The media has bought Attorney General Eric Holder’s official line on ATF Operation Fast and Furious. “Oops! We won’t do THAT again. How ’bout that gun control?” CNN and its ilk are running Eric’s offensive (in more ways than one) opening statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee without comment or counterpoint. Yes, well, Senator Grassley took the AG and his minions to task for lying, stonewalling and obfuscating about the who, what, when, where and how of the ATF’s [supposedly] anti-gun running gun running op. Suffice it to say, mid-way through his recitation of the timeline of the Department of Justice’s F&F cover-up Grassley paused to say “But it gets worse.” Indeed it does . . .
Grassley attempted to head-off Holder off at the pass (the AG’s statement was released to the press prior to his appearance before the Committee). Grassley flagged the unreliability of the Mexican gun confiscation stats Holder was about to rely on and warned the AG not to call for more gun control—as the participants in Fast and Furious were breaking existing laws (with the ATF’s active participation). Here’s a cut from 24:40:
Let me be clear, the bottom line is that it doesn’t matter how many laws we pass if those responsible for enforcing them refuse to do their duty, as was the case with Fast and Furious.
And then Holder ignored Grassley’s warning and did exactly what the Senator warned him not to do, including calling for tougher gun control laws to stop the kind of gun smuggling practiced by his own department. After tooting his own horn re: combatting terrorism, preventing states from cracking down on illegal aliens and [just about] occupying Wall Street.
Holder’s testimony on Fast and Furious was a lesson in the art of, for lack of a better word, bullshit. For example, the AG described the ATF-enabled firearms that ended-up in the hands of drug thugs as “lost.” [See: oops! above.] Apparently, “this should never have happened.” And “it must not be allowed to happen again.” The AG then called for Congress to disband the ATF. Kidding.
“I took action,” Holder said, defiantly (arrogantly?). Internal investigation, new controls, new leadership at ATF, stricter oversight procedures, yada yada yada. That said, Holder’s was not without revelations. The AG called F&F a “local, Arizona-based operation.” In other words, Holder’s ready to throw the people further down the food chain under the proverbial bus.”
As for Holder’s perjury about the exact time he became aware of ATF Operation Fast and Furious (in a sworn statement to the House Oversight Committee), Holder’s explanation was simple enough: when he said “over the last few weeks” he meant “the last couple of months.” Holder’s main defense against Grassley’s relentless confrontation re: the DOJ’s relentless stonewalling: who knew? Us? No, we only knew that we were lying in hindsight.
Holder’s minor defense: there IS an iron river of U.S. gun store guns to Mexican drug cartels and we NEED a long gun registry! Which there isn’t (most Mexican drug cartel firearms come from “seepage” from official sales to the Mexican military and law enforcement and other “bulk” purposes) and we don’t (smuggling weapons to Mexico is already illegal).
Texas Senator Coryn ripped Holder a new you-know-what about Holder’s time line, complete with a timeline graphic. (Whose sudden appearance left Holder visibly rattled.) The Senator also forced Holder to backtrack on his opening statement that F&F was a local gig. But the most important moment in the entire farce arrived when Senator Coryn asked Holder if the metaphorical buck stops with him (i.e. are you responsible for this f’up).
There are 115,000 employees at the United States Department of Justice . . . I can not be expected to know the details of every operation ongoing in the Justice Department on a day-to-day basis.
And there you have it: Fast and Furious was the result of unidentified rogue ATF bureaucrats and administrative incompetence. Which is both untrue and cold comfort to the families of the families of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Agent Jaime Zapata and dozens of unnamed Mexican nationals.
Click here to view the entirety of today’s committee meeting.
Click here for Senator Coryn’s graphic of Holder’s perjury
My favrita part when Attorney General Eric Holder’s ask if Justice Department was responsible for U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry death. Attorney General Eric Holder’s respond felt that Justice Department was responsible for Brian Terry death becuase had nothing do with it. Ops Atf is part Justice Department point many times that Atf did do thing with out Justice Deparment say so.
Holder is a typical progressive liberal. The only thing he will respond to is a smack upside the head by a Special Prosecutor in the form of an indictment in the death of Agent Terry. Like all of Holder’s ilk, they really believe their own lies. Holder is lying to Congress. What’s worse is that he knows that they know he is lying. Holder also knows that Congress (Issa) fully understands that he, Obama, ATF, DOJ, etc created this Fast and Furious crap with the intent of castrating the Second Amendment. Holder is doing exactly as every liberal has ever done, since the beginning of time when they are caught red-handed in one of their end-justifies-the-means crusades. Black is white. Up is down. Left is right. Mr Holder, you are a dirtbag of the first order.
Great write up RF. It would seem that instead of the circular firing squad i have been expecting, Holder is taking to coward’s way out, by blaming subordinates in the organization that he is responsible for, a “top down” firing squad instead i guess.
I didn’t think Holder would make a stand atop a pile of shit by himself. I thought if he took the heat by his lonesome he would make a bid at dragging the POTUS with him or buckle and resign. He did neither though and amid his storm egregious righteousness is the same web of lies. Even blood can’t unravel them and he’s making like he’s done nothing.
When will they corner him with the facts he’s hiding? It is at the least criminally negligent on his behalf if he kicks the crap on the lower downs or perjury that leads straight to murder if they prove he knew about long enough ago to have called the crap off and saved the lives of the agents. Either A or B is true and it can’t be dodged forever.
COULD THIS BE ENTRAPMENT????
IT IS PROBABLE THAT THE ATF‘S “OPERATION SMOKING GUN” HERE IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL WHICH RESULTED IN THE ARREST OF ABOUT ONE HUNDRED INDIVIDUALS IN JULY, 2011, WAS IMPLEMENTED AS A SMOKESCREEN TO DEFLECT ATTENTION FROM FAST AND FURIOUS AND OTHER FAILED OPERATIONS, AND FOR OTHER GUN CONTROL RELATED POLITICAL REASONS. THE ATF SET UP AN UNDERCOVER STORE “CROSSBONZ” AT 2500 WESTGATE BLVD IN WEST PALM BEACH.
BEGINNING IN JANUARY, THE ATF AGENTS USED A HOMELESS, MENTALLY DISABLED INDVIDUAL, AS AN INFORMANT. HE HAD BEEN VIDEOTAPED SELLING DRUGS AND A STOLEN FIREARM FROM SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER OF 2010. INSTEAD OF APPREHENDING HIM, OR OBTAINING PROPER TREATMENT FOR THIS PERSON, HE WAS ALLOWED TO ROAM FREE- COMMITTING OTHER CRIMES IN THE COMMUNITY FOR ALMOST TEN MONTHS. WHEN FINALLY ARRESTED BY AGENTS, HE WAS ALREADY IN DETENTION (IN STATE CUSTODY) FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS.
MY TWO SONS ARE FEDERAL DEFENDANTS IN THIS CASE, ACCUSED OF SELLING FIREARMS WITHOUT A LICENSE. THEY HAD A LEGITIMATE BUSINESS: CAR DETAILING AND GOLF CART MAINTENANCE, WHEN THEY WERE LURED INTO THIS NET, BY THE AFOREMENTIONED DISABLED INDIVIDUAL, WHOM THEY BEFRIENDED. MY OLDER SON HAS HAD A CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT FOR FOUR YEARS, WITHOUT ANY ISSUES TILL THIS SITUATION. ALL FIREARMS CLEARED NCIC WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. THEY WERE ALL PURCHASED NEW AT GUNSHOWS AND GUN SHOPS. COULD THIS BE ENTRAPMENT? THERE ARE VIDEOTAPES OF ENTRY, TRANSACTIONS, ETC. AT THE UNDERCOVER BUSINESS.
YOU CAN REACH ME BY EMAIL [email protected] OR AT 561-672-9544.
SINCERELY,
JOE (RETIRED EDUCATOR, TOTALLY DISABLED ARMY VETERAN, AND DESPERATE FATHER).
IT IS PROBABLE THAT “OPERATION SMOKING GUN” HERE IN PALM BEACH COUNTY WAS IMPLEMENTED AS A SMOKESCREEN TO DEFLECT ATTENTION FROM THESE OTHER FAILED OPERATIONS, AND FOR OTHER GUN CONTROL RELATED POLITICAL REASONS.
SOME OF THE VIDEO EVIDENCE I HAVE PERSONALLY REVIEWED FROM THE UNDERCOVER STORE IS SHOCKING!
IT CLEARLY SHOWS:
A) AGENTS ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF LITTLE CHILDREN AND OTHER “SHOPPERS“, ALLOWING THEM TO WANDER THROUGHOUT THE STORE
B) AGENTS SELLING CIGARETTES TO MINORS,
C) AGENTS CONSUMING WHAT APPEARS TO BE ALCOHOL WHILE ON DUTY,
D) INVITING AND ENTICING TEENAGERS TO REMAIN IN THE STORE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME, TO PLAY BILLIARDS ($1 A GAME) AND “HANG OUT” THROUGHOUT THE OPERATION.
THIS APPARENTLY WENT ON FOR MONTHS- WHILE WEAPONS AND DRUGS WERE EXCHANGED ON THE PREMISES.
E) THE VIDEOS ALSO SHOW (CAMERA OUTSIDE FRONT OF UNDERCOVER STORE) THE CONTINUOUS TRAFFIC (ALMOST “TIMES SQUARE“-LIKE) AT A BEVERAGE STORE NEXT DOOR, WITH PEOPLE PARKING, ENTERING, AND LEAVING QUICKLY- USUALLY WITH NO “BEVERAGES” IN THEIR HANDS.
THIS ALONE CALLS INTO QUESTION THE INTEGRITY OF THIS OPERATION.
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL VIDEOS FROM THIS OPERATION (I HAVEN‘T SEEN THEM). THEY COULD SHOW EVEN MORE FLAGRANT CORRUPT ACTIONS THAN THOSE DESCRIBED ABOVE, ALTHOUGH I CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT MIGHT BE WORSE THAN THE ABOVE.
THERE ARE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTED INCIDENTS OF AGENT/PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT, INCLUDING THE USE OF A HOMELESS, MENTALLY DISABLED INDVIDUAL, USED AS AN INFORMANT. INSTEAD OF APPREHENDING HIM, OR OBTAINING PROPER TREATMENT FOR THIS PERSON, HE WAS ALLOWED TO ROAM FREE- COMMITTING CRIMES FOR ALMOST TEN MONTHS. WHEN FINALLY ARRESTED BY AGENTS, HE WAS ALREADY IN DETENTION (IN STATE CUSTODY) FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS.
Joe,
All caps is rude and uncalled for in this venue.
It’s more likely Joe isn’t aware that all caps is “yelling” on the internet. I have an older uncle that writes in all caps in texts and on Facebook because his eyes aren’t great and all caps is easier for him to read.
I might be wrong, but I prefer to assume Joe doesn’t know.
agree with sid. i could not even read what he wrote because i was so distracted by the digital shouting i was just trying to eyeball.
Holder is a politician plain and simple. They can’t admit when they screw up because they have no backbone and no honor. They certainly aren’t going to resign least of all hang themselves.
I really hope Issa goes after Obama. He had to have known, just like Holder did.
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