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ATF Project Gunrunner
- Thread starter Al Norris
- Start date
He ran the U.S. Attorney's office.What was Melsons job before he took over as temp. head of the ATF?
Ken Melson is now a Senior Advisor to the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy.
From Director of ATF to "Senior Advisor to the Assistant Attorney General". That's being put out to pasture with extreme prejudice.
Bartholomew Roberts
Moderator
I imagine Melson is still around because as a whistleblower, it would be near impossible to fire him. So they have to give him some job for the time being. It looks like they are going to try and bore him into submission.
Meanwhile, at PJ Media, some interesting looks at older news and some new insight:
1. CBS News has posted the latest demand letter from Congress which states that Congress has internal ATF emails showing that ATF began tryng to cover up the link between Agent Terry's murder and Fast and Furious within hours of that investigation starting. Newly transferred AUSA Emory Hurley figures prominently.
2. DOJ has belatedly acknowledged that there have been almost twice as many crime scenes involving Fast and Furious guns inside the United States than they initially reported. Oops. Guess they didn't take off their shoes for that first count.
3. And the most interesting part (to me) is the rehash of the White House's National Security Council member Kevin O'Reilly being briefed on Fast and Furious and in turn, briefing two other White House officials (His boss, Dan Restrepo, and Greg Gatjanis). Apparently, Mike Vanderboegh of Sipsey Street Irregulars, has some emails pointing to greater White House involvement than they have so far admitted.
Meanwhile, at PJ Media, some interesting looks at older news and some new insight:
1. CBS News has posted the latest demand letter from Congress which states that Congress has internal ATF emails showing that ATF began tryng to cover up the link between Agent Terry's murder and Fast and Furious within hours of that investigation starting. Newly transferred AUSA Emory Hurley figures prominently.
2. DOJ has belatedly acknowledged that there have been almost twice as many crime scenes involving Fast and Furious guns inside the United States than they initially reported. Oops. Guess they didn't take off their shoes for that first count.
3. And the most interesting part (to me) is the rehash of the White House's National Security Council member Kevin O'Reilly being briefed on Fast and Furious and in turn, briefing two other White House officials (His boss, Dan Restrepo, and Greg Gatjanis). Apparently, Mike Vanderboegh of Sipsey Street Irregulars, has some emails pointing to greater White House involvement than they have so far admitted.
Read this today, apparently some people knew they dun screwed up big time before this was a big deal in the media.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...-in-fast-and-furious-scandal/?test=latestnews
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...-in-fast-and-furious-scandal/?test=latestnews
Just hours after the death of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry, federal officials tried to cover up evidence that the gun that killed Terry was one the government intentionally helped sell to the Mexican cartels in a weapons trafficking program known as Operation Fast and Furious.
My Congressman Freshman Representative Paul Gossar serves on Issa's Committee.
I wrote him today asking that investigations into the coordination with and activities by other departments which had to have been involved in this activitie.
These organizations include, The department of State, Home land Security, FBI, National Security Council and the White Staff.
I believe that it would be beneficial for others to write their Congressmen and Senators. This would be especially helpful if your rep is on the committee. I am sure they are under a great deal of pressure to back off the investigation.
I wrote him today asking that investigations into the coordination with and activities by other departments which had to have been involved in this activitie.
These organizations include, The department of State, Home land Security, FBI, National Security Council and the White Staff.
I believe that it would be beneficial for others to write their Congressmen and Senators. This would be especially helpful if your rep is on the committee. I am sure they are under a great deal of pressure to back off the investigation.
From Director of ATF to "Senior Advisor to the Assistant Attorney General". That's being put out to pasture with extreme prejudice.
You an I have very different definitions of "extreme predjudice".
They gave him a job that requires little or no work, and still gives him a ginormous paycheck, great benefits, and a cushy pension plan..... and before sombody goes out an a limb and speculates on all the "responsibility" that that new job entails, and all the skull sweat required to meet that responsibility ...... gimme a break: he jacked up the last "position of responsibility" about as bad as it could be jacked up, short of actually shooting Agent Terry personally...... His job was, ostensibly, to enforce the Federal Laws pertaining to Alcohol, Tobacco, Explosives and FIREARMS .... not try to increase the perception that American Guns were going to Mexico...... if he had done his damn job, instead of trying to score points with his masters in Washington, Agent Terry might still be alive today.
He's going to be living better than most Americans, even though he failed to do his job ...... he got where he is today by figuring out what his bosses wanted to see happen, and making reality appear to match that fiction. He ought to be in JAIL, at best, and jobless at the very least. Hell, damn near 10% of the workforce in this country doesn't have a frickin' job, most through no fault of their own, and this ......... jack**** screws up big time and he ...... gets transferred?
REALLY?
REALLY.
Do I sound ANGRY?
If you are not angry, you are not paying attention.
Re this entire Fast & Furious fiasco, one thing comes through, at least to me, respecting this administrations handling thereof.
I believe that it was President Nixon who, re the Watergate burglary offered the following. The cover-up is much worse than the crime.
Seems like Obama et al are sadly lacking in, among other things, historical memory.
I believe that it was President Nixon who, re the Watergate burglary offered the following. The cover-up is much worse than the crime.
Seems like Obama et al are sadly lacking in, among other things, historical memory.
From Director of ATF to "Senior Advisor to the Assistant Attorney General". That's being put out to pasture with extreme prejudice.
You an I have very different definitions of "extreme predjudice".
I meant that his transfer was a big time "go sit in the corner" job. I didn't mean to imply that I thought it was a reasonable punishment - I don't and I agree that those involved ought to be in jail.
I don't blame you for being angry. You should be.
Daily Caller has a piece about the last White House Email revelations, and the attempt to keep agent Terry's death from being linked.
http://dailycaller.com/2011/09/02/n...ver-up-white-house-involvement/#ixzz1WsQjx3xQ
http://dailycaller.com/2011/09/02/n...ver-up-white-house-involvement/#ixzz1WsQjx3xQ
aaalaska said:Jimbob do you really think this is punishment? This is simple payoff for taking the fall.
Melson was a career civil service employee before he was plugged into the political appointee position of Acting ATF Director. Melson didn't 'take the fall' for Fast and Furious by resigning like a 'good' political appointee would have done. Instead, he spilled the beans on the Justice Department to Issa's committee and essentially dared Justice to fire a whistleblower. Justice's solution was to reassign him back to a career civil service job where he will finish out his time to retirement (the earlier of when he has 30 years of government time in 2013, or when he turns 60).
hardcase said:Ken Melson is now a Senior Advisor to the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy. In that capacity, he'll advise the Justice Department on forensic science policies and developments.
Melson appears to have strong qualifications in the field of forensic science. From George Washington University:
Mr. Melson is a co-chair of the Subcommittee on Forensic Science, Committee on Science of the National Science and Technology Council within the Executive Office of the President. He is a Past President of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS) and in 2006, became Chair of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents.
He currently represents DOJ as a board member of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB), serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Forensic Sciences, on the Ethics Committee for the AAFS, and on the Advisory Council of the National Clearinghouse for Science, Technology and the Law at Stetson University College of Law.
Mr. Melson has been an adjunct professor at The George Washington University for over 30 years, teaching law and forensic science courses at both the law school and the Department of Forensic Sciences, and publishes in both scientific texts and legal journals.
Daily Caller has a piece about the last White House Email revelations, and the attempt to keep agent Terry's death from being linked.
http://dailycaller.com/2011/09/02/ne...#ixzz1WsQjx3xQ
That is good news that more evidence is coming to light, and even reported by a liberal paper like the LA Times. Let's hope this stuff keeps piling up on the administration for the next 14 months at least.
What did Obama know and when did he know it? Use the progressives favorite with hunt tactics on some real political criminals.
Concerning the link contained in posts by alloy and NWPilgrim, this business gets more interesting, not to mention smellier by the day.
When and if it is finally resolved, one wonders as to how high up the chain of command it will eventually lead, also how long will it take to make that determination, and what if anything will then happen?
When and if it is finally resolved, one wonders as to how high up the chain of command it will eventually lead, also how long will it take to make that determination, and what if anything will then happen?
I don't think ANYTHING will happen under this administration or Congress. The only thing that can address it will be elections. The press are just too friendly to the current administration to ever rake them over the coals like they did Nixon. Congress has no legal maneuver against it. The Admin will not discpline themselves. And the press will not rail for impeachment.
NWPilgrim wrote:
I don't think ANYTHING will happen under this administration or Congress. The only thing that can address it will be elections. The press are just too friendly to the current administration to ever rake them over the coals like they did Nixon. Congress has no legal maneuver against it. The Admin will not discpline themselves. And the press will not rail for impeachment.
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An interesting though re the Congress, and what it might do, erroneous exposition, I think. For instance, Congress, if it wished to so do, could appoint a Special Prosecutor, with authority as broad as might prove necessary. Of course, to do that, Congress would of needs possess a degree of guts and honesty that it unfortunately lacks.
I don't think ANYTHING will happen under this administration or Congress. The only thing that can address it will be elections. The press are just too friendly to the current administration to ever rake them over the coals like they did Nixon. Congress has no legal maneuver against it. The Admin will not discpline themselves. And the press will not rail for impeachment.
---------------------------------------
An interesting though re the Congress, and what it might do, erroneous exposition, I think. For instance, Congress, if it wished to so do, could appoint a Special Prosecutor, with authority as broad as might prove necessary. Of course, to do that, Congress would of needs possess a degree of guts and honesty that it unfortunately lacks.
zxcvbob:
I had thought, possibly mistakenly, based on what I had somewhere seen or read, that congress had the power to appoint Special Prosecutors.
As to the other aspects you mentioned, they being the president signing such legislation, or the AG himself appointing a Special Prosecutor, point taken, neither seem likely, which I wonder leaves us exactly where, other than possibly with the offering up of a few low grade sacrificial lambs, if that.
I had thought, possibly mistakenly, based on what I had somewhere seen or read, that congress had the power to appoint Special Prosecutors.
As to the other aspects you mentioned, they being the president signing such legislation, or the AG himself appointing a Special Prosecutor, point taken, neither seem likely, which I wonder leaves us exactly where, other than possibly with the offering up of a few low grade sacrificial lambs, if that.
rwilson452
New member
I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. It would seem to me the statue of limitations would come into play if a new president and AG were to come in. What is the statue of limitations on some of these alleged crimes?
Bartholomew Roberts
Moderator
rwilson452 said:I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. It would seem to me the statue of limitations would come into play if a new president and AG were to come in. What is the statue of limitations on some of these alleged crimes?
The statue of limitations could in theory get them past some of the initial crimes; but the problem with obstructing an investigation is that the statute of limitations doesn't start running until the last act in the cover up is completed. As strategies go that is rarely a winner since any crime that has a statute of limitations less than 4 years would usually be much less serious than the charges related to a cover-up.