The guns included "dozens of .50 caliber sniper rifles".
The operation is responsible for at least 200 deaths, including two federal agents.
The operation whose budget has exploded (pun intended) and is partially funded by Stimulus money.
The operation that everyone in the Obama Administration forgot to mention to Mexico.
So, who knew about Fast and Furious? Who's responsible? Who let this get so out-of-control?
"Not me," said President Obama.
"Not me," said Attorney General Holder.
"Not me," said Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano.
Let's start with some of the latest information about "Fast and Furious". As you know, it was started to track guns illegally taken across the Mexican border. Well, it seems that BATF (which is part of the Department of the Treasury) and the DOJ merely needed to question their fellow compatriots over at the DEA and the FBI---both of which are part of the Department of Justice.
You see, it was an FBI informant that was taking the guns across the border to the Mexican drug cartels.
Basically, "Fast and Furious" could have been closed long ago.
But it should have been closed down long ago. Even a year-and-a-half ago (January 2010), "Fast and Furious" guns had been found at the sites of at least 6 serious crimes. That was before the death of Agent Brian Terry.
Yet Attorney General Holder continues to deny any culpability, despite a slew of recent resignations and transfers of people involved in this scandal. These include the Obama appointee U.S. Attorney in Arizona (Dennis Burke), the Assistant U.S. Attorney General (Emory Hurley), the Acting Director of the ATF (Kenneth Melson) and two more ATF administrators.
Holder has also thus far refused to provide information to the Congressional investigation headed by Representative Issa and Senator Grassley. Holder denies that the DOJ underlings consulted with him or his office in this internationally-sensitive gun-running operation.
Acting Director of the BATF Melson, BTW, was transferred to the Washington D.C. DOJ office as the "senior adviser on forensic science" (whatever that is) ---- but AFTER he had moved all the folks involved in "Fast and Furious" on to other assignments on orders from his superiors in the DOJ, who ALSO ordered him not to mention "Fast and Furious" to Congress as the reason for the shuffling.
On a further note, emails have surfaced revealing that officials in the White House knew about "Fast and Furious". Emails concerning the gun-running operation went to Kevin M. O'Reilly (director of North American Affairs for White House national security); Dan Restrepo (the president's senior Latin American advisor), and Greg Gatjanis (a White House national security official). According to the White House, no one else in the White House knew of these emails.
Two more items I'd suggest you look at:
#1 The letter from the Congressional investigation team to the DOJ--very interesting reading. It's here.
#2 How this is affecting the family of Agent Brian Terry--very sad reading. It's here.
AND, congrats to Issa and Grassley for continuing to check out this fiasco.
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