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New Fast and Furious Report Blasts ‘Management Failures’ of Senior DOJ Officials

Oct. 29, 2012 4:34pm Jason Howerton

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

A new report released by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) details the U.S. Department of Justice’s management failures in the failed federal gun-walking operation known as “Fast and Furious. The latest report is the second installment in a series of three reports on the fatally flawed program. The final report is expected to be released in a matter of weeks.

The newest report places blame on five senior Justice Department officials for failing to identify “red flags” indicating the significantly flawed tactics during Fast and Furious, including Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer, Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary Grindler, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jason Weinstein, Deputy Chief of Staff Monty Wilkinson and Associate Deputy Attorney General Ed Siskel.

The report details internal DOJ emails that indicate Wilkinson discussed Holder participating in a press conference announcing the “take-down” of Operation Fast and Furious prior to the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, who was killed on Dec. 15, 2010. The following email was sent from Dennis Burke, the former United States Attorney for the District of Arizona, just 12 hours before Terry was gunned down and discussed having Holder “coming out” for a press conference on Fast and Furious. Burke resigned in 2011 as the scandal spun out of control.

(Photo source: Townhall)

An attorney for Burke previously confirmed to congressional investigators that Burke was “in contact with Wilkinson about Holder’s participation in the Fast and Furious press conference and suggested it was Holder’s office that requested coming out for the press conference in the first place,” Townhall reports.

The following are quotes from the previous hearing, according to the Oversight Committee’s new report:

Q. Okay. So this email is specifically in regard to the Attorney General coming out to join you for the take-down of Fast and Furious?
A. Correct.

However, once the Justice Department was made aware of Terry’s murder and its relation to Operation Fast and Furious, it was recommended that Holder not participate in the press conference:

(Photo source: Townhall)

When Wilkinson, who was clearly a recipient of the emails, was grilled by congressional investigators about the correspondence, he said he didn’t have “any recollection of having any such conversation with Mr. Burke”:

Q. So do you recall having any conversations with Mr. Burke at any time about why he did not believe that it was a good idea for the Attorney General to announce the investigation?
A. I . . . do not have any recollection of having any such conversation with Mr. Burke.

Q. So other than the email where he says he doesn’t think it is a good idea, you never had any indication from any source as to why he thought it wasn’t a good idea?

A. I don’t have any recollection of having any conversation with him. The problems with the investigation came to light I guess in late January 2011, and that is when I became aware of the tactics that were used.

Q. Right. I understand you don’t recall any specific conversations with him. I asked you a slightly different question and my second question was slightly different. I asked if you had any idea or any indication from any source as to why Mr. Burke communicated to you his view that he didn’t think the Attorney General should announce the investigation?
A. Not that I recall, no.

Q. Did Mr. Burke ever indicate to you that the reason that he rescinded his request for the Attorney General to come out and visit the District of Arizona was in any way related to the murder of Agent Brian Terry?
A. Again I don’t recall having any conversations or communications with Mr. Burke about this.

Holder maintains that he was not informed about Fast and Furious before Jan. 31, 2011 or the controversial gun-walking tactic. The Department of Justice Inspector General’s report did not find any information to suggest otherwise.

“The report discloses widespread management failures within the hierarchy of the Justice Department,” Issa said in a statement. “The Justice Department has yet to evaluate these management issues and implement structural changes to prevent another disaster like Operation Fast and Furious from occurring. Furthermore, the Justice Department has taken limited action against these negligent managers.”

The report asserts that both Wilkinson and Gary Grindler were informed about the connection between Operation Fast and Furious and U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry’s murder. However, no additional action, however, to properly supervise the operation was taken.

“Officials in the Justice Department saw any number of warnings and some even had the gunwalking information right in front of them, yet nothing was done to stop it,” Grassley said in his own statement. “Countless people may be murdered with these weapons, yet the Attorney General appears to be letting his employees slide by with little to no accountability. The Attorney General needs to make changes to ensure that department leadership provides oversight of the agencies they are tasked with supervising, instead of pointing fingers at somebody else.”

Featured image via Getty Images.

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Comments (36)

LibsFIB
Posted on October 30, 2012 at 10:54am
Why is this “man” not behind bars yet?

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- G-WHIZ
  Posted on October 30, 2012 at 11:04am
  E.Witholder…just another buttkisser…VOTING PRESENT!!
  
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Baja
Posted on October 30, 2012 at 9:28am
I say on November 7th, pull all their passports until the investigations are complete.

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VotersOfNY
Posted on October 30, 2012 at 9:25am
Holder needs to be in jail along with his pal, Obozo for killing Americans.

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jamestoms
Posted on October 30, 2012 at 6:44am
Dosen’t matter at what social level they are Project animals or SS legal beagals they all murder, and O is associated withem. When Romney wins we will go after Holder and his associates in the justice and ATF departments, tratorist bast…s

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PaulreveresDarknight
Posted on October 30, 2012 at 4:33am
Read this. Our heavenly father sees all. History proves He already has. His unseen warriors are the winning team. And is that is that. ;)

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Derus
Posted on October 30, 2012 at 12:16am
OBAMA: TREASON OR IMPEACHMENT? Clinton? Biden? Panetta? Jail Time for all?

1. Why was USA Ambassador in Benghazi without adequate protection?

2. What was he discussing with Turkey Consulate counterpart shortly before his death?

3. Why could the Turkish representative leave safely, and Chris Stevens was gunned down?

4. 400 tons of military weapons/?humanitarian aid including USA stinger missiles sent by Muslim Brotherhood/Al Qaeda ship from Benghazi to the Al Qaeda “Syrian freedom fighters” within the same time period.

5. Why no ground or air support for our Libyan Ambassador before or during the events of 9/11/2012?

6. Did Obama have Chris Stevens/Navy Seals die rather than get Chris Stevens out alive and reveal the truth of his GUN RUNNING activities for the Muslim Brotherhood and Al Qaeda in Libya and Syria?

7. Dead persons can no longer speak? Was that an Obama consideration when he let the 4 die.

8. IMPEACHABLE or TREASONOUS COLLUSION with Al Qaeda?

9. Darrell Issa 166 pages and the lies of Obama, Hilliary, Panetta, Biden should be all you need to skewer these guys?

10. The Republic is in mortal danger. And Fox “trembles”?

11. Gentlemen, if you fear speaking the truth: known facts from Darrell Issa’s 166 pages yourselves, find someone who does have the “balls to speak the truth”.

Obama: Treason or Impeachment? Biden? Clinton? Panetta? Petraeus? More?

Too late Bill, Hilliary is going down! Jail time.

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- jamestoms
  Posted on October 30, 2012 at 6:46am
  We support you on this!! Keep spreading the word, I will too!!
  
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HappyConservative
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 10:04pm
Barry and all his lackeys just SUCK! This is the worst president in our history. He hates the foundation America stands on. Oh heck, he hates America, I’ll just say it -and so does the wifey LOL.. Arming our enemies with guns in fast and furious – and now Libya? Muslim Brotherhood? Barry is totally busted but is hoping he can put off the investigation until after the election. We have a lying crook for a prez. And the left just LOVES him cuz he’s young and (half)black and “hip”. God help us all.

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- E.Souchak
  Posted on October 29, 2012 at 10:40pm
  Look to Chicago for the answers. It all leads back to Chicago.
  
  U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald named as source of leak.
  
  http://illinoispaytoplay.com/2012/09/14/u-s-attorney-patrick-fitzgerald-named-as-source-of-leak/
  
  Report this comment
- donkeykong
  Posted on October 31, 2012 at 3:23am
  OOoohhh – and it ain’t just Barry – check this out….
  
  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/a-detailed-look-at-obamas-radical-college-past-and-were-not-talking-about-barack/
  
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calmandcents
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 9:50pm
If comrade Holder does NOT go to jail for this, I will be more deeply saddened by the state of America than his original crimes. We’ve had it with purposeless pardons and amnesties for the proliteriate. It is time for some hard and true accountability — especially as concerns the highest law enforcement official in the land showing that he is no better than an everyday Chicago thug!

Holder needs to be water-boarded until he spills his guts — for a start!

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dmerwin
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 9:28pm
“New Fast and Furious Report Blasts ‘Management Failures’ of Senior DOJ Officials”
No ****.

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milkah
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 9:02pm
If anyone on here knows anyone in Penn,Oh,or Wi, make sure they are aware of Fast and Furious and the disgrace in Libya, if they only tune to the MSM they are clueless

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SITDOWNANDSHUTUP
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 7:29pm
Yawn………….wake me up when this case has the attention of the MSM and congress has the ballz to do something about it.

Wait……on second thought, that could take for-never.

If anyone thinks that Holder is going to get anything more than a slap on the wrist, you are dreaming. No one will pursue F & F and the general public is too stupid to know any better. Your congressman won’t do anything either. The MSM won’t because why????? correctamundo, it would make BS/BO look bad. They would never make their messiah look bad. So, F&F will die and no one will serve time or receive anything more than that slap (heck, I’d even say that the “slap” is pushing it)

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- phillycornerboy
  Posted on October 29, 2012 at 8:15pm
  the cure for these crimes is relatively simple. to paraphrase your page name…stand up and shout. we are all blessed with modern forms of communication, telephones, computer e-mails, etc. i suggest you use them vigorously. contact any and every government official and every media source you can access and DEMAND ACTION on the issues that concern you. with good reason the Founding Fathers wisely put “free speech” as the 1st amendent. Gods’ speed.
  
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- Stoic one
  Posted on October 29, 2012 at 8:16pm
  If Bathhouse Barry loses in a landslide, the jackals will crucify him post election; and his minions.
  
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pwatkins
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 6:44pm
Crime Inc….everyone should have listened to Glenn Beck when he pointed this out which was long before lives were lost.

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blackfeather
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 6:32pm
…failure…is the absolute correct word…holder, and the rest of them….FAILURES.

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Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 6:09pm
Holder, Obama and his entire admin belong in jail.

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JohnQTaxpayer
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 5:59pm
Holder belongs in prison with Biden, both in chains

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HKS
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 5:51pm
The fact that Holder is still walking around a free man is an insult to the American justice system. The right thing needs to be done here with this public enemy number 1 and he is not the only one.

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Voter713
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 5:43pm
Holder knew about it – how could he have not? It was 7 days! from the first email to the second. Of course he knew…deny deny deny. He would rather see someone else in his spot be fired or sitting in a cell. Doesnt matter..God always has the last word.

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- revron
  Posted on October 29, 2012 at 7:54pm
  Holder didn’t know about Fast and Furious just as Obama didn’t know about Lybia. See a pattern here?
  
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Larry E
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 5:11pm
Learning that Fast and Furious was widely known of and could have been stopped is hardly a surprise. Obama and Holder both want privately owned firearms (in this country anyway) to be outlawed, which is hardly a surprise given what they’ve said and done in the past. Crooks from top to bottom.

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PIGSWILLNEVERFLY
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 4:58pm
Any news on the White House staff person that was known to correspond with e-mails to DOJ has since been sent to Iraq so he could not testify? Will he ever show up alive to testify?

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republic2011
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 4:56pm
Yet, the Justice department, being run by a criminal, does nothing. The White House, being run by a criminal does nothing. The Nazi’s ran their shop like this. Stalin ran his shop like this. Castro runs his shop like this. Chavez runs his shop like this. Get the picture?

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- Voter713
  Posted on October 29, 2012 at 5:46pm
  I cant wait til romney comes in and shake some things up! Crooked people and those offiliated with them hired to run the country will piss themselves when he goes on a firing spree.
  
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goahead.makemyday
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 4:56pm
In the military the platoon leader in responsible for the actions of his platoon, the same is supposed to apply for any leadership position. If something happens beneath a person they are either complicit in it or guilty of gross negligence. Aren’t either good reasons to fire Holder?

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MN NICE
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 4:55pm
Geez, Wilkinson has a memory as long as his di ck

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- Female
  Posted on October 29, 2012 at 6:32pm
  No, he is just quoting the partners in his life about any association w/ that part of his body.
  
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DEFCON4
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 4:52pm
It’s truly sad, that BPA Brian Terry lost his life in this fiasco.
However, it’s also quite sad that the majority of Americans think that
“Fast and Furious” is another Vin Diesel movie….

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bckeegan
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 4:51pm
Why can’t the truth be told? Oh yeah because Obama’s **** buddy would get fired and he would look really bad right before the election. Does anyone even care outside of the people on this site?

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AfghanVetUSA
Posted on October 29, 2012 at 4:45pm
Obama admin corrupt to the core!

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- chips1
  Posted on October 29, 2012 at 5:07pm
  Corrupt to the CORPSE.
  
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