so much for plausible deny-ability...
Posted on 06/15/2011 10:19:05 AM PDT by jazusamo
The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee released copies of redacted emails on Wednesday that detail the involvement of the head of the ATF in a controversial gun-tracking program as early as March of 2010.
The emails strike a stark contrast to letters the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) have sent to lawmakers in which they denied selling assault weapons to known and suspected straw purchasers for drug cartels and claimed that they made every effort to prevent weapons from going to Mexico.
In one of the emails, released by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), with the subject heading, “Director’s questions,” the supervisor of the “Fast and Furious” operation wrote to the assistant special agent in charge of Phoenix field operations with an Internet Protocol address for one of the video monitoring units in a gun store which was authorized to sell guns to the suspects.
The emails seem to indicate that ATF acting-director Kenneth Melson had asked for this information.
“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,” said a Republican committee statement.
Earlier this year, in response to a letter from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) to Melson asking him about his knowledge of the gun-tracking operation, the Justice Department wrote the senator and denied knowingly selling assault weapons to straw purchasers and stated that it made every effort to prevent weapons from going to Mexico.
In another email on March 10, 2010, the assistant special agent in charge of Phoenix field operations wrote to the supervisor of the “Fast and Furious” operation and said, “Not sure if you know, but Mr. Melson and Mr. Hoover are being briefed weekly on this investigation and the recent success with [redacted] so they are both keenly interested in case updates.”
The release of the emails come as Issa was holding a hearing on the gun-tracking program with ATF agents.
One day, we the people of the United States will be obligated to respond to this travesty of justice.
REBELLION AGAINST TYRANTS IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD!
Top two ATF officials ‘briefed weekly’ on ‘Fast and Furious’
Top GOP oversight official Rep. Darrell Issa released emails at the outset of his hearing on the Justice Department’s “Operation Fast and Furious” showing two high-ranking officials were “briefed weekly” on the apparently reckless investigative strategy.
Kenneth Melson, acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Billy Hoover, deputy director at ATF, were “being briefed weekly” on “Fast and Furious,” says a March 10, 2010 email from a top aide to the two.
The emails are the most direct evidence yet of intimate involvement in the operation by top Justice Department officials and make it unlikely such officials were ignorant about the details of the operation when the Justice Department initially denied assault guns were knowingly allowed to escape into the clutches of Mexican drug cartels.
A second email shows William McMahon, deputy assistant director for field operations at ATF, was given an in-person briefing on the program in Phoenix, AZ on April 13, 2010.
I had no idea that the ATF had the authority to abrogate Treaties. Interesting.
“Didn’t Obama state this meme in a speech at some point? If so, when? And how does the date of his speech correlate with the dates of the denials? “
“we’re working on gun control under the radar” Barack Obama
Think they weren’t flying low enough.
Every dog has his day and hopefully Melson's is coming soon.
thanks for posting this!! I was just about to go do a search for this!
Head of the ATF of course. He's not one of Holder's people.
But then, there is no "head of the ATF". Traver hasn't been confirmed yet. But I'd be willing to bet Holder will leak info that Traver knew of the operation and will be the sacrificial lamb. It's a win-win for him. If he can pull it off. Just speculating since it's possible Traver won't be confirmed. I hope.
You might want to re-read my post. At no time did I assert that applying perjury penalties would bring down this administration. Rather I simply stated that I wanted to put those under investigation under oath. The purpose of which was to create an environment that would require them to be truthful or face penalties.
In the article, you will notice that in letters to congress (not official documents or under oath) one story / spin was put forward which seems to contradict other evidence. Put them under oath and get some straight answers.
I have my browser set so that I personally have to accept or reject cookies.
When I clicked on this FR posting of an article from The Hill, a cookie for atf.gov popped up.
My God! Ive just now realized it ... of course, you are right. We should all sell everything, and head for Australia. These guys have all the power ... we can never recover from this.
It's hopeless ... hopeless ... hopeless!
Thank you so much for straightening me out.
Keep up the good work. There are others who haven't yet realized that ... it's too late.
Just like in “Clear and Present Danger”....only guns.
Thanks, I guess I'm not surprised.
BTW, good post on #50. :-)
I think you should just make a will..and off yourself.
Very true. And most of the American Idol public doesn’t care at all.
Thanks for the brain fart newby. Now I’ve got to febreze everything.
A gun store owner being told “Do this or we either make your life so miserable that you will willingly give up your FFL, or we’ll just pull your FFL on ‘suspicion.’”
so much for plausible deny-ability...
This agency has a history of not asking nicely.
They likely threatened to trump up some charges and shut the gun shop down. Even a siezure of inventory and suspension of license while they "conduct an investigation" can be the end of the business, and then there is the matter of recovering the inventory (IF the charges are proven to be baseless).
The attorney's fees alone can bankrupt the owner.
I hope to cause as many brain farts as necessary to get people like Osage Orange’s head out of his ass and see what is really happening in our government.
Normalcy bias is a tough disease to cure.
I shared the joy of many on this thread during the many scandals and hearings of the 90’s, hoping to bring criminals at the top of government to justice.
There is just no reason people who do not remember that decade cannot educate themselves about it, and understand why they must mature out of such naive elation.
We all well know what’s happening in govt. You’re a bit presumptuous to walk in here 15 years after this place is up and running and inform us all of our ignorance.
There may be some heads roll. Will we get Holder or Obama? The bar is high and we really have no serious smoking gun at this point.
Even so this thing can do incredible damage if handled correctly, enough to make Zero lose the election, which is as good as impeachment and removal.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.