Gunwalker: One Step Closer to the Oval Office
The cover-up is always worse than the crime: considering the Gunwalker scandal, it’s hard to know if that is true — for the moment. America is now a bit closer to that answer, and is also closer to an answer for the question at the heart of all Washington scandals: what did the president know, and when did he know it?
July 20: The Examiner reported that the State Department, through a little-known program called “U.S. Direct Commercial Sales,” supplied considerable small arms to the Zeta cartel. In fact, a Zeta leader has said that all of their weapons were purchased in the U.S. Evidence indicates that weapons not obtained through the State Department were obtained through straw purchasers in the Gunwalker investigation.
The Zetas apparently purchased land in Columbus, New Mexico, which was used as a transshipment point for taking weapons directly across the border. Another method reportedly saw weapons flown out of Alliance Airport north of Ft. Worth, an air operations center of the Drug Enforcement Agency.
July 25: Fox News reported that two of the 20 people indicted in Operation Fast And Furious for making straw purchases of firearms which were primarily shipped to Mexican drug cartels were cleared by the FBI to make those purchases. Federal officials refuse to explain how this occurred.
Those who have been following the case will recall that when it began to blow up in public, 20 people — all bottom-level straw purchasers — were arrested, and claims were made that no guns were allowed to walk across the border (claims that have been exposed as false). The FBI runs the instant check system (NICS) that must be used to allow anyone to purchase a firearm, yet two convicted felons — apparently in the system as felons — were allowed to buy more than 360 weapons. The FBI has had no comment, however an ATF source told Fox that whenever the NICS flagged a felon trying to buy guns, the ATF in Phoenix was called. Obviously, the ATF and FBI allowed the purchases to go through.
July 26: The Examiner reported that in the fall of 2009, ATF agents in Mexico noticed an unusual number of American guns coming into Mexico, and were surprised to learn that many were traced back to the Phoenix ATF office. Over the year that followed, ATF agents in Mexico complained, and were told only that things were “under control” and that the investigation would end soon — but it did not end until the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in January 2011.
The agents sent their concerns to Phoenix, and up the chain of command to ATF headquarters and to the Department of Justice. This caused ATF agent Darren Gil to get into a screaming match with ATF International Affairs Chief Dan Kumor.
DOJ Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Lanny Breuer, on a visit to Mexico, praised the operation, to the horror of the agents in Mexico. The ATF withheld information from their own agents because they did not want the Mexican government to know what was going on.
I notice that with the exception of the LA Times article, the news sources you cite are outside the LSM. My prediction: This goes nowhere (very regretfully). We can only hope that the President in 2013 is not the one we have today and that he/she will get to the bottom of this, to be followed by a revamping of the FBI and elimination of the ATF.
Agreed, Jack.
That’s not the best-case scenario, but it’s probably the best REALISTIC case scenario.
As long as our next President isn’t another GW… We need someone who will clean house with a vengeance, instead of leaving all the moles in place like GW did.
Although, I don’t know if they can properly be called moles when they are out in the open!
I’ve been a bit of a broken record on this, but CBS’s Sharyl Attkisson has been all over Gunwalker. CNN also did a story some time ago.
What I’m hoping is that Drudge, Rush, and Hannity (maybe Breitbart, too) start pounding the hell out of this story once the debt fight dies down, using the “i” word and comparing Gunwalker to past scandals. They aren’t the MSM, but when they scream loud and long enough, people in the MSM start finding it necessary to stir themselves to argue back. Getting the MSM to touch it is the first step. When they try to defend the indefensible, the story will get out of their hands.
By the way, they’re trying to control it as we speak. Take a look at the New York Times editorial today, in which both the ATF and Congress are called “irresponsible”: the ATF for losing 2000 weapons, and Congress for obstructing gun control laws. This focus on gun control can’t hold if Rush, Drudge, and Hannity keep screaming, “What did Holder/Obama know, and when did they know it?”
One can only hope that they will listen and that you be you will be correct, but I am pessimistic.
Yup, CBS and the LA Times are the only outlets beside PJM to cover it. Question is, who will get the Pulitzer?
I must admit, I saw two stories on “fast & furious” on PBS’ NewsHour in the last two weeks. Maybe they’re catching on a bit anyway.
The MSM will not cover this except to defend Holder and Obama.
Jack I agree with you. and I too hope ower new President in 2012 will launch a full scale investigation into the activities of this intire regime, I want to see some heads roll and a whole lot of prison time handed out,
Thanks for keeping this out there in the public eye. We cannot let this get pushed away. Keep up the good work.
Yes, thanks for keeping this out.
The silence of the MSM is a scandal.
Here is the 60 page report from July 26, 2011 from Sen. Grassley and Rep. Issa.
http://grassley.senate.gov/judiciary/upload/ATF-07-26-11-Report-on-Impact-on-Mexico-2.pdf
The stink is pervasive. The agents in charge of Fast&Furious subverted e-Trace to prevent the ATF agents in Mexico from learning critical information.
I have a feeling that any prosecutions will fall flat. Even if Holder is exposed to have intimate knowledge and directed the operation, he won’t be forced to leave if Chicago Jesus doesn’t ask for his resignation. But if Holder does step down, who will take his place? Someone just as corrupt and ideological?
What I haven’t seen addressed is the possibility that Mexican President Calderon was aware of the operation. Could it be a situation (like here) that he knew but didn’t tell the front line troops/police of the operation? I’m leaning towards that theory because there has been little, to no cries of protest from the Mexican government. If this doesn’t constitute an “International Incident”, I don’t know what would.
>>there has been little, to no cries of protest from the Mexican government
Not true. A few Mexican officials have expressed outrage. Sorry I can’t find the links, but that story has been aired.
That’s just it though, I havn’t seen many stories on this scandal as it pertains to the Mexican government. The concerns that were expressed, by the Mexican govt, were done so by lower level people (right?).
If Calderon was outraged, and openly chastising the US, wouldn’t the State Dept send a delegation or even Clinton down there to do some major relations mending? If they have gone down there, I havn’t seen it covered. And I have been following everything I can find about the F&F story.
How could the US government have committed this madness? Our government officials must be insane.
Insane = Liberal
Not insane. EVIL.
The author asks: “Did the president or his chosen officials not only allow but encourage the illegal purchase and smuggling of arms into Mexico, a foolish and cynical attempt to further gun-control policies unobtainable through the legislative process?”
I can tell you already what the answer to that question is: “Absolutely.”
I wouldn’t put ANYTHING past this administration. The idealism professed,both overtly and covertly, is scandalous. It is as if he is TRYING to undermine freedom and destroy the economy in one fell swoop. There is NO WAY that one could cause this much damage unintentionally. We know this will be blocked at every step and king Cleopatra (king of denial)will do what he does best…….Lie and deceive.
I hope this case gives us the opportunity to impeach Holder and possibly Obama.
The bad news is can you imagine Plugs Biden as CIC ?
You can’t spell liberal without BILE
We’d replace a weak leftist with an even weaker one who would be guaranteed defeat in 2012. Alternately, we might find Biden mixed up in this as well; can you say “President John Boehner”?
Ken
Boehner couldn’t get through the swearing in without crying his ass off
One problem is even “our guys” in the media like Rush, Hannity, National Review, etal know nothing about guns or gun laws. The ATF can and does close gun
shops record keeping infractions. Straw man purchases are felonies. The instant
background check at retail is an FBI function. Felons attempt to purchase a gun sets off a call to the local police to come arrest him. This all required multi agency cooperation and high level approval.
dodson???
John, is that you?
ONCE AGAIN, IF THIS WAS THE BUSH DOJ A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD BE IN JAIL.
so very true Jack. and the lame streem media would be shouting from the roof tops for GW to be impeached,
I mentioned this subject to a Mexican co-worker, who was immedeatly livid. Looks like the Mexican media and the Latino media here in the US is not paying attention to the subject.
Attorney General Eric Holder at the Mexico/United States Arms Trafficking Conference CUERNAVACA, MEXICO ~ Thursday, April 2, 2009
http://www.justice.gov/ag/speeches/2009/ag-speech-090402.html
ATF Tampa Division Walked Guns to Honduras and to MS13 Gang Members (Video) Posted by Jim Hoft on Sunday, July 10, 2011, 12:57 PM
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/07/atf-tampa-division-walked-guns-to-honduras-and-to-ms13-gang-members-video/
Thanks Mike, a nice clean article on Gunrunner.
But there indeed is a problem. Obama ordered this operation with Napolitano, Clinton, Holder complicity, back on March 24, 2009! RE:
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/MexicoBor
And done with Stimulus Buck$…
Media won’t touch this so far, and yet it looks like we might have had a WH inspired hack of the start placement for this video. Total time is 31:42 min. The way the original C-SPAN link was set (when I first saw this two weeks back) was that it started at the 13:19 min mark. The way I did the link above you get the whole enchilada.
I tried pointing Rep Issa to this by email, but perhaps email is very secondary right now, or, he’s holding back so enough lies have been stated.
Patrick, have you bought a copy from C-SPAN? I notice it can’t be downloaded for free.
Not yet, but will before Obama admin makes it disappear. And today is a good day for that.
arhooley;
It’s sitting on my laptop now. And I’ve got a video editing pro contacting me soon, at minimum, volume needs to be increased a bit. Eventually, copy the pertinent pieces from this MP4 and place into a new one of a much smaller size.
Full video has a duration of 31:42. My guess, edited down to pertinent pieces would display in 10-12 minutes…
you are racist people!
just wanted to say it before this starts getting out. kinda be the first, if you will.
i predict: this whole thing will eventually come out. dead people are a big deal. the indefensible cannot be defended, well said; and, then the excuses will fire fast and furious.
“Meanwhile, the MSM continues to avoid perhaps the most important, most deadly scandal in modern American history.”
This may actually be the scariest bit of the whole scandal: the determination of a huge swathe of the media to turn a blind eye to the whole business. The Washington Post was actually lied to, but, knowing that, continues to prop up the liars. Over here, the BBC hasn’t covered the story in any way whatever, secure in the knowledge that the WaPo, the NYT and the assorted US tv networks won’t be touching it, either. If this had happened with Bush in the White House, it would be wall-to-wall news.
Where are the lawyers? Why hasn’t some big law firm jumped on this, it could be one of the largest class actions ever. Over 150 Police Officers of both Mexico and the United State have been murdered, you know what wrongful death class action against the United States Government would bring in a judgement? And, there has been 40,000 civilian deaths, how many of those were murdered with those guns. Put those responsible for complicity to murder under oath and see whose name will appear, which person thought up this “felony stupid” idea to get rid of the 2nd Amendment with murder and mayhem.
Good point. I hear John Edwards needs a job. You’d think he’d enjoy the chance to give a royal F-U to Holder. Can he channel the ghosts of Brian Terry and Jaime Zapata?
The final, ultimate defense will be “that’s racist.”
The coverup runs deep because there’s lots more to the story that will never get told. E.g., DEA employees, FBI employees, and even WH Czar(s) are not only users of illegal narcotics, but abettors of illegal narcotics.
Your government is shot through with 60s (and beyond) drug users, some of whom never gave it up, and some of whom use their offices to abet their suppliers.
Do you think your president ever gave it up?
Why does The O have to know? If a Bush staffer stole an ash tray from the Oval office it would be laid on Bush as his administration, therefore his responsibility & his for the blame. No matter, The O knows now. Let it sink in, he is now a player, can’t duck. This is the cover up phase,you know, like the one that shot Nixon down.
Where is Bob Woodward? Anybody give him a call?
Did anyone ever consider the possibility that Obama and Holder armed the drug cartels to invade America? Watch this video about the Weather Underground from the early 1980s. It describes how the WU wanted the Cubans, Vietnamese, Russians and Chinese to take over parts of America. Then they wanted to set up re-education camps in the Southwest.
http://youtu.be/HWMIwziGrAQ
Maybe now instead of it being the Cubans and Vietnamese, it’s Mexico, Russia, China, and Hezbollah. Hezbollah is in Mexico now. Didn’t Obama start his Senate career in the living room of William Ayers?
I know Obama has gotten away with a lot. I don’t think he’s going to get out of this one. This was never intended to be for a sting operation to catch drug cartels. It was meant to arm them.
I don’t understand why everyone is so excited. Gunwalker fits perfectly into the Obama scenario. Which goes something like this: sell guns to drug runners so they can weaken an elected government, give weapons and training to the Palestinian Authority so they can conduct war on an ally Israel, give weapons and training to the Lebanese army which is under the control of Hezbollah which conducts wars against our ally Israel and murdered over twohundred US marines while conducting a peace exercise in Lebanon, aid the rebels in Libya even though they are known Al Queda activists, tell our ally Mubarak to leave and let the ‘people’ take over Egypt (note the recent demonstrations in Cairo which were all Moslem Brotherhood), leave Iraq while it is in a indefensible position which Iran will exploit, leave Afganistan which is also in a indefensible position and likely to fall to the Taliban, supply aid to Pakistan which holds an anti-American position, send Hamas money to aid their ‘recovery’. Did I leave anything out?
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