"Fast And Furious" Just Might Be President Obama's Watergate

Forbes ^ | September 28, 2011 | Frank Miniter

[maggief]

Why a gunrunning scandal codenamed “Fast and Furious,” a program run secretly by the U.S. government that sent thousands of firearms over an international border and directly into the hands of criminals, hasn’t been pursued by an army of reporters all trying to be the next Bob Woodward or Carl Bernstein is a story in itself.

But the state of modern journalism aside, this scandal is so inflammatory few realize that official records show the current director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), B. Todd Jones — yes the individual the Obama administration brought in to replace ATF Director Kenneth Melson Aug. 30 in an effort to deflect congressional criticism — also has questions to answer about his involvement in this gunrunning scandal.

Fast and Furious was an operation so cloak-and-dagger Mexican authorities weren’t even notified that thousands of semi-automatic firearms were being sold to people in Arizona thought to have links to Mexican drug cartels. According to ATF whistleblowers, in 2009 the U.S. government began instructing gun storeowners to break the law by selling firearms to suspected criminals. ATF agents then, again according to testimony by ATF agents turned whistleblowers, were ordered not to intercept the smugglers but rather to let the guns “walk” across the U.S.-Mexican border and into the hands of Mexican drug-trafficking organizations.

[Verginius Rufus]

Oops...should have paid more attention to what the thread was about...thought it was about the Solyndra scandal. The “Fast and Furious” matter is indeed much more serious, and would be a major scandal if the media wasn’t so committed to protecting this administration.

[chris_bdba]

It is worse than Watergate.Watergate was only a B&E this is murder of citizen border agents and unknown innocent people in Mexican towns on the other side of the border.

[Kenny Bunk]

NOTE AUTHOR

[Nip]

IMHO (as big as it is), I have a solution to “Fast and Furious”.

Since the Mexicans have confirmed over 200 deaths caused by guns “walked” across our common border why don't we expedite government officials involved in “Fast and Furious” to Mexico?

The only way to avoid this act is to have all named senior players turn “Congressional Evidence” and provide documented answers to all questions posed.

Fifth Amendment be damned. Their actions, individually and collectively have forever damaged the “full faith and credit” of the Unites States. Their actions will endanger every American citizen who travels to or lives in Mexico. So, why should they be able to hide? Additionally, when was the last time you heard of the State Department taking active measures to protect Americans abroad?

If a “person of interest” fails to fully answer questions and provide documentary backup for his statements he should be judged guilty as “an unindited co-conspirator” and treated harshly.

Just a few cycles of my proposed system will go a long, LONG, way to curbing the illegal activities of various Washington bureaucrats.

Will it happen?

Hello No. After all why does the republic exist these days - so support “We, the People” or shield our ruling elites from their illegal and immoral activities?

[cookcounty]

"More like 0bama’s and Holder’s Iran-Contra.

Yeah, I agree. There is probably complete deniability at the Presidential level. A few underlings will have to go, maybe even Holder,and some serious embarrassment will ensue, but that's it. Don't expect Obama to resign.

[BuckeyeTexan]

Ping.

This six-page article provides a stunning summary of what we know thus far about Fast & Furious.

(BTW, please add me to your ping list.)

[SamuraiScot]

Don't expect Obama to resign.

But don't be surprised. Everything has been going off-script for those people. We've been disappointed so many times with Democratic scandals that go nowhere, but this thing is breaking worse and worse. When Clinton's trash started catching up with him, he had Reagan-Bush's economy to discourage widespread discontent. But this atmosphere is different. Nobody's happy with this clown, and that encourages stray negativity that snowballs.

Part of what happened to Nixon is that a lot of people, including conservatives, were mad at him—adding to the core of Stalinists who were still sore about his nailing Hiss. It's too long before the election before the Dems will start closing ranks. For Barky, this is the worst possible time for this stuff to be breaking.

[kalee]

for later

[DCmarcher-976453]

It is obvious that this is an obama-holder operation for the end result of gun control. It may take a while but they will probably get what they deserve out of this.

[Lionheartusa1]

,,,,, one major draw back ,,,,, the holder injusiice dept . Files are probably being scrubbed as we breath ,,,

[BuckeyeTexan]

Fifth Amendment be damned.

Absolutely not! Our Constitutional rights are sacred and must not be used as weapons. As much as I want to see Obama and Holder be prosecuted for their role(s) in this, I don't want to bend the Constitution for political purposes.

[dan on the right]

Exactly right. The press won't cover it and it will go nowhere, regardless of how many died or how much evidence there is. Even Issa can't get any traction or coverage.

[Lurker]

For later. Thanks.

[spawn44]

REPORT: Mr. President, what are you doing about gun control. ANSWER: We are working on gun control “Under the Radar”. To me that answer and similar answers from Hillary and other socialist democrats tells the whole story behind the reasons for this idioic undertaking. The socialists motto “The end justifies the means” is on full display in the Fast and Furious operation. 2012 can not come soon enough to clean out these idelogical frauds from any government authority.

[GlockThe Vote]

Wow - probably one of the best articles yet on this.

[Ditter]

bump fpr later

[dead]

ATF field agents soon began to question the sanity of letting guns “walk.” Evidently to quell internal dissension, on March 12, 2010 David Voth, the ATF’s Phoenix Group VII supervisor, sent an e-mail to field agents that said, “Whether you care or not people of rank and authority at HQ are paying close attention to this case and they also believe we (Phoenix Group VII) are doing what they envisioned the Southwest Border Groups doing.” Voth’s e-mail went on to say, “It may sound cheesy, but we are ‘The Tip of the ATF spear’ when it comes to Southwest Border Firearms Trafficking. We need to resolve our issues at this meeting. I will be damned if this case is going to suffer due to petty arguing, rumors or other adolescent behavior. If you don’t think this is fun you’re in the wrong line of work — period.”

Holy crap, this is positively explosive stuff. This article is comprehensive and fascinating.

There should be alot of government officials in jail right now.

[dead]

The more you read, the more infuriating it gets. This story should be on the front page of the New York Times for 100 straight days. If this was a GOP Administration, the New York Times would cover nothing else.

Obviously perplexed with what to do with Melson, the U.S. Justice Department moved Melson to a new post inside the ATF, a position that protects his retirement package. Perhaps this is some of the “appropriate action” President Obama said would be taken, if so, more appropriate action soon followed.

The Obama administration next promoted some of the officials who ran the program. William G. McMahon, who was the ATF’s deputy director of operations in the West, William D. Newell, and David Voth, who were both field supervisors who oversaw the Fast and Furious program out of the agency’s Phoenix office, were promoted to positions in Washington, D.C. Voth is the one who said in an email, “If you don’t think [Fast and Furious] is fun you’re in the wrong line of work — period.” And, when asked if guns were being allowed to cross the southern border, Newell is the one who said, “Hell, no.” Yet both got cushy desk jobs in D.C.

[dead]

still unknown multiples of people have died and will die as result of Fast & Furious

We have some idea:

Marisela Morales, Mexico’s attorney general, is reporting that at least 200 Mexican deaths can now be traced to weapons from the Fast and Furious program.

[wiggen]

Turn them all over to Mexico and let them sort it out.