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LA Times Exclusive: Five ATF Officials Found Responsible for Fast and Furious
The Los Angeles Times ^ | Monday, July 30, 2012 | Richard A. Serrano

Posted on 07/30/2012 6:18:30 PM PDT by kristinn

Republican congressional investigators have concluded that five senior ATF officials -- from the special agent-in-charge of the Phoenix field office to the top man in the bureau’s Washington headquarters -- are collectively responsible for the failed Fast and Furious gun-tracking operation that was “marred by missteps, poor judgments and inherently reckless strategy.”

The investigators, in a final report likely to be released later this week, also unearthed new evidence that agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Phoenix initially sought to hide from the Mexican government the crucial information that two Fast and Furious firearms were recovered after the brother of a Mexican state attorney general was killed there.

According to a copy of the report obtained Monday by The Times, the investigators said their findings are “the best information available as of now” about the flawed gun operation that last month led to Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. being found in contempt of Congress for failing to turn over subpoenaed documents.

Two more final reports, they said, will deal with “the devastating failure of supervision and leadership” at the Department of Justice and an “unprecedented obstruction of the [congressional] investigation by the highest levels of the Justice Department, including the attorney general himself.”

The first report did allege some Justice Department involvement, however, notably that Kenneth E. Melson, then acting ATF director, was made into a “scapegoat” for Fast and Furious after he told congressional Republicans his Justice Department supervisors “were doing more damage control than anything” else once Fast and Furious became public.

“My view is that the whole matter of the department’s response in this case was a disaster,” Melson told the investigators.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 112th; atf; bhodoj; brianterry; darrellissa; fastandfurious; holder; obama
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To: kristinn

Must be bad....they needed 5 scapegoats.


21 posted on 07/30/2012 6:35:05 PM PDT by RKBA Democrat (Vote for willard. Because "our" pro-abort, anti-gun socialist is SO much better than theirs.)
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To: MileHi

They should have Jay Leno read those final reports, they will be laughable.


22 posted on 07/30/2012 6:36:54 PM PDT by Venturer
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To: kristinn

” are collectively responsible for the failed Fast and Furious gun-tracking operation”

It wasn’t “failed”! It did exactly what they intended!


23 posted on 07/30/2012 6:38:00 PM PDT by Castigar
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To: DanMiller

I bet Holder is shaking in his shoes over those two final reports. Probably shaking as hard as Maxine Waters over her ethics trial that never came up.


24 posted on 07/30/2012 6:38:19 PM PDT by Venturer
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To: kristinn

bump.. for reading first thing in the morning..


25 posted on 07/30/2012 6:39:33 PM PDT by SueRae (See it? Hell, I can TASTE November from my house!)
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To: kristinn

PURE BS!

Evidence of Inter-Agency Coordination makes it impossible to be planned anywhere but 1600 Penn. Ave. You can blame the field grunts for following orders (like good little Nazis), But Obozo and his direct subordinates planned this. It was NOT a Sting Operation.....

Play spin the bottle of Fast & Furious and it will wind up pointing directly to Obozo’s A$$.


26 posted on 07/30/2012 6:40:59 PM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one)
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To: Truth29
Did the GOP just fold again?

Republican congressional investigators concluded five senior ATF officials from the special agent-in-charge of the Phoenix field office to the top man in the bureau’s Washington headquarters responsible for Fast and Furious that was “marred by missteps, poor judgments and inherently reckless strategy.”

Well....It would appear so.

Of course, those in D.C., like fatcorps, will always blame the subordinates...

Will they make a deal with their superiors for leniency to keep their mouths shut? Can any of them produce additional evidence linking/connecting the White House or the AG?

Has all this been choreographed and sanitized?

27 posted on 07/30/2012 6:41:38 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: kristinn
>" inherently reckless strategy"

LOL!!!

28 posted on 07/30/2012 6:42:10 PM PDT by rawcatslyentist ("Behold, I am against you, O arrogant one," Jeremiah 50:31)
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To: kristinn

I’ll listen to the LA Times when they release the videotape they have of Obama and the Muslim fundraiser in 2008.


29 posted on 07/30/2012 6:42:20 PM PDT by exit82 (Pass the word: Obama is a FAILURE!! Democrats are the enemies of freedom!)
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To: Venturer

We shall see. You think the five are just going to eat this and like it? They are going to talk.


30 posted on 07/30/2012 6:44:30 PM PDT by MileHi ( "It's coming down to patriots vs the politicians." - ovrtaxt)
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To: kristinn
If the 5 are not subjected to criminal charges, was a deal made?

"You boys go collect your gold plated government retirements, go enjoy yourselves and your families, take a long vacation and buy that vacation home" Thanks for your service!

31 posted on 07/30/2012 6:47:59 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: kristinn

Obama is an idiot, but he also knows how hide from responsibility, like democrat. Once he claimed Executive Privilege, the congressional investigation was over. It wil be years, if EVER, before any more documents are produced.

This is probably the best they can do without getting the documents they need.


32 posted on 07/30/2012 6:47:59 PM PDT by Bryan24 (When in doubt, move to the right..........)
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To: Venturer

Does anyone for a moment think that this stunning leak of a report might be a head fake to make those “5” think they are going to be the only ones held out to dry? Would you fall on Holder’s sword if you were ordered to do what this report says it did? Besides, they could all be exposed to murder charges.

I see it as a smoke out to people who are not willing to come out to tell what they know. Mellon has already done that and for doing so the Republicans hang him as the top conspirator?


33 posted on 07/30/2012 6:48:42 PM PDT by mazda77 ("Defeating the Totalitarian Lie" By: Hilmar von Campe. Everybody should read it.)
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To: MileHi

I giess we will see, but who will they talk to, and will the media report it?


34 posted on 07/30/2012 6:49:32 PM PDT by Venturer
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To: mazda77

Correction; Melson, not Mellon


35 posted on 07/30/2012 6:51:37 PM PDT by mazda77 ("Defeating the Totalitarian Lie" By: Hilmar von Campe. Everybody should read it.)
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To: MileHi
You think the five are just going to eat this and like it? They are going to talk.

Well they'd better have something to back it up. All are very aware, the first to squeal gets the deal.

Unless they cut a deal behind closed doors to take the fall, as long as no criminal charges are brought.

36 posted on 07/30/2012 6:51:37 PM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: struggle

How many of these 5 will stay alive?<<

News Flash: 5 killed at Ft Marcy Park Justice Dept. picnic!

The suspect..a Crazed White man whose DNA is linked to George Washington is still on the loose!

Film at 11 !


37 posted on 07/30/2012 6:58:54 PM PDT by M-cubed
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To: mazda77

It’s not a head fake.

CIA was involved with this.

It’s going nowhere.

A CIA rendition plane crash landed with over 6000 pounds of Sinaloa Cocaine. A plane that had been sold twice just before the crash.

F&F didn’t happen without CIA knowledge.


38 posted on 07/30/2012 6:59:15 PM PDT by RummyChick
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To: kristinn

Gun Control for the little folk!

But we are the Federal Government. We’re giving ‘em away to hoodlums and potential terrorists across the border....

... AND WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE DOING!


39 posted on 07/30/2012 6:59:35 PM PDT by Delta 21 (Oh Crap !! Did I say that out loud ??!??)
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To: Venturer
They will talk to Issas people and no, the media hasn't reported jack squat. The slimes is reporting this only because it sounds good for withHolder and Barry. I don't take this as the whole story by any means.

I have been hearing naysayers since this started. But Issa keeps plugging away. This isn't over.

40 posted on 07/30/2012 6:59:59 PM PDT by MileHi ( "It's coming down to patriots vs the politicians." - ovrtaxt)
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