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Government

This Video Allegedly Shows ATF Whistleblower Getting Fired in a Denny’s Parking Lot

Oct. 12, 2012 11:15am Mytheos Holt

The man responsible for blowing the whistle on Operation Fast and Furious by posting allegations of gunwalking on his website says he was unceremoniously dismissed from his role as an agent with the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) this Tuesday. And not only that, but he claims he was handed his termination papers in a Denny’s Parking Lot. And a video has now surfaced allegedly showing how it went down:

The agent in question is Special Agent Vince Cefalu, a 25 year veteran of ATF with a track record that is, but for his whistle-blowing over Fast and Furious, apparently spotless. Prior to his firing (which Cefalu plans to appeal), Cefalu first began blowing the whistle on administrative incompetence and corruption within the ATF as far back as 2005, when he blew the whistle on illegal usage of wiretapping in a local case.

Needless to say, this did not endear Special Agent Cefalu to his colleagues, who over the intervening 12 years began to steadily receive worse and worse reviews from management, seemingly as a means of retaliation for his “jumping the chain of command.”

However, Cefalu claims that the allegations that truly pushed him past the point of no return were his claims of gunwalking that would eventually be validated in the form of the Fast and Furious scandal. The fact that he blew the whistle on this type of operation is – Cefalu claims – the primary reason he was served with a termination notice. A post following his dismissal and detailing his intent to appeal makes this argument forcefully, claiming that the charges against Cefalu are fabricated:

Notwithstanding the transparently trumped-up nature of the so-called “charges” in question, proposing a termination and then excuting it over a year and a half later is prima facie evidence that the action is unsustainable and is virtually certain to be reversed on appeal.

Moreover, the allegations used as a basis for the adverse action are laughably unfounded, deliberately fabricated, and relied largely on the testimony of ATF officials who committed easily-provable felony perjury in open court and later in sworn depositions. I herein predict that a number of the people involved in this grotesque act of bald-faced unlawful retaliation and obstruction of justice will do significant jail time before this is all over.

I will also say with confidence that this was by far the stupidest , most ill-advised course of action that they (ATF management) could possibly have taken in this case. Rather than quietly settling what a mediocre first-year law student would recognize to be a Hindenburg of a losing case (for them), ATF just substantially amplified the damages award that Cefalu will, in my opinion, recover at trial. Talk about stepping in it.

It’s well-known that ATF management and their viciously corrupt counsel are, for the most part, brutally self-serving and mean-spirited. But this Cefalu termination is nevertheless surprising in its utter incomprehensibility under the circumstances, from purely legal and elemental federal labor law standpoints. If they had any prayer of making the action stick, they had to do it more than a year ago, before so many additional events have transpired that will render the termination plainly unlawful and inescapably untenable. It’s just plain moronic no matter how you slice it.

It seems apparent that ATF’s leadership at all levels has degenerated to a pathetic state of paroxysmal, shoot-from-the-hip incompetence. They can’t even do the wrong thing right.

Naturally enough, ATF denies that any retaliation took place. Fox News has the agency’s non-explanation below:

The ATF, though, has previously denied that it was retaliating against Cefalu.

ATF spokesman Drew Wade confirmed that Cefalu “separated” from the agency on Tuesday, though Wade could not comment further.

“Because of privacy laws and internal policies, we can’t talk about personnel matters,” he said.

Townhall.com’s Katie Pavlich has reposted an article that Cefalu wrote for Townhall Magazine this February that explains the process by which he went about acting as a whistleblower, and that raises the specter of ATF corruption in detail. This paragraph in particular sums it up:

At no time in my career prior to becoming a complainant against my own agency—the agency I love and have been honored to serve— could I have ever been convinced I would be the poster boy for whistleblowers and challenges to corrupt government. As a young Marine military policeman, I was thrilled, proud and honored to be in law enforcement. I never considered it work.

Needless to say, this type of action is likely to receive scrutiny from other branches of government, with the most likely source of that scrutiny being House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, who is notable for being especially tenacious in his pursuit of wrongdoing in the Fast and Furious case.

(H/T: Townhall)

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Comments (64)

nzkiwi
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 5:01pm
The messenger, it seems, has been shot.

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- damon_k
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 7:04pm
  So the people responsible for hundreds of deaths due to Fast and Furios keep their jobs and someone with honor and courage loses theirs. Read political commentary at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com/
  
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- Armed Patriot
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 8:19pm
  Obama and Holder need to go to PRISON for TREASON.
  
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Larry E
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 2:20pm
ATF = American Geheimestatspolizei (Gestapo), aka, “jackbooted thugs”.

When “whistleblower protection” laws were put in place the Demorats were all for them, but that apparently only applies when it’s a Republican administration is having the whistle blown on them.

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ThoreauHD
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 1:26pm
Two traitors in suits.

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Rajabear1
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:41pm
Interesting. But somehow a teacher that deals drugs to a student or sexually harasses them gets to stay on the payroll forever.
Tell me again what our money we earn goes towards when it is taken from us for programs thas ‘supposedly’ protect us…
These people have lost their ever-lovin-minds if they think that the only person that should have lost their job over a program that killed hundreds and armed the real enemy of our country should be the one who spoke out on the death and corruption perpetrated by our government. Once again,”bend over America, WE will rule you all” says the communist progressives…

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helllsbellls
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:30pm
The whistle blower is usualy portrayed as the bad guy…….if not always. It takes guts to be one bc there is a price to pay for telling the truth. Hells Bells.

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- johnjamison
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:36pm
  There are laws put in place to protect whistle blowers how much you wanna bet much like Obamacare thus laws don’t apply to gov’t agencies.
  
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- Rob in Katy
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 1:12pm
  Trust me, the laws don’t work.. been there done that… also, don’t believe that they don’t review those 800-number hotlines at some companies.
  
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Bonnieblue2A
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:27pm
Chairman Issa’s report on Operation Fast & Furious:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/98674602/CREC-2012-06-28-pt1-PgH4177-2

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Wool-Free Vision
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:10pm
Attention Mytheos: “who over the intervening 12 years”

That should say seven years, not twelve. 2005 to 2012 = 7 years.

Just a heads-up.

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Grand design
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:08pm
The BATFE should be re organized or eliminated! Eliminate the EPA! Eliminate the Education Department! This is how the size of government is reduced!

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rockymtngal
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:05pm
If you talk, Obama will make sure you take a walk. (out the door) This administration has consistantly proven over and over again that corruption runs rampant under Obama. Americans had better wake up..or he’ll have HLS standing on your doorstep to escort you to the nearest FEMA camp.

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- Move2Texas
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:31pm
  Whistle blow during the first 4 years, you’re fired. Whistle blow the next for years with the current D.C. administration, you simply disappear.
  
  Report this comment
- Cavallo
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 1:22pm
  Make sure you don’t make any anti-Islam videos either.. they throw you in jail for that too.
  
  Report this comment
term limits for congress
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:58am
You really think the ATF (or any govt agency) is going to lose in a whistleblower/retaliation case? In a federal court??? No way.

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- MDECKER
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:21pm
  ATF will pay a substantial monetary price, once again, for their ineptness in dealing with personnel. As usual, the taxpayers will subsidize the penalty awarded.
  
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Carpy1
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:57am
Vince Cefalu will definitely win this one…don’t take a settlement Mr. Cefalu, expose these criminals for what they are!

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sparkyrules
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:56am
Its one thing to have political corruption in general.Its quite another to have it in LAW ENFORCEMENT.If we can’t trust these people to do the right thing we’re screwed.

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- snafued
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:03pm
  yep we’re screwed
  
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- Cavallo
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:39pm
  Like the NRA has said before. The ATF are jackbooted gestapo thugs. Everything they are sums up to that.
  
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:46am
The AT(F Troop) has been pretty much a rogue agency for at least a couple of decades. That really came to light in my opinion at Waco. If what I read back in the ’90s was correct three of the dead agents you’ve likely seen in news videos and photographs being rushed out of the initial assault on the compound, were shot in the back, and not by any weapons that David Koresh had.

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- johnjamison
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:59am
  ATF needs to be terminated as a law enforcemnt agency. ALCOHOL,TOBABCCO ,AND FIRE AMRS ARE ALL LEGAL SUBSTANCES . How many innocent people have been murder by this agency at waco,ruby ridge,serving warrants on civilians,and fast and furious.
  NOT ONE MEMBER HAS BEEN JAILED THUS FAR.
  
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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:13pm
  JOHNJAMISON, I’ve had a very few dealings with them back in my law enforcement days. I’ll just keep it at I was certainly anything but impressed. The first was while in the Army, and they were such bumbling dolts that the Army CID busted the case themselves. Then ATF stepped in and took it from them. Regardless how much they had called our gathered intelligence false.
  
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OneTermPresident
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:44am
Since Obama.. how many government departments and agencies have gone corrupt..? It’s scandal after scandal after scandal. I’ve had enough.. have you?

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The-Monk
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:41am
Looks like he ordered the Denny’s “Grand Slam” and his supervisors delivered another version.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:49am
  LOL, I know that it is not really funny, but that is just what I was thinking as I read the headline even before opening the story.
  
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- Dishevel
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:50am
  I am sorry but here is what I got out of this video.
  1) Do they make toy video cameras for children that bad?
  2) Why is a 3 year old filming this?
  and
  3) Has this 3 year old been checked for Parkinsons?
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:57am
  @Dishevel
  
  I think the video quality was bad from filming through a (possibly tinted) window and that she was extremely scared causing the shaky video. She was ready to bolt because she wouldn’t even turn the car off. Probably thought he and/or herself might be shot.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:03pm
  Hi RJJ,
  
  You nailed it! I posted that before reading the story.
  
  Report this comment
woodyee
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:36am
Rock -n- Roll. Heads will roll on this one. That’ll start soon after Nov.6, when the rats start to flee the ship in an effort to protect their pensions.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:48am
  As much as I hope that you right, do you wonder like me, just how many thousands of blanket pardons will be issued on “0′s” last day in office?
  
  Report this comment
- woodyee
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:13pm
  Yes, RJ, I worry about that constantly. Holder can’t be helped, though, and neither can Cefalu’s employers.
  
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- Wool-Free Vision
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:32pm
  I am hoping that that is the reason there have been no indictments thus far. I hope Issa is just waiting for Obama to be OUT before he starts bringing justice to bear on these people, so that they can’t be saved by the executive get-out-of-jail-free card.
  
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OneTermPresident
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:34am
Under Obama if you don’t lie… your done.

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- chips1
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:54pm
  Obama is just keeping up the corruption. This started in the late 70′s and early 80′s. Honesty went out the window and most agencies are top heave with dishonest leaders and supervisors. This includes the courts that will hear the cases. Being liked is better that being right. Special consideration based on race, gender, and moral beliefs are gone.
  
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AJAYW
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:32am
obama’s administration at its best.

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FaithfulFriend
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:29am
So Special Agent Cefalu had someone doing surveillance on himself at all times? It sure seems that way. Very, very smart on his part being that he knows exactly who he’s dealing with.

So after doing all this, why sign papers in a parking lot? Because they asked you to? I don’t think so.

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- Fubared
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:51am
  He was prolly just initialing that he received papers. Many peeps in that line of work employ counter surveillance after “issues” arise. Cya at its finest. He prolly has audio of meeting too. Dude is in a bad scenario all around. He stood up and said this is wrong; the zealots want to utilize an ice pick and claim street crime. He has a daily routine of checking brake lines and electronic sweeps. Fun people and place to find yourself in huh?
  
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sparkyrules
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:28am
Thank You Special Agent Vince Cefalu.Its people like you who deserve the title,American Patriot.Many Americans would stand behind you in a heartbeat!

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The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:26am
Looks like Cefalu chose the sight for the purpose of recording, knew he was going to get his termination papers, and had the gear he had to return to them already to go in the bag…I could not tell if the laptop was his and being returned, or theirs that they’d brought with them.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:41am
  I got the impression from that video that Cefelu had his wife or a friend in the agency video that particular meeting for a good reason. Obviously, not with agency equipment either, also for good reason.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:48am
  Hi RJJ,
  
  Yep, looked like a prearranged meeting. Sounds like he asked her to turn off her car and she said it might not start again. I sensed a bit of fear in the woman’s voice.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:53am
  Hi RJj,
  
  Also looks like the bag on his Jeep was his company laptop and other work items that he was asked to bring. It was already on the hood when the woman said they just parked. Then the agents took the bag and laptop.
  
  Report this comment
- The-Monk
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:58am
  Hey RJJ,
  
  Left you a funny one back on the “Eye” story. : )
  
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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:03pm
  Hi MONK, Got the same impression right away with the bag. Actually as he got into his Jeep. They must have already recovered any issued weaponry, which probably prompted Cefalu to have this meeting videoed. He knew what was coming.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:09pm
  Hi RJJ,
  
  Yep, and hence the “meeting” in a public place. Lots of witnesses……
  
  I wonder where the agents “first” pick for the meeting was? Somewhere in the desert???
  
  Report this comment
- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:27pm
  Hi MONK, just went back to the eye story and saw that. You and EASTINFECTION did some funny emoticons with that suggestion.
  
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- The-Monk
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:39pm
  Hi RJJ,
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SwNXQMoNps
  
  Report this comment
- Eastinfection
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 1:59pm
  After i read the headline i thought of this scene:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1HqjBc6LhA
  
  Report this comment
ByrdDogX
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:26am
Blow My Whistle – what an appropriate song!

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SamIamTwo
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:26am
Oh he will def win this case…

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ijava44
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:23am
It’s official our government is now the tyrant the people have been fighting for 236 years.

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- Ilikepeople
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:29am
  It doesn’t matter, because the faster they take your guns away the faster the Lord God will raise up China against the U.S.
  
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- Ilikepeople
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:31am
  Or even if they don’t take away your guns, all they have to do is take away your earth (your minds), and God will raise up China against the U.S.
  
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- Fubared
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:10pm
  Ilikepeeps-
  You are sounding mo and mo like its just tim or waters peeps. People suck. Have a nice day, I “sold” my arsenal yesterday if that makes you nap better.
  
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- Wool-Free Vision
  Posted on October 12, 2012 at 12:56pm
  Hahaha Fubared, I made the same connection in another thread just awhile ago. WaterRilikepeople.
  
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MaximumBobby
Posted on October 12, 2012 at 11:21am
They must’ve seen Jerry MaGuire.
And sports agents don’t carry guns.

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