really, Elijah? We need to explore the WaPo's NRA derangement syndrome?

The parade of sitting ducks is starting to make me suspicious, BR.
 
jimpeel , re your post # 435:

Well said Jim.

Your comment is unlikely to see the light of day at the Post, but well said anyhow.
 
Bartholomew Roberts:

It’s a shame you seem unable or unwilling to recognize the obvious, re the failings of the big bad NRA, of which I've been a life member since late in 1973.

Given that the NRA has, now and then raised question as to the virtues of the theory and practice of Gun Control, how could it be otherwise.

Given that the NRA has failed to properly worship the graven image of Sarah Brady, add whichever other names you feel appropriate, how could it be otherwise?

Tornados and flooding in various parts of the country are likely the fault of the NRA too. How could you miss the obvious.

Finally, as to the Obama Administration Conning The Washington Post, given the paper's history re matters concerning firearms, I suspect that conning them didn't take al that much effort, but I could be wrong.
 
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