The Obama Administration is Under Mounting Pressure for its Botched Gun Trafficking Investigation

Fox News - ^ | March 28, 2011 | William La Jeunesse

[moonshinner_09]

Congress and the Department of Justice appear to be headed for a showdown this week over documents detailing Operation Fast and Furious, the botched gunrunning sting set up by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that funneled more than 1,700 smuggled weapons from Arizona to Mexico.

The Justice Department has until Wednesday to deliver to congressional investigators a stack of records and emails naming the individuals responsible for the gun trafficking operation that may have killed dozens, if not hundreds of Mexicans, and is becoming a growing embarrassment for the Obama administration.

Under Project Gunrunner and the Phoenix off-shoot, dubbed Fast and Furious, the ATF encouraged gun store owners to sell to straw buyers -- consumers who they suspected of working on behalf of Mexican drug cartels.

Project Gunrunner purposely allowed the straw buyers to illegally buy and export guns only to see where they surfaced in Mexico. Using this investigative technique, the ATF hoped to take down the entire gun trafficking organization. Instead, records show it allowed more than 1,700 guns, including hundreds of AK-47s and high-powered, armor-piercing .50-caliber rifles to be trafficked to Mexico

Buying guns for non-personal use is illegal. Yet gun store owners were assured by ATF agents the buyers were under investigation and the guns were being intercepted before crossing into Mexico.

[moonshinner_09]

This says it all, If the Justice Department and ATF refuse to deliver the records Issa requested, as it already has done with similar requests by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, Issa can subpoena the records.

"We will subpoena if we have to, we'll hold hearings if we have to, we'll call in officials if we have to. But at the end of the day, the two Americans likely to have died as a result of this action pale in comparison to the countless numbers of Mexicans who have been killed," said Issa.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The very name "Operation Fast and Furious" evokes an image of lowlife, low-intelligence scum with delusions of grandeur who believe, with all their tiny little hearts, that they are movie star heroes.

[camle]

i didn’t know it was legal to buy an AK-47 in the US...

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Eric Holder says Grassley and Issa are racists who want to kill his people.

[Lurker]

the ATF encouraged gun store owners to sell to straw buyers

That's Misprision of a Felony right there. From 18USC4: Whoever, having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable by a court of the United States, conceals and does not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

Crank up the Grand Juries and let the Indictments flow.

[savedbygrace]

Latest parlor game: Who’s Going Under the Bus for Gunwalker?

[paulcissa]

If Grassley and Issa can keep their collective spine on this one, it could be the beginning of the end for the BATFE free-range screwing of American Citizens.

I'll make popcorn and wait to see.........

[Enterprise]

Bunch of game boy XBOX Walter Mittys.

[forgotten man]

Bush’s fault.

[Joe Brower]

[jagusafr]

“is becoming a growing embarrassment for the Obama administration.”

Sorry, having trouble believing such a thing exists...

Colonel, USAFR

[Enterprise]

If Federal Agents knowingly allowed felonies to be committed, and those felonies resulted in murder, the agents can be tried as accessories to murder.

[Enterprise]

In some states you can legally purchase an AK-47.

[Spok]

So Obama may be running guns to the cartels. He may soon be running guns to Al Qaeda, too. Reminds of Rev. Wright’s “blessing” of America. Anyone who doesn’t believe he hates America is in denial.

[Conservative Vermont Vet]

Giving 4 to 1 odds (and actually, IMHO, a safe bet)that much like every other agency in this Admin (THE MOST CORRUPT I'VE WITNESSED IN MY 67 YEARS and makes "Tricky Dick" Nixon seen like a boy scout)and simply ignore this, just like I'm also willing to wager they will also ignore a subpoena with the Bigoted, Fascist, Racist, Holder, coming to the rescue and defending the ATF by asserting there is an "ongoing investigation," or some other BS excuse.

You don't think that these clowns will let ANYTHING come out which would be the least bit "embarassing" to the Community Agitator, much less, damaging?

[blackdog]

Look for a diversionary event in which the alphabet soupers deliver us from some terrorist zealot who engages in pedophelia and meth making. There need to be some heroes in task to justify their evil mechanics.

You know, like Richard Jewel, Ruby Ridge, and Waco.

The claim the whole mess to be a Jeffersonian style event. The media and public are too stoopid to figger that out.

[east1234]

Not by Holders Justice Dept!

[Enterprise]

If there were ever ANY issue that could be handed to the Republicans on a silver platter to bring down a lot of the corrupt people in the Obama Administration, THIS IS THE ONE! Dammit boys, grab it and RUN!

[Enterprise]

But the clock’s ticking. Unless Obama is going to pardon some people before he is out of office, the statute of limitations is for life on murder, and it has a long time to go before the limit runs out on the other felonies.

[Tucker39]

I take issue with one word in the title of the article. The word “botched.” I don’t think it was botched at all. I think it was the intention of some individuals at ATF to supply arms to Mexican thugs! And they succeeded! Furthermore, I have no intention of holding my breath until the likes of Issa or any other Repbulican pantywaist actually DOES anything about it! Color me pi$$ed!