Holder in Letter to Congress: Testimony Truthful and Accurate (Yeah right)

Townhall.com ^ | October7, 2011 | Katie Pavlich

[Kaslin]

In a late Friday afternoon dump, Attorney General Eric Holder has sent a letter to the House Overight Committee addressing Operation Fast and Furious and the allegations that he lied to Congress on May 3 when he said he had only known about Fast and Furious for "a couple of weeks." Memos released this week show Holder was briefed and sent direct memos on the program at least five times in July and August 2010, nearly a year before Holder admitted under oath.

In the letter, Holder states:

I also want to be very clear that protecting American citizens from the devastating effects of gun violence is among the most important responsibilities of the Department of Justice. Likewise, ensuring that weapons sold here do not flow south to Mexico is of paramount importance.

Yet under Holder's watch, at least 2,000 guns were deliberately trafficked into Mexico under orders from his Justice Department and the Bureau of Alcohal, Tobacco and Firearms, which Holder also has jurisdiction and responsibility for overseeing. Operation Fast and Furious has resulted in the deaths of at least one federal agent and 200 innocent Mexico citizens, at minimum.

“Allowing loads of weapons that we knew to be destined for criminals, this was the plan. It was so mandated.” –Special Agent John Dodson ATF Phoenix Field Division.

Damning new evidence from Capitol Hill shows that ATF Directors and Justice Department Officials knew about and encouraged the purposeful trafficking of thousands of weapons across the southern border, despite strong objections from ATF agents. Thousands of innocent lives were taken as the result, including those of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and ICE Agent Jamie Zapata.

And yes, Holder is still denying he knew of the "tactics" used in Operation Fast and Furious:

Much has been made in that past few days about my congressional testimony earlier this year regarding Fast and Furious. My testimony was truthful and accurate and I have been consistent on this point throughout. I have no recollection of knowing about Fast and Furious or hearing its name prior to the public controversy about it. Prior to early 2011, I certainly never knew about the tactics employed in the operation and it is my understanding that the former United States Attorney for the District of Arizona and the former Acting Director and Deputy Director of ATF have told Congress that they, themselves were unaware of the tactics employed. 

FLASHBACK: The former United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, Dennis Burke, and the former Acting Director of ATF Kenneth Melson absolutely knew about the tactics employed throughout Operation Fast and Furious.

New emails released by House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa show that ATF Director Kenneth Melson was briefed weekly about Operation Fast and Furious and watched a live feed of straw purchasers (who serve as middle men, purchasing guns and giving them to cartel members) in Arizona gun shops from his cozy Washington D.C. office. Emails also show that Deputy Assistant Director for Field Operations William McMahon was enthusiastic about the operation.

“An e-mail from April 12, 2010, indicates that Acting Director Melson was very much in the weeds with Operation Fast and Furious. After a detailed briefing of the program by the ATF Phoenix Field Division, Acting Director Melson had a plethora of follow-up questions that required additional research to answer. As the document indicates, Mr. Melson was interested in the IP Address for hidden cameras located inside cooperating gun shops. With this information, Acting Director Melson was able to sit at his desk in Washington and – himself – watch a live feed of the straw buyers entering the gun stores to purchase dozens of AK-47 variants,” Chairman Issa said in his opening statement.

Holder also had the nerve to call for more gun control in his letter, re-enforcing the idea that Operation Fast and Furious was carried out to push more gun control onto the American people.

 

I'm not really sure what Holder is complaining about with his long gun reporting requirement, he got that back in July 2011. Also,

Parting thought:

Eric Holder May 3, 2011: "I'm not sure of the exact date, but I probably heard about Fast and Furious for the first time over the last few weeks."

Eric Holder July 5, 2010: Memos addressed directly to Eric Holder about Operation Fast and Furious.

Nice try, Holder. We're not buying it.

[Kaslin]

Holder wouldn't know the truth if it hit him in the face

[MagUSNRET]

THis sack of crap could tell me the sky is blue, and I wouldnt believe his lying ass!

[shankbear]

Holder, you are such a total joke of a liar. Get him fitted for his Gitmo clothes quickly. What a punk.

[Gene Eric]

>> I also want to be very clear that protecting American citizens from the devastating effects of gun violence is among the most important responsibilities of the Department of Justice.

Translation: “Who the Hell are you to challenge my agenda to eradicate the 2nd #ing Amendment?!?!”

[ken21]

we’re watching hannity’s special on fast and furious at this moment.

holder’s got to go.

[BallyBill]

He has Doubled Down, the Race Card is next.

[Riptides]

Holder is a rodent.
He looks like a rodent.
He talks like a rodent.
In the end he will do what rodents do:
Rat their superiors out to save their hides.

[rolling_stone]

just like Obama I have two words for Holder, You Lie!

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

rite from Saul Alinski:

#1 )delay
#2 )deny
#3 )deprecate your opponent

P.S. We are at stage #2

[AlphaOneAlpha]

Try, convict and then hang this SOB. He was a surly character from the start and, like his boss, had no business being in the job that he holds.

[lmsii]

This guy gives attorneys a bad name.

[American in Israel]

I also want to be very clear that protecting American citizens from the devastating effects of gun violence is among the most important responsibilities of the Department of Justice.

Just how is giving guns to Drug Cartels supposed to protect American Citizens from gun violence?

EPIC FAIL

[ANGGAPO]

I am convinced that Holder knew about F&F from the start. Perhaps he had a hand in constructing the operation. From what we have learned up to now it was designed to fail. They had to know that most of the guns would disappear into the Mexican drug gangs. Those involved should go to jail for a long time.

[Gator113]

I am watching a special on this subject on Hannity.

The story is very telling, very moving and very damn tragic.

I want Holder to hang for these crimes, as well as anyone else involved...... all the way down and all the way to the top.

I know that hangings is too much to wish for these corrupt treasonist bastards, but that will remain my sentiment.

[IM2MAD]

http://www.justice.gov/ag/speeches/2009/ag-speech-090402.html

This says he bragged about a speech he gave in Mexico in April 2009. It wasn’t known a Fast and Furious at the time.

...” I would like to thank the Mexican and U.S. experts who have worked so hard on this issue. On our side, Secretary Napolitano and I are committed to putting the resources in place to increase our attack on arms trafficking into Mexico.

Last week, our administration launched a major new effort to break the backs of the cartels. My department is committing 100 new ATF personnel to the Southwest border in the next 100 days to supplement our ongoing Project Gunrunner...”

[Kaslin]

Don’t you mean, just like Joe Wilson to 0bama?

[gaijin]

Yeah --he's changing his story. Now he's simply saying, "I had not heard of the UNUSUAL TACTICS of F&F until recently..."

So he has changed his story --that's clear.

And LEO's always construe that as a sign of dishonestly.

B4 he said, "I just heard of F&F" and now it's, "I just heard of F&F's unusual tactics"...

It's not consistent at all --in fact it's a very simple lie.

[gaijin]

Here ya go:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX-I8VdYvwA

[Kaslin]

I watched it sort of too, but I am recording the repeat, so I can watch it later again

[rolling_stone]

yes