Tuesday - July 31, 2012

COWARDLY GOP Cover-Up

Congressional Republican investigators have singled out five employees in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to blame for the botched anti-gunrunning operation known as Fast and Furious, in a report on the scandal obtained by Fox News.

The report, the first of three to be issued from the congressional investigation, concludes that the five employees were responsible for an operation “marred by missteps, poor judgments and inherently reckless strategy.” All five have since been reassigned but remain employed in the agency.

The Republican-led House voted late in June to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt, but Justice officials since then essentially have said the ball is still in Republicans’ court, if they intend to follow through with vows to file a civil lawsuit seeking the remaining documents.

The congressional investigative report, to be issued Tuesday, specifically faults Acting Director Kenneth Melson; Deputy Director William Hoover; William Newell, special agent in charge of the Phoenix Field Division; William McMahon, deputy assistant director for field operations, and Mark Chait, assistant director for field operations.

Melson told investigators he felt the Justice Department was making him a scapegoat for the operation’s failure.

From a less chicken-shit news source:

“This report chronicles the fundamentally flawed firearms trafficking case from the perspective of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives,” the preface states. “Part two will look at the devastating failure of supervision and leadership by officials at Justice Department headquarters, principally within the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, and within the Criminal Division. Part three will address the unprecedented obstruction of the investigation by the highest levels of the Justice Department, including the Attorney General himself.”

Providing an overview of Fast and Furious from inception through to the program’s termination, the report points a “culpability” finger at five Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives officials, beginning with the role played by Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division William Newell, and including findings pertaining to the actions of Deputy Assistant Director for Field Operations William McMahon, Assistant Director for Field Operations Mark Chait, Deputy Director William Hoover and Acting Director Kenneth E. Melson.

A point of concern was sent last night by this correspondent to Chairman Issa and various staffers as to why an advance copy was provided to The Los Angeles Times, which filed an exclusive report yesterday. Further investigation indicated other “Authorized Journalist” news outlets had been given the document as well, and it appears there was an embargo on posting the actual report until this morning, meaning those select reporters were able to file their stories at first light ahead of the pack. Those reports are out there already influencing public perception, while “unauthorized journalists” not so favored are playing catch-up just to reach limited niche readerships.

The concern was that first Senator Grassley and then Rep. Issa were initially urged to open the investigation by Gun Rights Examiner and citizen journalist Mike Vanderboegh of the Sipsey Street Irregulars blog, and much further information has been provided to their staffs throughout the course of the investigations. Additionally, pressure from respective readerships did much to help the story gain wider notice, particularly in the early days before “mainstream media” would touch it. That dynamic is still occurring, and to ignore representatives of new media, especially the ones who dragged this story to their doorstep, in favor of the old does not serve to support an informed citizenry, particularly noting how many outlets have either continually ignored the story or wrote it up with a spin designed to derail the investigation and advance an administration and “gun control”-promoting agenda.

So is there any hope that once parts 2 and 3 come out that actual criminal charges will be brought against anyone? Don’t hold your breath. This lion has no claws, even as the deceptions and obfuscations continue.

While it’s probably not realistic to expect movement in the direction of filing charges until all three parts of the report have been released, meaning after the release of the highly-anticipated Office of Inspector General report and, per this part one report, “after the Justice Department fulfills its obligations to cooperate with the Congress and produce documents” (meaning “never”?), pressuring the five individuals identified as primarily responsible is not only a legitimate legal strategy the government uses all the time on ordinary citizens, it’s likely the only way any of them can be induced to fully spill what they know about how high up in the administration responsibility for initiation, implementation and subsequent cover-up really goes.

If that does not ultimately happen, many demanding justice will no doubt conclude the game has been rigged, and that those crying “politics” have had a point.

Lift rug, apply broom. Nothing will ever come of this. NOTHING. Even Part 2 will be dismissed as partisan politics with questionable timing, blah blah. And a tyrant’s nearly successful plan to shred the Constitution will be completely ignored. Impeachment? Hella no, it won’t even get a mention on the campaign trail.

Posted by Drew458     on 07/31/2012 at 11:17 AM   
Filed Under: • Miscellaneous •  
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