Gunwalker: Details of Coverup Revealed
Just days after Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Acting Director Ken Melson was forced into a make-work job at the Justice Department and long-time Janet Napolitano confidant U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke abruptly resigned, the investigation into Operation Fast and Furious rapidly gained momentum with evidence of a coverup instigated within hours of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry’s death.
Also, the Justice Department begrudgingly revealed that Fast and Furious guns were recovered at the scene of more than twice as many violent crimes as they has originally told congressional investigators.
And in the latest bombshell, emails reveal that the White House had indeed been briefed directly about Operation Fast and Furious while the operation was still walking thousands of guns to the Sinaloa cartel.
Sharyl Attkisson of CBS News reports that a coverup kicked in within hours of Brian Terry’s murder:
In a letter, Grassley and Issa say the lead prosecutor on Fast and Furious, Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory Hurley, learned almost immediately that guns allowed onto the street in his case, had been recovered at Terry’s murder. “(I)n the hours after Agent Terry’s death,” says the letter from Grassley and Issa, Hurley apparently “contemplated the connection between the two cases and sought to prevent the connection from being disclosed.” The Justice Department recently transferred Hurley out of the criminal division into the civil division.
An internal ATF email dated the day after Terry’s death reveals the quick decision to not disclose the source of the weapons found at the murder scene: “… this way we do not divulge our current case (Fast and Furious) or the Border Patrol shooting case.”
Another ATF email indicates that the justification both offices used to not charge the suspect with crimes related to the murder scene “was to not ‘complicate’ the FBI’s investigation.”
ATF whistleblowers revealed the link between the two cases to Congressional investigators and CBS News, saying their supervisors were attempting to cover it up.
Citing the documents in their possession suggesting the conspiracy, Rep. Issa and Sen. Grassley demanded that the new U.S. attorney for Arizona, Ann Scheel, provide documentation — including emails, memos, and even handwritten notes from members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office — that may relate to the coverup. They also stated that they wanted to hear testimony from three more Justice Department officials: Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emory Hurley and Michael Morrissey, and Patrick Cunningham, chief of the DOJ Criminal Division.
The DOJ originally claimed that Fast and Furious weapons had been recovered at 11 crime scenes in the United States, but a Fox News investigation now reveals that a total of 42 Fast and Furious weapons were recovered at those crime scenes. Revised DOJ figures now also admit that an additional 21 Fast and Furious guns were tracked to violent crimes in Mexico.
Great stuff Bob,
I had a feeling all that recent “hanging from trees” rhetoric by the CBC was for a reason.
They wouldnt blaze through that ammo bag this early for nothing.
Now I know.
I wonder if anyone in this administration knows the meaning of
“accessory to murder”.
Someone has armed the assassin who has killed Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.
“indirectly” does not apply here.
Good point. It wouldn’t be the first time that law enforcement were involved in outright criminal activities under the guise of conducting police investigations and undercover operations.
I suggest they check the bank accounts of the officials involved. It is not entirely out of the realm of possibility that it was a “protected” smuggling operation with ATF officials getting kickbacks from the Cartels.
You know what they say: Money talks and weapons walk.
…. It wouldn’t be the first time that law enforcement was involved in outright criminal activities under the guise of _______________________ (fill in the blank) ….
First time? Nah. Given that the large percentage of all serious crime — and the border war — descend directly from and/or relate directly to prohibition, “law enforcement’s” principal primary criminal incitement; — how about all of the time!
Every door they open at the DOJ seems to reveal another criminal activity, and no one has the time to sweep-up this mess and start criminal prosecution against our top law enforcement official.
Does accessory to murder constitute a high crime or misdemeanor?
In Chicago – neither!!
At least it isn’t a hate crime, as the poor Border Patrol agent was white!
“O’Reilly asked whether he could share the information with Restrepo and Gatjanis. He added that the information “would not leave NSS, I assure you.”
Newell answered, “Sure, just don’t want ATF HQ to find out, especially since this is what they should be doing (briefing you)!”"
This is very interesting. Newell is apparently briefing the ‘latin american’ point team at the WH outside of the ATF chain of command, and he’s doing it because he feels the ATF has left them out of the loop (improperly).
This begs the question- why were they out of the loop? I can think of at least two good reasons- they didnt trust the WH not to leak the story and disrupt their investigation, or… they were reporting to somebody else outside the usual white house channels.
These documents are less damning because they exist than because of what they hint at. Either the ATF was working with all these other agencies… but somehow deliberately keeping the WH out of the loop (which is crazy, they would have to assume SOMEBODY in one of the agencies would be talking), or there was a more direct link to the white house that was bypassing the lower lever national security advisers that were experts in the region in question.
Thats the tree to bark up.
Prosecute them all.
Rebeccah I agree with you 150%. they all should get 40 years and one day at HARD labor. and I do mean HARD labor making little rocks from big boulders, pluss a million dollar fine for each and everyone of them. with the money going to a victems fund and to reimburse the tax payers for the billions they have wasted,
You know that the ins and outs of Fast & Furious/Gunwalker were known about at all the various levels, despite continuous demurrals and obfuscation from people like Holder.
Kudos to Rep. Issa and Sen. Grassley, to their persistence and refusal to be bamboozled.
I think we’ve come to the point in this potential major scandal that Obama should simply order Holder and Melson and any other agencies involved in this to come clean immediately; it would be better for Obama politically and would ensure that this doesn’t hit climax during the general election period. Every few weeks we see a major development like this one and every few weeks more and more mainstream media publications take this on, meaning that the rock that is Fast and Furious is rolling ever faster down that slope.
Let the impeachment trials begin. Then when Obama, Holder et al are removed from office give them to the Mexican authorities for trial as an accessaries to murder.
Nah, they don’t believe in capital punishment down there.
Surely it’s time for a special prosecutor?
..Something burning da da da and they are coming after the very corrupt Holder and maybe Obama himself. It is appaling and heads as well as jail sentences if guilty mandated. Somehow… maybe Bush did it!!
Just watched All the Presidents men on DVD. This seems eerily similar. Non denial denials from the white House etc.
The DoJ needs a top-to-bottom housecleaning starting on Inauguration Day, 2013. Holder doing the perp walk in the meantime would suffice until then.
If in fact this was a joint effort by CIA and DHS to use the ATF, Border Patrol, et al. and the Sinaloan cartel to help the Mexican government avoid toppling by Los Zetas, whose side will General Petraeus, our most leftist high ranking military figure and new CIA chief, be on?
If the Zetas are primarily northeastern (NE Mexico, that is) by composition, then they are probably a derivative of the Monterey crowd that has been pushing for secession from Mexico probably since Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott pulled their horses northward. I could see Rick Perry saying to hell with the US Presidency and going with that. If they combined that with Alberta through the Great Plains, it would be a new take on Red Dawn – Red State Dawn?
Yeah, but I’d like to know how this is going to end. Who will prosecute the crimes of the ruling party? Will we have to wait for a republican president to see justice done? As far as I can tell Issa is just a mouth. I am waiting for justice.
What ever happened about the new black panther scandal? No firings. No justice. No protection for white voters. No nothing.
At best these investigations are a meager campaign tactic since most voters get their news not from conservative blogs but from the msm which is not going to give this story the coverage it deserves.
Not the attention it deserves…yet.
CBS did break the story though. And even the LA Times has had several articles.
Have faith. Better still call your congressman/woman and Senators. Insist on a special prosecutor. And support Issa.
Then pray
If that Richard Serrano guy keeps this up, PJM may be spared the musings of Ruben Navarette in the near future! (Although it is weird how Chris Salcedo doesnt have articles recently, maybe he is in deep cover way down south!).
Is the Grand Jury in session on this yet? If not, why? We want punishment for people who authorized and carried out this ridiculous program.
I think the problem is the chief law enforcement dude IS Holder.
Not even close, Nana. He’s only one of many in the flock of agenda birds involved in the biggest and most comprehensively designed ripoff conspiracy perpetrated on the purposefully uninformed US population in the last 100 years. Any real patriotic political leaders have merely provided a step forward followed by two steps backward due primarily to media whitewash lies and half truths.
You’ll be getting closer to the real threat when you realize that members of the House of Representatives are restrained from calling for impeachment of anyone for fear of an ensuing Tsunami that neither party can survive. Party first, nation next.
Most prominent problems ahead will include finding honorable jurists among a corrupt field to try the accused and daring peers to carry out a sentence. Courageous politicians went out with dueling.
Children were burned alive at Waco, Texas by Feds sent there by Janet Bull Dike Reno. The gun running program should come as no great eye opener. The CFR controlled government is full of Treason against these United States Consitiution, and Bill of Rights.
DaOne, Holder, Billery, the Bull Dike at Homeland are all part of a larger agenda to weaken the Constitution, and Bill of Rights of these United States. The next thing you know, they will support the Muslim Brotherhood, and allow millions of illegal aliens into these United States.
And then it will get to the Supreme Court and the two Bull Dykes will vote against it.
I was looking for the quote from Obama during a Mexican press conference where he said that he didn’t know anything about F&F and neither did Holder. Hmmm is he sharing a brain with him? It seemed weird that he would say that.
What I found was a transcript of a Mexican press conference from early 2009. I think all this business of gunrunning extends beyond our border and with the knowledge of Mexico’s government.
Obama says “This war is being waged with guns purchased not here, but in the United States. More than 90% of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States, many from gun shops that line our shared border.
So we have responsibilities, as well. We have to do our part. We have to crack down on drug use in our cities and towns. We have to stem the southbound flow of guns and cash. And we are absolutely committed to working in a partnership with Mexico to make sure that we are dealing with this scourge on both sides of the border.
My national homeland security advisor, who is here, Gen. Jim Jones, as well as my Homeland Security secretary, Janet Napolitano, and my top advisor on homeland security and counter-terrorism, John Brennan, are all meeting with their Mexican counterparts to develop new ways to cooperate and coordinate their efforts more effectively.
Calerone says “And we have described it as it is from the moment that the prohibition on the sale of assault weapons [expired] a few years ago, we have seen an increase in the power of organized crime in Mexico. Only in my administration, in the two years and four months, we have been able to see — or rather we have seized more than 16,000 assault weapons.
And in the efforts we have made to track their origin — and President Obama has referred to that — we have seen that nearly 90% of those arms comes from the United States — those weapons come from the United States. There are about 10,000 sales points on the U.S.-Mexico border — only at the border.
Here is a link to the entire transcript: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/04/text-obama-calderone-news-conference.html
@MVP – thanks for the link on excellent relevant history. AS I recall it was just this kind of high profile ‘narrative’ spin – the 90% LIE that America was indirectly responsible for Mexico’s civil drug war – both as the destination for illegal drugs AND the for profit smuggling south of illegal weponds – that prompted the kind of outstanding investigative blogging (the sort that used to be done by investigative journalists)of folks like Bob Owens and others here at PJ Media – as well as other sites.
As a Phoenix Az resident I can’t commend Owens and the site enough.
Despite the anomaly of electing Napolitano as governor prior to Obama plucking her for her current HS Big Sis cabinat position, besides remaining on the front lines of the violent spillover from the Mexican drug war to the south both in human and contraband smuggling, and despite being Obama and Holders favorite political whipping post when opposing their insain (and cravenly political oppertunistic – as MVP’s post reflects one of countless examples) policy mistakes, we have been at the center of what Issa so aptly tagged as ‘felony stupid’ from the point of discovery.
Yet to date, despite Burke having risen as the chief of staff for Napolitano, & then a subsequently Obama appointed US Attnorny (like Napolitano was with Clinton), in a state OVERWHELMINGLY CONSERVATIVE in it’s political leanings (reflected in continuous State Leglislatures – the current incarnation THE MOST CONSERVATIVE IN THE STATES HISTORY – and one of the rare large urban metro area’s over more than 3 million that consistantly votes such in both state and national elections), where the state capital – Phoenix – the 6th largest city in the country – makes up approx 75% or the entire states population – the vast majority of our population here know next to nothing about this story!
Because the only newspaper here – the Arizona Republic – one of the worst examples of biased news this side of the NYT – whose ownership (Gannett) was manned by editors and reporters who openly abandoned objective reporting in favor of serving the Napolitano regime from the day she decided to run for the Govenorship – shilling for the professional left’s ASU Morrison Institute to peddle Napolitano’s brand of ‘moderate’ Democrat policies which included open immigration sanctuary prior to SB1070 and our Employer Sanction (which Nappy signed just before hopping off to Obama)laws…through out the saga long before Gun Runners….
The citizens of Phoenix and the rest of the state have never been given even a remidial investigation – AND WE ARE THE ORIGIN OF THIS MESS!
The newspaper (ditto TV) stories are nothing more than re-written AP or poached news sources like PJ Media.
We have one blog – EXPRESSO PUNDIT – (Kudo’s to Greg Patterson) following closely giving it news priority.
In fact, more ink has been spilt – excluding repeated the work done by others giving a curusory view of the basic details – PRAISING BURKE FOR RESIGNING LIKE A GOOD SOLDIER AND TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM!!!!
Only because of news sites like this one – and the subsequent dogged investigation of Issa and Grassley.
Hello, I thought it very odd that Obama mentioned that Holder was not involved even thought he was not asked when being intervewed by th Mexican Station univision. Nothing like saying I am guilty!!!!
The fit is about to hit the shan. I can see impeachment proceedings starting around Christmas time. Not a good thing for the re-election of SCoaMF
When the key witness’s has to name the originator and who said , yes, lets go with the plan; that person will clam up, pleading the 5th. Hopefully, they will offered immunity. Then the Attorney General will resign. Anyway, that’s my thoughts.
Mr. M. Buehner, No. 3, hits the nail squarely. The fact that the WH email exists is the important fact. Both sender and recipient were buddies, and low level employees. It is common that workers scorn the wisdom of their bosses, and demand that shared info is not traced back to the source, or be publicly disclosed. Nothing new here. The news is that the WH has defaulted to Clinton technique No 37, “It depends on what you mean by ‘is’”. The inquisitors, Rep. Issa and Sen. Grassley are getting information like a dentist pulling bad teeth, one rot at a time, painfully. Candor died many months ago, when the cover up began.
We now know that the actions are indefensible in the light of day, either incredibly stupid, or criminal. This is much worse than the sum of Irangate, Abu Ghraib, and Gitmo; an American peace officer was murdered because “we” armed the bad guys. There is only one reason to comprehend the current interaction: important people are being protected. High level careers are ending, the question is whose?
Why do every talented people do such dumb things? My guess is hubris; they hold themselves as gods. We shall see; keep the light shining.
Nothing less than indictments are acceptable for those involved with this attack on the people of the US.
More compelling evidence every day indicts those in the agencies that are sworn to uphold and defend this country from her enemies; yet the aided, abetted and exacerbated the horrific drug wars by arming to the teeth the souless cartels in Mexico as a way to disarm Americans. Each and every person in ALL the Alphabet agencies bears responsibility, culpability and criminal negligence charges at least. They are as responsible for the deaths of border agents, civilians on both sides of the border and for what? So Obama could disarm the Populace and shear the sheep?
The Idea that Holder will do anything is absurd. However we do have state people that can and should go after these BARBARIANS. They have violated so many laws, disregarded the Constitution of the USA and the Constitution of every State in the Union. HIGH CRIMES, SEDITION, TREASON ETC.
DEFINITIONS.
TYRANT
IN COMMON USAGE, THE WORD “TYRANT” CARRIES CONNOTATIONS OF A HARSH AND CRUEL RULER WHO PLACES HIS OR HER OWN INTERESTS OR THE INTERESTS OF A SMALL OLIGARCHY OVER THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE GENERAL POPULATION, WHICH THE TYRANT GOVERNS OR CONTROLS.
TREASON
• Violation of allegiance toward one’s country or sovereign, especially the betrayal of one’s country by waging war against it or by consciously and purposely acting to aid its enemies.
• A betrayal of trust or confidence.
Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/treason#ixzz1QsLrbdUd
ORAN’S DICTIONARY OF THE LAW (1983) DEFINES TREASON AS “…[A]…CITIZEN’S ACTIONS TO HELP A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT OVERTHROW, MAKE WAR AGAINST, OR SERIOUSLY INJURE THE [PARENT NATION].” IN MANY NATIONS, IT IS ALSO OFTEN CONSIDERED TREASON TO ATTEMPT OR CONSPIRE TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT, EVEN IF NO FOREIGN COUNTRY IS AIDED OR INVOLVED BY SUCH AN ENDEAVOUR.
SEDITION IN LAW, SEDITION IS OVERT CONDUCT, SUCH AS SPEECH AND ORGANIZATION, THAT IS DEEMED BY THE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO TEND TOWARD INSURRECTION AGAINST THE ESTABLISHED ORDER. SEDITION OFTEN INCLUDES SUBVERSION OF A CONSTITUTION AND INCITEMENT OF DISCONTENT (OR RESISTANCE) TO LAWFUL AUTHORITY. SEDITION MAY INCLUDE ANY COMMOTION, THOUGH NOT AIMED AT DIRECT AND OPEN VIOLENCE AGAINST THE LAWS. SEDITIOUS WORDS IN WRITING ARE SEDITIOUS LIBEL. A SEDITIONIST IS ONE WHO ENGAGES IN OR PROMOTES THE INTERESTS OF SEDITION.
High crimes and misdemeanors is a phrase from Section 4 of Article Two of the United States Constitution: “The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.”
“High” in the legal parlance of the 18th century means “against the State”. A high crime is one which seeks the overthrow of the country, which gives aid or comfort to its enemies, or which injures the country to the profit of an individual or group. In democracies and similar societies it also includes crimes which attempt to alter the outcome of elections.
An alien who is present in a country (which is foreign to him/her) unlawfully or without the country’s authorization is known as an illegal alien of that country.[2] An illegal alien commonly refers to a foreign national who resides in another country unlawfully, either by entering that country at a place other than a designated port-of-entry or as result of the expiration of a non-immigrant visa. An enemy alien is an alien who is a national of an enemy country.
Malfeasance the performance by a public official of an act that is legally unjustified, harmful, or contrary to law; wrongdoing (used especially of an act in violation of a public trust).
Nonfeasance is to ignore and take no indicated action – neglect. Misfeasance is to take inappropriate action or give intentionally incorrect advice. Malfeasance is hostile, aggressive action taken to injure the client’s interests.
Example: A company hires a catering company to provide drinks and food for a retirement party. If the catering company doesn’t show up, it’s considered nonfeasance. If the catering company shows up but only provides drinks (and not the food, which was also paid for), it’s considered misfeasance. If the catering company accepts a bribe from its client’s competitor to undercook the meat, thereby giving those present food poisoning, it’s considered malfeasance.
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is a saboteur.
The RICO Act focuses specifically on racketeering, and it allows for the leaders of a syndicate to be tried for the crimes which they ordered others to do or assisted them, closing a perceived loophole that allowed someone who told a man to, for example, murder, to be exempt from the trial because they did not actually do it.
RICO is codified as Chapter 96 of Title 18 of the United States Code, 18 U.S.C. § 1961–1968. While its original use was to prosecute the Mafia as well as others who were actively engaged in organized crime, its application has been more widespread.
It has been speculated that the name and acronym were selected in a sly reference to the movie Little Caesar, which featured a notorious gangster named Rico.
“Nixonian ‘modified limited hangout,’”
The difference is Nixon was seeking papers held by his domestic political opponents in the Watergate break in; whereas Obama has literally provided lethal arms to foreign killers to make a political point. If Nixon’s act was impeachable (and it was), Obama’s practically deserves drawing and quartering.
d(^_^)b
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/
“Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive”
Hello,
Mexico wants the gunwalkers to be extradited to Mexico and tried. The whole Obmama Administration should go and face the music of their horrible deeds resulting in Brian Terrys death and a few others. Their is no excuse for this mess. I live rght down the street where the ATF stormed a gun shop in Phoenix, AZ and accused the owner of selling guns to the cartels.
#19 …either incredibly stupid, or criminal…
I say it’s both. No one gets a pass for doing criminal things just because they are stump stupid.