One question for ‘Project Gunwalker’ skeptics

Gun Rights Examiner ^ | 29 January, 2011 | David Codrea

[marktwain]

Regular readers of this column have been able to follow the development of the “Project Gunwalker” story from its introduction through to what has been claimed to date. For newcomers, it’s about allegations by insiders whistleblowers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that bureau management is allowing guns to be transported across the border into Mexico and keeping the authorities there in the dark.

The insiders are now in contact with members of the United States Senate. Getting this to happen has not been a straightforward and direct task, which I've discussed in prior columns, and no small amount of pressure and cajoling has been necessary just to establish communications. What the Senate now does with this is—or should be—a subject of concern for us all. That’s why we need light on this. We need to raise awareness. And candidly, those of us advancing this story just don't have the reach to do that by ourselves.

Unfortunately, getting “Authorized Journalists” to even look into this story, let alone publicly acknowledge it, has been like pulling teeth—curious when you consider the potential scope of this story and how high up it could go. And I’ve documented along the way simple things journalists could do to validate claims for themselves without investing much time and effort, including urging them to take one minute and call the offices of Senator Grassley, Chambliss or Sessions and just ask if they are speaking with ATF insiders about this. If they get their call taken or returned, they’ll either have that fact confirmed or be told “No Comment,” which in itself will be telling. Staffers won’t dare flat-out tell them “No,” because they know I and others have emails that would prove that a lie.

The fact is, professional reporters have it within their immediate means to determine this fundamental corroborating fact, and any response will be newsworthy.

I also have emails showing Mike Vanderboegh and I were in contact with reporters the night before Tuesday’s ATF press conference, urging them to attend and suggesting questions they could ask to ascertain for themselves if the allegations have enough credibility to warrant further scrutiny.

In spite of this, and the fact that I first mentioned “walking guns” in this column on January 3, following up with nine more articles in the weeks up to now, in spite of a parallel effort at Sipsey Street Irregulars, and in spite of other blogs and forums picking up on the story to where there are literally now over 10,000 hits on the exact term “Project Gunwalker” on Google, the same search on Google News yields a mere two at this writing, both of them linking back to my articles.

That’s understandable, a skeptic might say, ignoring previous efforts to get reporters to prove things for themselves. After all, what has really been established at this point aside from two bloggers with an agenda making big and suspect claims?

Here’s a way you can corroborate for yourself an important piece of information—one that goes to the heart of if we really are in contact with insiders and if they really are clueing us in on information that bears out when tested. Read this:

[A] potential BATFE operation early next week is being discussed on Sipsey Street Irregulars. I have been in private consultation over this and have expressed several concerns over making such a discussion public at this time. I see that the cautions I have privately expressed—including concerns about disinformation, intentional releases to identify leaks, and the moral and legal implications of discussing an actual planned operation—have been incorporated into the latest post, which lists the pros and cons of a public discussion vs. keeping quiet.

I wrote and published that last Friday, referencing a January 20 Sipsey Street Irregulars post. We saw confirmation of the information four days later.

Ask yourself: How could we have known?

I know I promised one question, but we're having a special today. Here's a second one:

Any professional investigative reporters want to take a crack at answering the first one?

Also see:

* ATF source confirms ‘walking’ guns to Mexico to ‘pad’ statistics

* More information on ATF ‘walking’ guns across Mexican border

* Does Texas gun shop tie in with ‘Project Gunwalker’?

* Is ‘Project Gunwalker’ about to bust wide open?

* Open Letter to Senate Judiciary Committee staff on 'Project Gunwalker'

* ‘Project Gunwalker’ sources talking to Senate staffers

* Knox reports on ‘Project Gunwalker’

* ‘Project Gunwalker’ investigators: Watch for smears, focus on leads

* Sources, Timeline & Summary of the ATF "Project Gunwalker" scandal and the death of BP agent Brian Terry.

[USNBandit]

Take these charges, throw in the ATF press conference in Arizona where they say 7 people bought several hundred weapons at 6 Phoenix area gun stores, and an IG inspection of the use of $1.8 million dollars of supplemental funding that netted 10 guns an six arrests. Strange things are afoot.

The Phoenix presser is a certain lead in to another assault weapons ban.

What I don't understand about it all is that the Cartels are blasting away with full auto weapons, grenades and RPG's. Where are all these semi auto weapons going?

[556x45]

Hard to imagine why anyone would be skeptical.

[Lazamataz]

BTT for BATF open and blatent corruption.

[musicman]

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