US

‘An Outstanding Lack of Understanding’: Mexico Launching Probe into Fast and Furious

Mexico Will Conduct Investigation Into Fast and Furious After Being Left in the Dark by ATF

Mexican Ambassador to the U.S., Arturo Sarukhan. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

During a forum Thursday on Capitol Hill, the Mexican Ambassador to the United States announced his country was conducting its own investigation into the disastrous federal gun-walking operation known as Fast and Furious, The Los Angeles Times reports.

Arturo Sarukhan said Mexican officials were kept out of the loop during the program, which saw around 2,000 U.S. purchased firearms walked across the border only to fall into the hands of drug cartels. The guns are believed to have been used in the killings of hundreds of people in Mexico, including U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian Terry.

“Mexico was never apprised how the operation would be designed and implemented,” Sarukhan told officials at the forum hosted by the New Democrat Network (NDN) and the New Policy Institute.

“Regardless of whether this was or was not the intent or the design of Fast and Furious,” he continued, “The thinking that you can let guns walk across the border and maintain operational control of those weapons is really an outstanding lack of understanding of how these criminal organizations are operating on both sides of our common borders.”

The Mexican ambassador also said the gun walking program has “poisoned the wellsprings” of public opinion in Mexico, undermining the accomplishments of the U.S. and Mexico in fighting illegal gun trafficking.

The Los Angeles Times has more from the Capitol Hill forum:

While condemning the ATF’s gun-walking debacle, Sarukhan also tried to turn the focus to how the United States and Mexico could work together to prevent transnational gun trafficking. For Mexico, that would mean adding manpower and resources into its customs inspections and facilities at the border, he said.

“This has to be a dual process,” Sarukhan said. “We won’t achieve too much if the only ones inspecting or looking for guns are Mexican customs.”

In March, Rep.Adam B. Schiff(D-Burbank) introduced legislation that would create two-year prison sentences for “straw purchasers,” who acquire weapons to sell to Mexican gun smugglers. Currently, straw purchasers face probation or minimal jail time.

Yet he worries that Republicans may oppose the legislation in order to keep the focus on the Fast and Furious debacle.

The Justice Department‘s inspector general is doing an investigation, and members on both sides of the aisle agree that we need to get the facts,” Schiff said. “What I don’t want is the continual use of this investigation for political purposes that distract us from the need to curb the problem at hand and focus on solutions.”

Operation Fast and Furious was run by the Phoenix office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and let illegal guns purchased in Arizona cross the Mexican border with the intention of tracking the guns back to drug cartel leaders. But nearly 1,700 guns were lost and weren’t found until they started showing up at crime scenes throughout Mexico.

An ATF study revealed that 68,000 of 99,000 guns confiscated by law enforcement agencies in Mexico could be traced to the U.S, according to the LA Times.

Mexico Will Conduct Investigation Into Fast and Furious After Being Left in the Dark by ATF

Attorney General Eric Holder prior to testifying before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing entitled, "Fast & Furious: Management Failures at the Department of Justice". (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has been routinely criticized for his handling of Fast and Furious and for providing conflicting statements concerning when he was first made aware of the operation.

In another development, ATF documents obtained by CBS News in December revealed the agency had also discussed using Fast and Furious to make the case for new rules about gun sales in the United States. Read more from the report:

ATF officials didn’t intend to publicly disclose their own role in letting Mexican cartels obtain the weapons, but emails show they discussed using the sales, including sales encouraged by ATF, to justify a new gun regulation called “Demand Letter 3”. That would require some U.S. gun shops to report the sale of multiple rifles or “long guns.” Demand Letter 3 was so named because it would be the third ATF program demanding gun dealers report tracing information.

On July 14, 2010 after ATF headquarters in Washington D.C. received an update on Fast and Furious, ATF Field Ops Assistant Director Mark Chait emailed Bill Newell, ATF’s Phoenix Special Agent in Charge of Fast and Furious:

“Bill – can you see if these guns were all purchased from the same (licensed gun dealer) and at one time. We are looking at anecdotal cases to support a demand letter on long gun multiple sales. Thanks.”

The Obama administration has attempted to distance itself from the Fast and Furious scandal and is likely the last thing they want brought up during an election year.

Meanwhile, House Speaker John Boehner and GOP leadership are presently applying additional pressure to Holder and the Justice Department in trying to enforce a congressional subpoena of documents relating to the operation.

“We write to express our concerns with the lack of full cooperation from the Department of Justice with the ongoing Congressional investigation into the operation known as ‘Fast & Furious’ and the related death of Border Agent Brian Terry,” House leaders wrote to Holder.

Comments (52)

1 2
  • williamak
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 4:11pm

    sue holder…

    Report Post »  
    • Bill Rowland
      Posted on June 1, 2012 at 5:48pm

      Almost all of the 68,000 guns from the US were given to the Mexican military and police. They were stolen from the Mexican Government or sold by corrupt officials. There is no way that many firearms were sold by gun dealers along the border.
      I hope the Mexicans can extradite Epic Holdup, try him and let him spend 20 years in a Mexican prison. That would be justice.

      OMG 2012

      Report Post »  
  • Cjinx79
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 3:46pm

    This man’s comments are offensive. It’s not the weapons, stupid, it’s the BORDER!. How about you police your own border and keep your wretched refuse from walking across the border and leeching off of our country? How about that?

    Report Post »  
  • ContinentalArmy
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 3:45pm

    This Govt. and the Mexican Govt. both need to put Obama and Holder both Under a Microscope!! Maybe they will find whats squirming under there!! These two slimbags need removed from Society permanently!! Obama knows damn well, that as long as American Citizen’s own Guns that he cannot take over America as our ( Hitler In Charge ).!!!! Der Obama!! Like hell, Obama!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • red-beard
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 3:40pm

    Why does The Blaze continue to perpetuate the erroneous gun numbers given out by the BATFE and the Justice department? The NRA debunked those numbers years ago. What is not being told is that the vast majority of the firearms from the USA, we’re given from our government to the Mexican government. Mexican arsenals have had major thefts, including fully automatic assault rifles.

    The Truth has no agenda, but the BATFE and the US DOJ do! Please review what they hand out, and more so if the information is second hand.

    Report Post »  
  • teebubba
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 3:00pm

    How can the Justice Department adequately investigate “Fast and Furious” when its own incompetent political leadership created it to manufacture anti gun evidence?

    Report Post » teebubba  
  • discus02
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 2:42pm

    Mexicans Holder and Obama are not your friends. They are MURDERERS! Hang Them High!

    Report Post »  
    • Bum thrower
      Posted on June 1, 2012 at 3:29pm

      I agree!! but first, Americans have to give up their Second Amendment rights to show their heart is in the right place and work for ‘social justice’…..

      Report Post »  
  • MCDAVE
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 2:36pm

    We should let them extradite Holder to Mexico for prosecution since we no longer have justice here…read more about who protects holder here http://theulstermanreport.com/2012/05/30/white-house-insider-obama-in-serious-trouble-and-that-makes-him-very-dangerous/

    Report Post »  
  • EqualJustice
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 2:36pm

    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/05/pri-office-los-angeles-mexico.html Now they can BOTH countries, I guess.

    Report Post » EqualJustice  
  • Mullet Man
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 2:23pm

    The continuing Democrat War on Hispanics.

    With the possibility of four more years of Obama it reminds me of the words of one of the greatest musicians of all time, Mickey Newbury, “The Future Ain’t What it Used to Be.”

    Report Post »  
  • Baja
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 1:47pm

    If cocaine were included in the cosumer price index, maybe Obama would take notice.. But being the cocaine user he was, and considering the number of his friends and associates that still use, and considering he likely doesn’t even know what the CPI is, and his apparent desire to destroy the economy to make room for his Marxist utopia, I doubt he cares about anything other than reelection.

    Report Post » Baja  
  • EqualJustice
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 1:24pm

    Just another way for Mexico to continue to BLACKMAIL the USA and Obama. What’s the worst that could happen.. Obama gives those states that Farrakhan said they LOST to us? God help us. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/farrakhan-laments-sad-that-mexico-lost-california-arizona-colorado-new-mexico-through-american-trickery-soon-whites-will-be-the-minority-in-the-country-they-took/

    Report Post » EqualJustice  
  • moreteaplease
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:58pm

    Oh this sounds like it could get interesting.

    I wonder if Obama is squirming? Wouldn’t it be funny if this whole thing wound up with Obama and Holder pointing fingers at each other?

    Report Post » moreteaplease  
  • Baja
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:42pm

    Someone has to launch a probe. The Mexicans will surely do a better job than we’ve done. “Hold your Own” Holder, like the adminstration, has proven to be less then inept.

    Report Post » Baja  
  • Ghandi was a Republican
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:35pm

    Soros: “I managed the rope line sending my fellow Jews to the ovens, and it made me feel like God”

    Report Post » Ghandi was a Republican  
  • copatriots
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:35pm

    Um, yeah, after all the killings of their citizens, now, now Mexico is going to conduct an investigation. A little late to the party, ya think? And……what an incredibly strange day when I’m encouraged that any foreign country is conducting an investigation to this a U.S. administration. Strange times, indeed.

    Report Post »  
  • turkey13
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:29pm

    With Romney’s connections in Mexico the first thing he shoud do is cancell Obamas Pardon list! Give Holder and the head of ATF over to their authorities. If Obama can do all these executive orders I don‘t see why Mitt can’t also! If he does select Rubio as Vice President he let him handel it with his Spanish skills. This is why Holder is attacking Florida right now on this trumped up so called taking non-citizens and dead people off the voteing rolls. we need a head of DOJ that will have a blind eye to color or race like we did before Holder was selected to be the head.

    Report Post »  
    • CatB
      Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:38pm

      Yes .. they know how important Florida is with or without Rubio .. Rubio will still campaign for Romney .. and they need the dead and illegals on the ballot .. says a lot about Democrat voters. Florida should tell them to go to he!!.. our voter rolls are OUR VOTER ROLLS.

      Report Post »  
  • kevymac
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:29pm

    Hasta la vista Holder.

    Report Post » kevymac  
  • Jumper
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:23pm

    Well, I guess it should be encouraging that the failed State that is our southern neighbor is doing an investigation, except that the failed State that is our southern neighbor is doing it. I don’t have any confidence in the law enforcement in Mexico at all. They have historically been so corrupt they make a dog’s hind leg look straight.

    Report Post »  
    • Mtroom
      Posted on June 1, 2012 at 1:10pm

      The thing that really should scare people, is that Mexico is sending more troops to their border.. They will be out manned, out gunned, and won‘t even know who their enemy’s are.. That Hope they keep talking about, well I hope DHLS is listening to this guy.. IMHO.. Things are gonna get even more ugly over there.. Good job A.T.F. … Seems to me, you just kicked off the real drug war. .. Can’t blame Bush for this one.. Sure Hope I’m wrong, but I will be dusting off my rifles, just in case Napolitono isn’t listening.

      Report Post » Mtroom  
    • Dismayed Veteran
      Posted on June 1, 2012 at 2:29pm

      We violated Mexico’s sovereignty by intentionally enabling combat grade weapons to enter Mexico without notifying Mexico. These weapons were used to kill Mexican citizens, many of whom were not part of the drug trade. I bet the Mexican government considers this an act of war. If they weren’t a failed nation state, we could be in another conflict.

      Report Post » Dismayed Veteran  
    • Mtroom
      Posted on June 1, 2012 at 3:29pm

      Exactly @Dismayed… And I live with my family down here.

      Report Post » Mtroom  
  • randy
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:17pm

    Operation Fast and Furious was run by the Phoenix office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    BS!

    Operation Fast and Furious was run by Obama and Holder!

    Report Post » randy  
    • AJAYW
      Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:47pm

      Randy – you are correct and both should be jailed in Mexico.

      Report Post »  
  • TIME_2_END_THE_GOP_IN_12
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:16pm

    What’s is the Republican Party doing about this? I know what there doing passing bills taking away our freedom and liberties, growing the debt, worrying about gays, haircuts, how many wives you have, putting young girls in jail for not attending school, how big a drink is and what went up someone’s nose 25 years ago. Yes all of that is being done by republicans. Don’t worry the Mexicans will handle it. Wasn’t Romney’s dad born there? Maybe Mitt stills has some connections.

    Here is some of the bills passed by Republicans stripping the American people of their freedom.
    National Defense Authorization Act
    Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act
    Federal Aviation Administration Act
    Increasing the Debt Ceiling
    Unbalanced Budgets
    Department of Homeland Security
    Patriot Act
    TSA

    Here are small sample of people doing this.
    Allen West
    Bachmann
    Marco Rubio
    Mike Rogers,
    Eric Cantor
    Paul Ryan

    —————Look up your hero’s voting record——————–

    Mayor Michael Bloomberg ( R ) how big your drink can be boy.

    Justice of the Peace Lanny Moriarty ( R ) Puts young girls in jail for working to hard.

    And Romney is going to be the nominee? Good Luck!!

    Report Post » TIME_2_END_THE_GOP_IN_12  
    • hi
      Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:36pm

      Libs force their will on others and make them pay for it. They think people are incompetent and cannot take care of themselves. Libs want to lord over people.

      Conservatives are for personal responsibility and freedom from oppressive big government.

      Report Post » hi  
    • Andrew72
      Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:43pm

      That is the reason why I am voting for Ron Paul.
      All Democrats and 80% of the Republicans,including Romney and Obama voted for these bills.

      National Defense Authorization Act
      Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act
      Federal Aviation Administration Act
      Increasing the Debt Ceiling
      Unbalanced Budgets
      Department of Homeland Security
      Patriot Act
      TSA

      Ron Paul is the only one that believes in the Constitution!

      “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”
      Abraham Lincoln

      Report Post »  
  • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:16pm

    NO immunity for Holder. Send him to Mexico for his crimes!

    Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • jakartaman
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:02pm

    GOOD!
    Our criminal bozo – Holder should be in jail!

    Report Post »  
    • Desert Dog
      Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:17pm

      A Mexican jail, preferably!

      Report Post » Desert Dog  
    • CatB
      Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:40pm

      I would gladly had him over … how loud do you think he would sing .. if he were headed to a Mexican jail .. why we could get the others at the TOP. (wink wink)

      Report Post »  
    • Inlandmar2
      Posted on June 3, 2012 at 12:53am

      Eric Holder may have immunity now working for Obama, BUT when Obama is thrown out of office in November. Holder will have no place to hide come January 2013

      Report Post » Inlandmar2  
  • Mandors
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 12:00pm

    Oh, this promises to be rich.

    Viva Mexico!

    Report Post » Mandors  
  • Apple Bite
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 11:58am

    Ah, yeah. Ummmm, Eric, make sure you get on that for B.O.

    Report Post » Apple Bite  
  • honor007
    Posted on June 1, 2012 at 11:55am

    buckle up, Holder~

    Report Post » honor007  
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