“I have no recollection of knowing about the operation, called ‘Fast and Furious,’ or of hearing its name prior to the public controversy about it,” U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder wrote in a letter delivered today to Congress. Judging from forbes.com‘s report, the AG reckons a good offense is the best defense. “Holder said Friday that his testimony to Congress about a controversial gun-smuggling probe was truthful and accurate and that Republicans are engaging in political posturing when they say otherwise . . .
Holder said that he had said little so far about the gun-smuggling probe because the Justice Department inspector general is investigating it but that he could not sit idly by while a Republican congressman suggested that law enforcement and government employees be considered accessories to murder.
‘Cause it’s true?
So that’s how Holder’s going to play it: he doesn’t remember. I suppose that’s as credible an incredible excuse for committing perjury in front of the U.S. Congress as the finest legal minds at the U.S. Attorney General’s office could devise. Considering that Holder lied, and people died.
More to the point, the AG’s office isn’t done stonewalling. Not by a long chalk. Expect to see some serious political masonry during Holder’s testimony at the [just announced] hearing scheduled by the Democratic Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Patrick Leahy. Can you say softball?
I share the President’s confidence in Attorney General Holder. He has continued to demonstrate his strong commitment to tough law enforcement, transparency and integrity.
Yeah, well, that’s end of the year stuff and there are Republicans on that committee. Anyway, Eric might be facing some louder music, sooner. Here’s some white noise Eric prepared earlier . . .
In regard to Terry’s death, Rep. Paul Gosar, an Arizona Republican, said that “we’re talking about consequences of criminal activity, where we actually allowed guns to walk into the hands of criminals.” He said that “when you facilitate that and a murder or a felony occurs, you’re called an accessory.”
Holder said that “such irresponsible and inflammatory rhetoric must be repudiated in the strongest possible terms.”
I know! Why not submit the documents requested by Congress that document the White House’s knowledge of Operation Fast and Furious?
How about getting White House National Security Staffer Kevin O’Reilly—the man who exchanged emails with the ATF Agent running F&F—back from Iraq for a little heart-to-heart with Congressional investigators?
Obviously not. I’d bet dollars to donuts that Eric Holder had full working knowledge of Operation Fast and Furious. That all the President’s men eyeballed an ATF Powerpoint slide showing where the Mexican authorities recovered F&F guns.
If Representative Issa and Senator Grassley can pin the tail on that donkey, Barack Obama might as well start picking out the drapery for his presidential museum. Meanwhile, the AG is waffling more than any ten IHOPs you can mention.
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. I understand that they have also told Congress that they never briefed me or other department leadership on the misguided tactics that were used in Fast and Furious.
File that one under “if we’re all going down, we’re all going down together.” Or “Memo to everyone who knows the truth about these guns: STFU.”
I don’t think that’s going to happen. As Brad Kozak pointed out lo so many months ago, all it takes is for one co-conspirator (there I said it) to flip. Then it’ll be a race for immunity. What comes out of that process will be both more complicated (a range of motives from a range of players) and more simple (“we’re above the law”) than the mainstream media imagines.
Eric Holder knows the truth about the ATF’s gun running ops. While the chances are not great that he’ll be forced to reveal it, stranger things have happened. Like a federal law enforcement agency sworn to uphold the law allowing straw purchasers to buy guns illegally so they can smuggle them to Mexico.