CBS News Reporter Says White House Screamed, Swore at Her Over Fast and Furious

The Weekly Standard ^ | 10/4/11 | MARK HEMINGWAY

[Nachum]

The Fast and Furious scandal, in which the Justice Department knowingly gave Mexican criminal gangs thousands of guns, just keeps escalating. The latest development centers around whether or not Attorney General Eric Holder lied to Congress about having knowledge of the controversial gun trafficking operation. Recently released documents say Holder was briefed about the operation long before he told the Judiciary Committee he was first aware of what was going on. (Holder now claims he misunderstood the question was being asked.)

What's more, CBS News investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson -- who's been covering the scandal from the beginning -- says in an interview on the Laura Ingraham Show today that the White House and Justice Department have taken to screaming at her for reporting on the story. You can listen to the full interview below, but here are the key excerpts from Attkisson:

In between the yelling that I received from Justice Department yesterday, the spokeswoman--who would not put anything in writing, I was asking for her explanation so there would be clarity and no confusion later over what had been said, she wouldn't put anything in writing--so we talked on the phone and she said things such as the question Holder answered was different than the one he asked. But he phrased it, he said very explicitly, 'I probably heard about Fast and Furious for the first time over the last few weeks.'

[Semper911]

She has had an interesting career. Here is her bio from CBSNews.com:

(CBS News) Sharyl Attkisson was named CBS News' investigative correspondent in August 2007, primarily focusing on government spending and taxpayer issues for the "Follow the Money" franchise of the "CBS Evening News."

Attkisson received an Investigative Emmy Award in 2009 for "Outstanding Investigative Reporting of a Business News Story" for her exclusive investigations into TARP and the bank bailout. She received an Investigative Emmy Award in 2002 for "Outstanding Investigative Journalism" for her series of exclusive reports about mismanagement at the Red Cross.

She has received two Investigative Reporters and Editors (I.R.E.) Finalist awards: "Investigating TARP" in 2009 and "Dangerous Drugs" in 2000. She was also part of the CBS News team that received RTNDA-Edward R. Murrow Awards in 2005 and 2008 for Overall Excellence.

Attkisson has been a Washington-based correspondent for CBS News since January 1995. She is one of the few journalists to have flown in a B-52 on a combat mission in Kosovo and in an F-15 fighter jet Combat Air Patrol flight.

Attkisson joined CBS News as a co-anchor of its overnight broadcast, Up To The Minute, in September 1993. That year, she anchored CBS News' special week-long coverage from Houston's Johnson Space Center of the space shuttle mission to repair the Hubble telescope, including a six-and-a-half-hour live broadcast the night of the first space walk (Dec. 4). In addition to her CBS News duties, Attkisson hosted "HealthWeek," a half-hour weekly news magazine on PBS (1996-2001).

Prior to joining CBS News, Attkisson was an anchor and correspondent for CNN (1990-93). She anchored its coverage of many major stories, including the Persian Gulf War.

Before that, Attkisson was an anchor and reporter at WTVT Tampa, Fla. (1986-90), WBNS-TV, the CBS affiliate in Columbus, Ohio (1985-86) and WTVX-TV Fort Pierce/West Palm Beach, Fla. (1982-85). She began her broadcast journalism career in 1982 as a reporter at WUFT-TV, the PBS station in Gainesville, Fla.

Attkisson has also received several other awards for her reporting and producing, including a New York Black Journalists Association public service award, a Mature Media National Award, a Florida Emmy Award, a Sigma Delta Chi Award and a Florida Communicator's Award. She also received, in 1997, the University of Florida's Alumnae of Outstanding Achievement Award, honoring just 47 women who have attended the University since it opened. Attkisson served on the University's Journalism College Advisory Board (1993-97) and was chairman in 1996. She co-authored "Writing Right for Broadcast and Internet News" (Allyn & Bacon, 2003), a textbook currently used by many college journalism programs.

Attkisson was born in Sarasota, Fla. She was graduated from the University of Florida in 1982 with a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. Attkisson is a third-degree black belt in TaeKwonDo.

God bless her for doing the work the other media hacks won't do.

[MarkL]

I heard someone try to say that this was Holders effort to stop strawman purchases and it failed.

Yup, the gubmint will stop "strawman purchases" by allowing "strawman purchases" by people who FAILED the NICS check, then allowed the weapons to go across a national border without notifying the other country.

Makes perfect sense to me! /sarc

Mark

[uncbob]

. They say the Washington Post is reasonable, the LA Times is reasonable, the New York Times is reasonable, I'm the only one who thinks this is a story

And that says it ALL

They know the MSM is in the tank as usual --they aren't even trying to hide it

[Boogieman]

“Who was it, chickie?”

They are named in the article if you read the full story. Tracy Schmaler from DOJ and Eric Schultz from the WH are trying to quash the story.

[bergmeid]

I truly fear for the safety of that reporter. I hope she has a bodyguard, a bulletproof vest, a couple of good guns and a large pack of hostile Dobermann’s.

[BerryDingle]

Hmmmm....Screaming was much in vogue in a certain political party during in the 1930’s. In Germany, I think.

How could you forget the 90's here?

[GOPJ]

[The White House and Justice Department] will tell you that I'm the only reporter--as they told me--that is not reasonable. They say the Washington Post is reasonable, the LA Times is reasonable, the New York Times is reasonable, I'm the only one who thinks this is a story...

Young reporters don't understand: Woodward and Bernstein stood alone when they started. There wasn't a liberal gaggle of so called journalists - hundreds going after some political "opponent" caught jay walking...

Their paper and editors stood alone too... Just like this young CBS reporter - Sharyl Attkisson - same backbone, spirit and gumption...

It's nice to see - it's been a long time...

Sad the Washington Post is 'reasonable'... they had a reputation to live up to - or did...

[HiTech RedNeck]

What do you expect out of Google “News”?

On the other hand, the main Google finds plenty of stuff about those topics.

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.

[GOPJ]

Eric Schultz needs a subpena.

You're right - he's acting defensive - guilty... Maybe the TSA should come take a look at him...feel him up or something.

[LibertyRocks]

How in the world is Issa a disappointment? I admit I’d like to see things moving a little faster on this, but he seems to be dotting all the “i”s and crossing all the “t”s before turning it all over to an independent prosecutor (and before he loses control of the investigation). I’d rather have someone do their job, do it well, and leave no stone unturned, and nowhere for the criminals to hide vs. going off half-cocked and destroying opportunity to nail these folks.

The pressure is mounting and the White House and DOJ are crumbling under the pressure - that’s a GOOD thing. It’s getting to the point where the ones trying to cover everything up are making mistakes left and right now (the screaming at this reporter is a symptom of that). Again, it’s a good thing - when the WH and DOJ’s *friendship* gets too stressed people are going to start making some rash decisions which might actually lead to enough bad blood to make them turn on each other (I think it’s almost to that point now...).

[Red in Blue PA]

And the line between the USA and North Korea blurs a bit more.......

[LibertyRocks]

The only way I can see Obama going along with it is if he thinks that sacrificing Holder and the DOJ will protect himself from accountability. I don’t think that’s going to happen. It sounds like there is a lot of pressure right now, and I’ll bet Obama is afraid Holder will turn on him (after all he is a paranoid megalomaniac).

[opentalk]

See post 151, explained reasoning. Not being critical of fast and furious investigation.

[petercooper]

bttt

[bayouranger]

BTTT!!!

[LibertyRocks]

RE: My earlier post to you re: Issa. I saw your later post and understand where you are coming from. Here’s the thing... I have a feeling that Issa hasn’t forgotten or ignored ANY of those things. In order to prevent a lot of problems that will undoubtedly come with taking down Holder and/or Obama from power the best thing would be to have more than enough evidence to absolutely convict people of their blame. They are going to have to show the public court of opinion irrefutable proof that what we are accusing them of is true.

It’s kind of like a RICO case. At least that’s how I sincerely hope that Issa and the other Republicans who are in DC are viewing this administration, because it truly is ORGANIZED CRIME - Organized by the Organizer himself...

[RipSawyer]

And if he had a brain he’d be dangerous! Ed is lucky if his IQ exceeds the number of teeth he has. His IQ is only equal to room temperature in the middle of winter in Minnesota when the heat isn’t working.

[LibertyRocks]

Thank you for the excellent in-depth information you always provide. I really appreciate it.

[LibertyRocks]

*CONVINCE not convict, OOPS.