Posted on 06/27/2012 12:23:40 PM PDT by marktwain
WASHINGTON A slain former Downriver police officer is at the center of criticism of President Barack Obamas dealings with an investigation into a federal program that allowed guns to end up in the hands of Mexican drug cartels and bandits.
The parents of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry, who was fatally shot by bandits, appeared on a Fox News program last week and called Obama a liar after he asserted executive privilege to keep Attorney General Eric Holder and other Department of Justice officials from a congressional investigation of Operation Fast and Furious.
It sounds like theyre hiding something, Kent Terry said Thursday during an interview. Theyre lying big time and passing the buck. Thats how I feel. I just know theyre hiding something big.
Something happened out there and were not supposed to know.
Kent and Josephine Terrys son was shot Dec. 14, 2010, and died a day later after his group encountered some men near Rio Rico, Ariz. The unit was targeting so-called rip crews that stalk and rob drug runners crossing the U.S. border from Mexico. Terry was 40.
Two of the guns used by the bandits four were captured and another escaped were traced to a dealer who sold them to a suspected Mexican drug cartel. The sales were allowed during a surveillance program conducted by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Terrys family filed a $25 million wrongful death suit against the federal government in February, claiming the ATF created the conditions for his death by allowing more than 1,400 guns to be sent to Mexico and fall into the hands of traffickers who supply the countrys drug cartels. The suit also alleges that the federal government attempted to cover up the ATFs role in the gun-running program.
In 2009, ATF agents noticed large numbers of guns being purchased in the United States by suspected drug cartels, but didnt stop the sales. Instead, they allowed the transactions to go through and followed the guns into Mexico, presumably hoping to trace them to drug organizations.
After Terry was killed, Holder issued a directive stopping the so-called gun walking. The Department of Justice initially denied any role in allowing the guns to cross the border, but an agent later told CBS News he was part of a group that did just that.
Kent Terry said he was amazed when he learned the guns used to shoot his son were procured while federal agents watched.
I was furious; I was shocked, he said. I dont think my son shouldve went before me. Its very hard.
The couple said they received a call from Obama before their sons funeral but have not had any correspondence with the White House or Department of Justice since learning that guns procured under the Fast and Furious period were used in his shooting.
In a party-line vote, Holder was held in contempt last week by a House subcommittee.
Terry was buried a week after his death at Michigan Memorial Park in Huron Township, and the Border Patrol office in Bisbee, Ariz., was renamed in his memory.
The Flat Rock Community High School graduate, like an uncle, Robert Heier, a former Lincoln Park police chief and mayor, went into law enforcement after a four-year stint in the Marine Corps. He became an Ecorse police officer in 1998 and later transferred to Lincoln Park.
He was accepted into the Border Patrol Academy in 2007 and was assigned to the Tucson (Ariz.) sector. He eventually became part of the patrols elite BORTAC unit.
Kent and Josephine Terry could not be reached for comment by yesterday. Brian Terrys family created a website (rememberbrianterry.com) and foundation to honor his memory.
Contact Staff Writer Scott Held at 1-734-246-0865 or sheld@heritage.com. Follow him on Facebook and @ScottHeld45 on Twitter.
Gunwalker / Murdergate ping.
They sound like racists! To say such things about our glorious leader Obama(Praise be upon his holy name). Why the need for an election when we have a perfect leader beloved by his people and who has no need for congress or any thing that will get in the way of his kind rule.
Now if Brian Terry had been BLACK, you can bet that 0bama and Holder and the rest of that crew would have moved heaven and earth to PROVE that Agent Terry had been killed by a weapon that those racist white boys in the Bush-Cheney Administration had allowed to ‘walk’ across the border into Mexico.
Hell, if Brian Terry had been a black man, there would be ceiling high posters at the ‘Rat Convention this year, with speaker after speaker praising him and his family, and cursing and condemning those EEEEEVIL white Republicans who allowed his death to occur.
How much you all want to bet?
Fast & Furious is Chappaquiddick without the water.
Black people killed due to "progressive" policies or administrations are routinely ignored.
True enough. Black on black crime causes no concern among ‘Rats and leftists (but alas, I repeat myself), but WHITE on black crime is always a ready-made bloody rag to inflame the masses.
To call America’s first African President a liar is racist to the core!
I suppose they’ll refuse to contribute to his campaign fund as well.
As the great philosopher and theologian, Juan Williams recently so sagely opined regarding the murder of Border Patrol Officer Terry: “Hey! People die.” And by implication: “What’s the big deal?”
There's a whole lot of meaning behind that word "allowed".
"Required" would be more accurate, wouldn't it?
The water, and the single-digit body-count.
F&F is solidly into triple digits.
The big thing is that the whole thing was a gun control ploy. They kept saying that guns sold by US dealers were ending up in Mexico long before F&F broke and they needed to prove it.
He IS a liar.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: The full House of Representatives is expected to hold a Contempt Of Congress vote against Attorney General Eric Holder THIS WEEK. To be included in the petition delivery prior to that vote, sign today.
Your Gubmint asks that you contact them if you know of any abuses of the law in Arizona:
1-855-353-1010 or SB1070@usdoj.gov
Gee, it would be tragic if government resources were wasted answering meaningless messages left at the phone number and email address.
Early evening catchup ping!
Thanks cripplecreek.
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