Posted on 06/16/2011 5:13:53 AM PDT by Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!
WASHINGTON — Knowledge of Operation Fast and Furious, a controversial border security strategy that allowed guns to be shipped illegally into Mexico in an effort to track them to drug cartels, went to the top of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, according to evidence released on Wednesday at a House Oversight Committee hearing.
Witnesses at the House hearing included three relatives of a Border Patrol agent killed in Arizona and three A.T.F. agents, right.
The operation, which began in 2009, came under fire after two guns linked to it were found at the scene of the killing of an American Border Patrol agent, Brian A. Terry, in Arizona in 2010. Members of Mr. Terry’s family testified at the hearing.
The acting director of A.T.F., Kenneth E. Melson, and his acting deputy, William J. Hoover, were “keenly interested” in the operation and received weekly updates on its progress, according to internal e-mails released for the first time by the Oversight Committee’s chairman, Darrell Issa, Republican of California.
At the hearing, Republicans pressed a Justice Department witness as to who else in Washington authorized the operation or was aware of it.
The witness, Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich, said releasing some of the documents that the committee sought would jeopardize continuing prosecutions.
At one point, Mr. Issa held up an entirely redacted page from evidence submitted by the department and chided Mr. Weich for the department’s response to a subpoena.
“How dare you make an opening statement of cooperation!” Mr. Issa shouted at Mr. Weich. “You’ve given us black paper.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
“By referring to the program as Fast & Furious, it nails Obama.”
Abdo-lutely Erik! I just wanted to make the point clear that Bush did not allow guns to cross the Border. A very important distinction. Also see Post #40.
Best,
Bogie
They would have used this to further restrict military-designed weapons from civilians. They would use the National Guard as precedence as the militia in order to finally ban and confiscate all firearms owned by Americans.
Fast and Furious and AG Eric Holder Stepping down will be the next most searchable words in the news. Obama will think it all goes away. It won’t.
“.......At no time, for any of the firearms that I have purchased, was I ever asked WHY I wanted to buy it.”
Interesting. Every firearm I have purchased, or my wife has purchased we were asked why.
Mainly the dealer was seemingly curious as to help us choose the type of weapon.
Was it for home defense?
Was it for “plinking” at the range?
Was it for hunting, and what type of hunting?
That sort of thing.
NOT ONE single weapon was bought without those questions being asked.
Maybe it’s a California Gun Dealer thing.
That’s when it becomes obvious that they don’t write their own Bills.
Thanks!
Erik, another FReeper just alerted me to this;
“Story on foxnews yesterday included a detail that the ATF inserted GPS tracking devices in these guns before the sale.”
Best,
Bogie
I'm wondering if that was the policy for Gun Runner and not for Fast & Furious.
This is precisely what I was warning about in my original post......they will confuse the issue so it becomes "too complex" for the public to follow it.
Wonder if the gun that the notorious Tucson drug-runner Jose Guerena had was a Fast and Furious gun. Or maybe his brother had one. (just speculating here)
“I’m wondering if that was the policy for Gun Runner and not for Fast & Furious.”
Don’t know for sure, Erik. But I thought I read that it was the Bush era policy. Haven’t been able to pin it down. But if the Bush policy was to not let guns cross the Border, it makes sense that it was Gunrunner. Agents would know when the guns were getting close to the Border.
Freaking Obastardites probably thought they were being cute by giving the committee a piece of paper with EVERYTHING redacted. A LOT of high ranking people need to go to prison over this.
Typical of liberal elite sons of bitches. They are so far above the hoi polloi that they don't have to answer to mere peasants.
It was the Bush policy to GPS track the firearms and intercept them before they cross the border.
The media and BATFE will cite that during this investigation and leave out the little fact that the policy changed with Fast & Furious.
The media and liberals will trumpet that they were tracking the firearms when they were not doing any such thing.
Memos went to Washington for approval during this illegal sting
http://oversight.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1
Good get!
Post 57 shows Issa has evidence Washington knew with memos. How can Obama possibly spin he didn’t if he knew he had to have approved it.
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