Posted on 12/23/2011 7:30:54 AM PST by marktwain
Connecticut independent Sen. Joe Lieberman has directed the staff of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, which he chairs, to examine miscommunication between law enforcement agencies related to the Justice Department’s Operation Fast and Furious.
A spokesperson told The Daily Caller Wednesday that Lieberman “believe[s] that the lack of interagency coordination along the border merits further examination, and as Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, he has directed his staff to follow up with the relevant federal agencies on that topic.”
Fast and Furious was a program of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, overseen by Holder’s DOJ. It sent thousands of weapons to Mexican drug cartels via straw purchasers — people who legally purchase guns in the United States with the known intention of illegally trafficking them somewhere else.
At least 300 people in Mexico were killed with Fast and Furious weapons, as was Border Patrol agent Brian Terry. The identities of the Mexican victims are unknown.
Some reports suggest that the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency and Immigration and Customs Enforcement were also involved in some manner or another with the operation.
For instance, Pajamas Media reported that the night Terry was killed, an FBI informant was in the drug cartel rip crew that used Fast and Furious weapons to murder him. Rip crews are armed groups of bandits who work for specific drug cartels and try to rob rival cartel shipments and illegal immigrants as they’re crossing the border.
Pajamas reports that the DEA also had some knowledge of that drug cartel rip crew’s whereabouts. Assuming the reports are true, the DEA and the FBI failed to “deconflict,” or warn other agencies including the Border Patrol about potentially deadly risks.
With Lieberman’s committee now examining Fast and Furious details, that means two Senate committees are probing the matter — the homeland security committee and the judiciary committee.
On the House side, the oversight and judiciary committees are investigating the DOJ’s role in Fast and Furious and the homeland security committee’s subcommittee on oversight has launched an investigation into the Department of Homeland Security’s role in Fast and Furious, a spokesperson for subcommittee chairman and Texas Rep. Michael McCaul confirmed for TheDC.
Sixty-one congressmen, two U.S. senators and two sitting governors have called for Attorney General Eric Holder’s resignation over Fast and Furious. Lieberman has not called on Holder to resign.
Follow Matthew on Twitter
*Correction: This story originally described Lieberman’s interest in Fast and Furious as an “investigation.” While Lieberman has directed his staff to follow up with relevant agencies on the topic, his committee is not conducting an official investigation. We regret the error.
Gunwalker ping.
I predict this will be “examined” until well past the 2012 elections, then fade into obscurity
Lets hope the little jackass remembers that Fast and Furious is treason.
Question for everyone:
If I, private citizen, had sold 2,000 guns to Mexican gangs and the Justice department found out about it -
a) what would U.S. law enforcement and the U.S. criminal justice system have done to me, and
b) how long would it have taken them ?
Almost sounds as if Lieberman is running interference. So the problem with Fast and Furious was mis-communication between agencies???
Is there a spot for him on the next space shuttle? Oh wait, we don’t have space shuttles anymore...
(wasn't me...seriesly...) :)
That's what Richard Nixon hoped about Watergate which didn't blow up in his face until AFTER the election.
Holder is dirty BIG TIME. Needs to be pressured , prosecuted and put in prison. Have any of our wonderful candidates running for office commented on this yet ?
he was a republican
republican scandals always remain fair game
This is more like trying to control the outcome rather than any meaningful investigation. Not calling for Holder to resign is the tip off.
Holy Joe is up from his nap.
As soon as I read this it smelled like a cover up.
Very true but I figure if Obama is re-elected as everyone around here predicts, we’ll see more people talking about this. Of course it will do about as much good as impeaching Clinton for lying under oath but it will keep the WH busy trying to explain away their gun crimes.
“Senator Lieberman is not calling it an ‘investigation’.”
Ping.
The fix - or at least another layer of it - is in.
What’s your take on this?
You didn't ask me, but I'll give you my opinion. As much as Lieberman is a Liberal on social issues, he still loves the country. He's not running for reelection and the Moonbats already hate him. He might just go after Holder?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.