Posted on 07/08/2011 3:30:03 PM PDT by The Magical Mischief Tour
The unfolding scandal over a gunrunning investigation allegedly botched by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives could do what years of criticism of the long-beleaguered agency never quite accomplished — result in its demise.
That, at least, is the view of some former ATF employees and advocates on both sides of the gun control debate who have watched the agency struggle to contain the damage from an operation intended to trace the traffic of illegal guns to Mexico that has reignited the harsh criticism often directed at the ATF in the past.
The agency, which moved from the Treasury Department to the Justice Department in 2003, has been without a permanent director for nearly five years. Nominees offered by Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama have languished without approval from the Senate after drawing strong opposition from the National Rifle Association, which for years has been the agency’s loudest critic.
Now, with ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson hobbled by the scandal over Operation Fast and Furious and by indications he’s at odds with senior Justice Department officials, many are saying a breakup of the storied agency could just be a matter of time.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Beautiful sentence!
Nope. Never happen, especially with Obama in there. At most, a few in leadership positions will resign or be invited to retire. But it's like the FBI, here to stay.
Abolish it... bar any of its employees from ever working in any LE field for life.
Its initial purpose was preparation for gun confiscation one the RATS still dream of today.
In the (unlikely) event that BATF is dismantled, its personel will be immediately re-hired by some other newly created agency. They’ll get raises and more powers. The cure will be worse than the disease.
Shut down the ATF. And take TSA with you.
I agree, but they are an answer in search of a question.
The tactics of tyrants are: When attacked, attack-back even stronger. They will usurp new powers not granted them, they will get even more beligerant and issue even more strict “opinions” [which have an enormous impact on which guns come to and stay on the market], and they will lie - they will cover up, lie again, cheat, steal, condemn and oppress even though they have no right. They are Freedom’s Cancer.
BTTT!
I don’t know if it will kill the ATF but as a resident of Long Island where MS 13 has a significant presence, I’m not thrilled that the ATF agent in charge in Tampa facilitated delivery of a 1,000 semi auto long guns to MS 13 in Honduras.I think the Nassau and Suffolk County PDs had better muscle up their weapons inventories.
Amazing the titles always say ‘controversy’ when it is a massive scandal.
I am not so sure of that.
I believe that in the end it will be discovered that obummer himself backed this scheme in the belief that it would remain a secret, but that it would be determined that an unacceptable number of guns were sold into Mexico by “dishonest” dealers and that it would therefore be necessary to put very strict limits on gun sales.
To the point that it would be almost impossible for ordinary people to purchase from a dealer.
In other words, a back door gun control.
If this is the case, it would become gungate and bring down a lot more than the ATF.
I think that is the true story and I hope it brings about a complete change of the guard in DC.
“Now, with ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson hobbled by the scandal over Operation Fast and Furious and by indications he’s at odds with senior Justice Department officials, many are saying a breakup of the storied agency could just be a matter of time.”
What prevented Dubya from shutting down this agency? Ironic that his refusal to shut the department down might come to pass due to activities involving Mexico!
I’d rather see Holder go, and Obama be forced to carry the associated baggage into 2012.
Yes, please.
This would be a good uniting issue for the Republicans: the next Republican President will disband the ATF after the Republican Congress removes authorization and funding.
And take out cooperating FBI and DEA employees, too.
The only way 0bama is not directly involved in this is if he is the most clueless dunce to ever walk on two feet. But Valerie Jarret is his brain so that just isn't likely at all. The AG and the Sec. State had to have overseen something this far-reaching and there is no way they acted without the knowledge of and tacit approval from the President.
Steve Earl. Copperhead Road
“Could (Gunrunner) controversy kill the ATF?”
That would be nice....
That, at least, is the view of some former ATF employees and advocates on both sides of the gun control debate who have watched the agency struggle to contain the damage from an operation intended to trace the traffic of illegal guns to Mexico that has reignited the harsh criticism often directed at the ATF in the past.
I call BS, tracing Illegal Gun traffic to Mexico? I believe that this was always intended as a way of providing “PROOF” that the second amendment of the Constitution needed to be re-written or written out of the document entirely.
It’s one of their needed steps to make us all subjects instead of citizens.
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