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ATF source confirms ‘walking’ guns to Mexico to ‘pad’ statistics
Gun Rights Examiner ^ | 5 January, 2011 | David Codrea

Posted on 01/06/2011 4:20:43 AM PST by marktwain

“Coming next will be more info on what the agents refer to as the Phoenix ATF office ‘walking across’ ARs and AKs to pad their statistics,” this column reported on Monday, citing a December reference to allegations made on the CleanUpATF.org forum that approval/direction was given for “more than 500 AR-15 type rifles from Tucson and Phoenix cases to be ‘walked’ to Mexico.”

As we’ve previously discussed, CleanUpATF is run by a group of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives employees who formed “a non-profit organization dedicated to returning integrity, accountability and decency to the management of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE or "ATF").”

Following my Monday column, I was contacted by an investigative reporter wanting to learn more, and inquiring about my willingness to share sources. I put those wheels in motion because I believe it’s important to break this story beyond the reach I’m accustomed to these articles having. The important thing is getting the truth out.

Here’s the relevant excerpt from my communication with a confirmed source within the Bureau and with other colleagues in on the exchange, part of the fact-finding process I want to share with readers here:

Here's what I'm trying to determine:

Are firearms really being "walked across the border" per the CUATF posting?

Might it be disinformation posted to discredit anyone passing it along?

Could it be a trap by management, that is, controlled information disclosed to identify who is passing it along?

Is it scuttlebutt coming from credible sources?

Is it verifiable in any way?

I understand [Source name redacted] does not know me and may be wary about extending himself beyond [Contact name redacted]. I can respect that. By the same token, please note I have not shared any info with [Reporter name redacted] beyond telling him I passed his contact info along to an insider who may be able to give him more information. I would not post a word that has not been vetted and approved, and absolutely will not disclose any sources without being specifically authorized by that person.

[Source name redacted], please advise how you would like to proceed, if at all.

One of the participating recipients, Mike Vanderboegh of Sipsey Street Irregulars, picks up the story from here:

Well, here's what a solid source within ATF says about this story this morning:

"It's true. Pure fact verified. Ongoing inv(estigation) I can't discuss."

Further, Vanderboegh independently corroborates additional information provided to me by another source:

In a related development, the CUATF site was apparently hacked last night.

The information I have says “Unexplained MAYBE viral or induced by outside sources.”

One other point to bring up—while speculation was introduced on CleanUpATF.org that one of the “walked” guns may have been involved in the death of a Border Patrol officer, at this point I have nothing to validate this. I have been informed some journalists are working on following up on what’s been described to me as “discrepancies” in that story, but can’t predict the outcome we should expect.

At this point I can only renew a call for something I’ve been advocating for a long time now: Congressional oversight hearings of ATF.

My other motive is to get this information out there in the light for others with superior experience, skills and resources to follow up on. Whether or not they will is also something I can’t predict.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: atf; banglist; batfe; bootthebatfe; corruption; gunrunners; gunwalker; mexico; mythof90percent; projectgunwalker
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If this is true, the story ought to be on headlines across the nation. The MSM doesn't do stories that discredit their favorite jack booted federal group.
1 posted on 01/06/2011 4:20:50 AM PST by marktwain
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To: Nightshift

Gnip


2 posted on 01/06/2011 4:32:38 AM PST by tutstar
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To: LucyT; BP2; rxsid; null and void; Candor7

So if true, our government is not only refusing to seal the border but also providing guns for illegals to attack our citizens. Lovely!


3 posted on 01/06/2011 4:36:13 AM PST by tutstar
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To: marktwain

Bttt


4 posted on 01/06/2011 4:36:43 AM PST by tutstar
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To: marktwain
As we’ve previously discussed, CleanUpATF is run by a group of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives employees who formed “a non-profit organization dedicated to returning integrity, accountability and decency to the management of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE or "ATF").”

If they can do that they will then find it easy to pick up a turd by the clean end.

5 posted on 01/06/2011 4:49:08 AM PST by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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To: marktwain

” return integrity, accountability and decency to the management of the B.A.T.F.”?
Yeah, When pigs fly out of my hairy white rear end.


6 posted on 01/06/2011 4:57:31 AM PST by Joe Boucher
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To: marktwain

Lame stream media sound of Crickets chirping Ping


7 posted on 01/06/2011 5:06:00 AM PST by StaffiT (New Year, New Name)
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To: marktwain

Wow, it’s like something out of a Travis McGee story. Where’s Ranya when you need her?

http://www.enemiesforeignanddomestic.com


8 posted on 01/06/2011 5:37:13 AM PST by Cheeks
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To: marktwain
of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives employees who formed “a non-profit organization dedicated to returning integrity, accountability and decency to the management of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE or "ATF").”

It's not possible to clean up ATF. Its responsibilities should be limited to putting tax stamps on whiskey bottles and packs of cigarettes and nothing more.

9 posted on 01/06/2011 5:37:37 AM PST by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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To: Joe Boucher
Until they are excreted from our society, I shall continue to refer to them as

B urn
A all
T oddlers
F irst

10 posted on 01/06/2011 5:39:24 AM PST by I Buried My Guns (Novare Res!)
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To: Cheeks
",,,Wow, it’s like something out of a Travis McGee story...."

Travis McGee rocks!

I asked for, and got, his latest book "Foreign Enemies and Traitors" for Christmas.

I highly recommend it. It is a great read, and if anything, it's helping me plan ahead for the Coming Hard Times.

11 posted on 01/06/2011 5:42:29 AM PST by I Buried My Guns (Novare Res!)
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To: marktwain
Wait! What! I am Soooooooo confused! Why would the ATF want to ‘pad’ statistics so that they could execute a power grab in tracking guns sales?

Somebody please explain this impenetrable conundrum to me?

The next thing you’ll tell me is that the Oppressive-Socialists in the Demon pass party don’t really want to secure the border because it yields them more voters and more crisis to exploit.

12 posted on 01/06/2011 5:48:02 AM PST by Voice of Reason88 (One man with a gun can control 100 without one-Vladimir Lenin (The Statist view on guns))
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To: marktwain

It seems like a vast scaled up plan of how gangs push other races out of their neighborhoods, to re-conquest the Southwest.


13 posted on 01/06/2011 5:48:40 AM PST by King Moonracer (Bad lighting and cheap fabric, that's how you sell clothing.....)
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To: tutstar
So if true, our government is not only refusing to seal the border but also providing guns for illegals to attack our citizens. Lovely!

Our? If it really were "our" government it would be acting in "our" interests.

14 posted on 01/06/2011 7:38:29 AM PST by null and void (We are now in day 716 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
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To: null and void

True! It’s funny seeing how the libs have their panties in a wad over the reading of the Constitution.


15 posted on 01/06/2011 8:08:06 AM PST by tutstar
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To: tutstar

I thought Pelosi was going to burst into flames/choke/melt when she read her little bit.

She looked like she had a nice big plate of humble pie and lemons for breakfast.

Priceless...


16 posted on 01/06/2011 8:25:51 AM PST by null and void (We are now in day 716 of our national holiday from reality. - 0bama really isn't one of US.)
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To: Cheeks; Travis McGee
Where's Ranya when you need her?

I was trying to remember if she was a good cook, then I thought, "who cares?"

Ranya- every woman wants to be her. Every man, (and one lesbo warden) wants to have her...well, except for all the ones trying to kill her.

We want Castego Cay.

17 posted on 01/06/2011 8:39:26 AM PST by sockmonkey
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To: null and void

Wish I had seen that lol


18 posted on 01/06/2011 8:42:48 AM PST by tutstar
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To: marktwain

Janet Napolitano highjinks?


19 posted on 01/06/2011 11:07:23 AM PST by Marty62 (Marty 60)
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To: marktwain

bump


20 posted on 01/06/2011 11:47:35 AM PST by lowbridge (Rep. Dingell: "Its taken a long time.....to control the people.")
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