Government

Fast and Furious IG Report Blasts ATF Phoenix Officials, Who Claim Higher-Ups Approved Operation

Fast and Furious Inspector General Report Blasts ATF Phoenix Officials

In this Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011 picture, Bill Newell, special agent in charge of ATF Phoenix, speaks behind a cache of seized weapons in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)

The Inspector General (IG) draft report on “Operation Fast and Furious” places most of the blame for the failed program on the Phoenix-based Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), sources familiar with the document told CBS News. However, Phoenix ATF staffers also argue they had approval from high-level officials.

The IG report is the result of a year and half internal investigation into the failed federal gunrunning operation. The report looks at Fast and Furious, initiated under the Obama administration, and the George W. Bush-era gun-tracing operation known as “Wide Receiver.” While the aim of both operations was to allegedly track the guns and dismantle large Mexican drug cartels, both ended up losing track of the weapons and allowed them to “walk” into the hands of the ruthless cartels.

The IG’s report is expected to be released to the public in a matter of weeks.

Sources familiar with the contents told CBS News that ATF officials in Phoenix deserve most of the blame, including then-Special Agent in charge Bill Newell, the lead case agent for Fast and Furious agent Hope MacAllister and group supervisor David Voth.

This is where it gets interesting. ATF officials in Phoenix are claiming that their superiors at ATF headquarters and the U.S. Department of Justice approved of the operation, something that Attorney General Eric Holder and his department have denied.

CBS News has the exclusive on the story:

Since the controversy was first exposed, a divide has developed between the ATF staff in Phoenix who oversaw and implemented Fast and Furious; and their supervisors at ATF headquarters and the Justice Department. The Phoenix officials say higher-ups approved of the case. But the higher-ups say it was all the brainchild of rogue ATF officials in Phoenix.

Phoenix ATF officials tell CBS News that higher-level officials were integral in shifting focus away from arresting ground level gun buyers, to “a cartel focused strategy” that allowed guns hit the streets in an attempt to make a bigger case. They say the idea was codified in the September 2010 ATF document “Project Gunrunner-A Cartel Focused Strategy.“ The document refers to using the tactic of ”limited or delayed interdiction” of guns, while cautioning that such investigations “must be closely monitored.”

When that document was published, Fast and Furious was already ten months old, and hundreds of weapons had fallen into the hands of traffickers for Mexican drug cartels with no arrests. Fast and Furious weapons were turning up at crime scenes across Mexico. Two would later be found at the murder scene of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry.

As alleged proof that they had the blessing of their superiors, ATF officials in Phoenix point to regular briefings provided headquarters and the Justice Department’s National Drug Intelligence Center. Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had agents working the case. The Justice Department also approved seven wiretaps in Fast and Furious. However, then-head of ATF Kenneth Melson and officials at the Justice Department say they never intended for agents to allow guns to walk, and didn’t know it was happening. They also say they either didn’t read written briefings submitted about the case, or that the briefings and affidavits didn’t reveal the controversial strategy being used. Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano, who oversees ICE, also says she knew nothing of the case.

The draft IG report was provided to the Justice Department last Tuesday. As a matter of procedure, those who are criticized are offered the chance to view excerpts of IG reports and submit comments before the final report is released to the public.

Additionally, documents show that the head of the DOJ’s criminal division, Lanny Breuer, was aware that ATF had allowed guns to walk — while the Justice Department was denying that was the case. After the inconsistency was made public, Breuer then issued a statement apologizing for not alerting DOJ leadership sooner. Breuer was also one of the ones to approve Fast and Furious wiretap applications.

“Also sharing blame in the IG report are then-US Attorney Dennis Burke and his lead deputy on Fast and Furious, Emory Hurley and Melson. Melson and Burke resigned a year ago and Hurley was reassigned,” CBS News reports.

Further, ATF’s Newell corresponded with then-White House National Security Staffer Kevin O’Reilly about Fast and Furious, internal emails reveal. But the Obama administration has refused to allow O’Reilly to be interviewed by Congressional investigators, arguing he didn’t know about “any of the inappropriate investigative tactics at issue… let alone any decision to allow guns to ‘walk.’”

Fast and Furious Inspector General Report Blasts ATF Phoenix Officials

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

It took Holder’s Justice Department almost a year to retract a false statement to Congressional investigators that there had been no gun-walking, documents show. And then when the House Oversight Committee subpoenaed internal documents regarding the denial and retraction, Holder refused to provide them and was ultimately saved by President Obama who invoked executive privilege over the Fast and Furious documents.

As a result, the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of holding Holder in criminal and civil contempt of Congress on June 28. The House Oversight Committee has since filed a civil lawsuit in federal court asking a judge to enforce the Congressional subpoena.

Comments (49)

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  • jmgair
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:03am

    A “Rogue ATF Agent” ??? YA RIGHT !! Is there anything that this administration will not blame on someone else ?

    Report Post »  
  • ContinentalArmy
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:50am

    I’m beginning to think the Blaze has joined the Ranks of the Lame Stream Media!

    Report Post »  
  • Detroit paperboy
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:49am

    It was conceived by Barack Obama , Hillary Clinton and Eric Holder…………..just watch.

    Report Post »  
  • ContinentalArmy
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:47am

    This whole Admin. doesn’t know the meaning of Up Holding the Law, hell they don’t even Up Hold The Constitution! The Border Should Have Been Closed Down 3 1/2 Yrs. Ago! All Are Not Responsible For Their Own Actions! They Blame Bush Instead! This Admin. Needs To Learn Their Limitations!! Crooks Gone Too Far, for way too long! Prison For Life For All With No Presidential Pardon for Any!!!

    Report Post »  
  • desert buckeye
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:18am

    Wow! Obama throwing his cronies, from his criminal “enterprise,” under the busg…shocking! Makes getting in bed“ with Bill ”my fly is always open” Clinton actually sound pleasant. God.! These people are slimy.

    Report Post »  
    • docgreen
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:48am

      Once again point fingers at everyone else and deny, deny, deny everything! People are two year olds or what? That should tell you obama doesn’t think like an adult! Just like Blaming Bush, Romney, everyone else except the themselves!

      Report Post »  
  • needmoinfo
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 2:11am

    Passing the buck. Higher ups won’t take the blame. Krap flows downhill.

    Report Post »  
    • docgreen
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 3:05am

      Does obamanation of Desolation ever take the Blame? He reminds me of a two year old! “barack insane, did you steal that money? No mommy, it was the Monster in my closet! Thats ok barack I know you didn’t steal it. It must of been the Monster!” ALL he knows how to do is Lie! He’s just like his Father! The Father of all Lies, Satan!…..

      Report Post »  
    • PilgrimStuckInBizarroWorld
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 11:00am

      Love that name,“ obamanation of Desolation”!

      Report Post »  
  • woodyee
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:41am

    While the aim of both operations was to allegedly track the guns and dismantle large Mexican drug cartels, both ended up losing track of the weapons and allowed them to “walk” into the hands of the ruthless cartels…

    Gaybama trying to hide behind Bushy’s skirt again. There were hundreds of arrest during “Wide Receiver”, and the number of firearms lost in the same operation is probably nil (where’s the evidence?) in comparison to the murderous mayhem caused by Gaybama and Holder’s operation, with an insignificant number of arrests. Heck, I tend to believe more Border Patrol Agents lost their jobs than did drug cartel members their freedom during fast and furious.

    The current investigation reveals that the Gaybama administration operated in support of the Sinaloa drug cartel, and their is evidence they gave safe passage to drug shipments going all the way up to Indiana and Illinois. Wide Reciever didn’t do that. Gaybama did.

    The ISSUE is Gaybama and Holder and high ATF mucky-mucks. Not the field troops and certainly not Bush. Stick to The ISSUE.

    Report Post » woodyee  
    • cranholt
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 6:57pm

      This is way to crazy I would think for even the most liberal to believe!! Common sense tells you Do NOT, and I repeat do NOT give guns to the bad guys that you are trying to catch! Unbelievable that anyone would think this was a good idea!! Yes, we need to say good by to Obama!! And, of course, no one in Washington remembers anything bout the emails from the gun shop owner saying he was uncomfortable with the volume going out of his store! I really feel for the family of the agent that lost his life. How can they ever be expected to believe anything from the government again, especially when Pelosi couldn’t even remember his name during a speech! SAD, SAD, SAD!!!!!!!

      Report Post »  
  • cookcountypatriot
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:33am

    progressives how dumb are they….even if az officials came up with that stupid plan….. doesnt it make sense that holder had to approve the plan before it was initiated…..the higher ups must approve…..so you see ….its still obama and holders fault….

    Report Post » cookcountypatriot  
  • GeoInSD
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:25am

    The idea that F&F was not known by the high ups is completely unbelievable to me, especially considering some of the facts that have already been established.

    If this IG report isn’t really convincing, that office needs to be cleaned out as well as the DOJ.

    Report Post »  
    • PilgrimStuckInBizarroWorld
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 10:56am

      Remember when Obummer first got elected he was asked what he was going to do about gun control . His quote was “I just want you to know that we are working on it,’ Barack Obama reportedly told Sarah Brady regarding gun control. ‘We have to go through a few processes, but under the radar.”

      Report Post »  
  • jdog777
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 1:05am

    To the ATF low level pee-ons…..
    YOU ARE GUILTY TOO!! Why? Because you violated your oath. If you want to save face…. start blowing that whistle.

    Report Post »  
  • DeOppressoLiber
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:42am

    To SIC Newell,Agent MacAllister, Supervisor Voth,

    Please remember your Oath of Office and do the right thing for the United States, the Constitution, the DOJ, the ATF, and the People who have given you their trust. This is a great essay on doing the right thing.

    “One day you will take a fork in the road, and you’re going to have to make a decision about which direction you want to go. If you go one way, you can be somebody. You will have to make your compromises and … turn your back on your friends, but you will be a member of the club, and you will get promoted and get good assignments. Or you can go the other way, and you can do something, something for your country and for your Air Force and for yourself. … You may not get promoted, and you may not get good assignments, and you certainly will not be a favorite of your superiors, but you won’t have to compromise yourself. … In life there is often a roll call. That’s when you have to make a decision: to be or to do.”

    Col John Boyd

    “If a man asks me for my loyalty…I will give him my honesty.
    If a man asks me for my honesty…I will give him my loyalty!”
    ― John Boyd

    The American people are asking for your Honesty.

    Report Post »  
  • DeOppressoLiber
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:24am

    The old Rogue Colonel scam, aka LTC North.

    So you are telling me an administration that took four times to make a decision to cross an international border to kill UBL, did not make that decision for F&F.

    They let some low level ATF agent put together an operation that crossed international borders (a border that has presidential political implications in the most powerful nation in the world).

    I call BS. They were trying to use Active Measures and Disinformation to Frame a Crisis of guns and the border to crack down on the 2nd Amendment.

    I would dig to get more information on SEC STATE too, to cook her chances at VP or 2016.

    Report Post »  
  • Gavinwcaf
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:11am

    The white house, and justice department did not give the e-mail’s to the ig ether. Did the IG’soffice forget how to investigate.

    Report Post » Gavinwcaf  
    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:41am

      Sure, they forgot right after the money was deposited in an off-shore account.
      Once again, Chicago-style politics shows it’s ugly head.
      I just hope the judge enforces the Congressional Subpoena, unless they got to him, too.
      Holder and Obama stink of this too much NOT to be guilty of something. Holder, in contempt of Congress, and Obama historically invoking Execuive privilege foe Holder, when Obama claims to have had nothing to do with it. Smells like a skunk left in the hot road for four days.

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • seniorveteran
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:05am

    Mr. Howerton, who wrote this article, forgot to mention that with operation “Wide Receiver” they actually put tracking devices on the guns and worked with the Mexican Feds to apprehend the gun runners when they crossed the border. The Mexicans had a mole and told the gun runners how to disable the tracking devices. When our guys found out about it they immediately stopped the operation. In order to be “fair” I think Mr. Howerton either purposely left that part out or he is not a very thorough reporter. In “Fast and Furious” Holder’s guys never tried to track the guns or work with the Mexican Government. These are very significant differences.

    Report Post »  
  • Diane TX
    Posted on August 28, 2012 at 12:02am

    If anyone is wondering why the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had agents working the case, it was because they (the IRS agents), were advising the gun sellers on how to report the large influx of cash from the straw gun buyers.

    IMO, both Obama and Holder should be wearing orange jumpsuits.

    Report Post »  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:55pm

    The report looks at Fast and Furious, initiated under the Obama administration, and the George W. Bush-era gun-tracing operation known as “Wide Receiver.” While the aim of both operations was to allegedly track the guns and dismantle large Mexican drug cartels, both ended up losing track of the weapons and allowed them to “walk” into the hands of the ruthless cartels

    wide receiver arrests……………..over 1000

    fast and furious arrests………………..ZERO

    nothing else needs to be said about the motivational difference between the two programs

    Report Post » Psychosis  
  • slugo
    Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:52pm

    Attention barry obama voters: Be there November 2 early………….vote for your hero
    yes we can…Nov 2…..be there

    Report Post »  
  • slugo
    Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:51pm

    THIS whole thing makes me so angry Holder has lied and will get away with it does he really think we are soooooooooooooo stupid to believe these agents just decided…and if true, where is the wimp head lawyer from Arizona that resigned immediately and refused to testify hmmmmmm???? WHO is the coward NOW Mr Holder and obama??????????????????????????????????

    Report Post »  
  • scout n ambush
    Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:20pm

    Guilty all the way to the top these agents should not be forced into taking the fall but they should have never went along with such an illegal practice in the first place .They should have done like the ICE agents who are suing the Feds but they probably would have been arrested on trumped up charges for leaking classified info….They are screwd

    Report Post » scout n ambush  
  • kaydeebeau
    Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:18pm

    Well gee whiz, the IG reports to the very retaliatory DOJ – hmmmm so what would anyone expect? Hmmmmm also, the guy who “absolved” O for Solyndra just coincidentaly happened to be a big contributor to Os campiagn, This is the MOST corrupt, evil, anti-American president ever in the history of this ocuntry. If ewe want to have anjy hope, O must go

    FYI – remember if you support O, election day is Nov 2……..Everyone else – show up on Nov 6

    Report Post » kaydeebeau  
    • slugo
      Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:49pm

      Your post made my stomach hurt from laughing so true what you say

      Report Post »  
  • MODEL82A1
    Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:17pm

    Gee, who’d have guessed that the ATF people identified by Justice would be used as Judas goats?????

    Report Post » MODEL82A1  
  • Skrewedretiree
    Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:10pm

    Truman had a sign on his dest that read The Buck Stops Here.

    Obama is the master of Pass the Buck.

    Remember in November.

    Report Post » Skrewedretiree  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:17pm

      Obama has a sign that says, “hey, bendover and pick up that quarter”. And then you get a surprise.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • 762x51
      Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:34pm

      Remember, remember the SIXTH of November, gunpowder, treason and plot. – with apologies

      The purpose of that rhyme was to remind British citizens that the crime of treason will never be forgotten. So it is here and the treasonous crimes of Barack Obama will never be forgotten, his place in history as an enemy of the United States and the American people, is assured.

      Report Post »  
  • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
    Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:09pm

    If Obama gets a second term, this will matter, if he is voted out, which I believe he will be, there will be executive actions and pardons that will sweep all of this under the carpet. And Romney will simply not want to open wounds or go on a witchhunt, so no further investigations will continue. This has just been a delaying tactic from the beginning, and sadly, seems to be working.

    Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • Wildblue3
      Posted on August 28, 2012 at 8:44am

      Why wouldn’t Romney go after Holder and the rest for F&F?? I think he would prefer closure for the vicitims (and Holder in prison for the rest of his life)

      Report Post »  
  • 13th Imam
    Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:03pm

    Names, I want NAMES.

    Report Post » 13th Imam  
    • 762x51
      Posted on August 27, 2012 at 11:24pm

      You will never see any names. This“report” and I use the term laughingly, is 18 months of nothing. No one with an IQ over 50 believes that some a$$hat in Phoenix decided to run guns to the Mexican drug gangs, in a foreign country, all by his little self without checking with Washington.

      This was an act of war against Mexico, what low to mid-level civil servant is going to take on that responsibility all by themselves? If SIC Newell was the main character, do you think the Chief Racist of the United States, Eric Holder would hesitate to crucify him? As long as Newell keeps his mouth shut and protects Holders criminal backside, holder will not touch him plus if Newell could implicate Obama he would be dead, that’s the Chicago way.

      Report Post »  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on August 27, 2012 at 10:56pm

    This IG report is nothing more than another fine example of Obama and Holder attempting to cover their burning tushies; they will continue to blame all those under them, while the real guilt is with them and Napoletano, Hillary and many others who need to be brought to justice for their crimes.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
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