Government

Read Part One of Scathing GOP ‘Fast and Furious’ Report

Read Part One of Scathing GOP Fast and Furious Report

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

(TheBlaze/AP) — Congressional investigators released part one of a three-part scathing GOP report on Tuesday that asserts Operation Fast and Furious arose from a strategy created by the Obama administration. Not surprisingly, the U.S. Department of Justice is accusing Republicans of distorting reality.

In a report following an 18-month probe of the flawed gun-smuggling investigation, Rep. Darrell Issa of California and Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said that the administration shifted the emphasis in fighting Mexican drug cartels from merely seizing firearms to identifying the networks that traffic them.

(Related: Will This New Fast and Furious Revelation Force Holder to Resign? (Take Our Poll))

Operation Fast and Furious “was born from this strategy,” the report concluded. Read the entire report here.

It should be noted that the report, titled “Fast and Furious: The Anatomy of a Failed Operation, Part I of III” includes emails and correspondence from ATF agents and other federal agencies.

In Operation Fast and Furious and at least three earlier probes during the administration of Republican President George W. Bush, agents in Arizona employed a risky tactic called gun-walking – allowing low-level “straw” buyers in gun-trafficking networks to leave with loads of weapons purchased at gun shops. The goal of the tactic was to track the guns to major weapons traffickers and drug cartels in order to bring cases against kingpins who had long eluded prosecution under the prevailing strategy of arresting most low-level purchasers of guns who were suspected of buying them for others.

In Operation Fast and Furious, many of the weapons weren’t tracked and wound up at crime scenes in Mexico and the U.S., including at the site of a shootout on the U.S. side of the border that resulted in the death of a border agent, Brian Terry. Fast and Furious identified more than 2,000 weapons suspected of being illicitly purchased. Some 1,400 of them have yet to be recovered.

Read Part One of Scathing GOP Fast and Furious Report

Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said that the Republican report “reiterates many of the distortions and now-debunked conspiracy theories that Rep. Issa has been advancing for a year and a half, including the fiction that the flawed tactics used in Fast and Furious were somehow the brainchild of the current administration as opposed to the reality that the pattern of flawed tactics dates back to 2006 and the prior administration.”

The gun-walking tactic that Issa and Grassley are linking to the Obama administration has long been against Justice Department policy.

The Justice Department did adopt a strategy in 2009 for fighting Mexican cartels that said merely seizing firearms through interdiction would not stop firearms trafficking to Mexico. And records show that more than 68,000 guns reached Mexico from the U.S. over the last five years despite the long-standing policy of arresting low-level participants in suspected gun-running. “We must identify, investigate, and eliminate the sources of illegally trafficked firearms and the networks that transport them,” the department stated.

Issa’s report says that federal agents and William Newell, head of the Phoenix division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, may have viewed the Justice Department strategy statement as “the green light they had been waiting for” to engage in what became Operation Fast and Furious.

The report says that “Newell had an audacious goal. He intended to dismantle the U.S.-based gun trafficking network that supplied the formidable Mexican Sinaloa Cartel“ led by Joaquin ”EL Chapo” Guzman.

The Republican draft report on Operation Fast and Furious says that Newell and four other ATF officials share much of the blame for what went wrong with the Arizona gun-smuggling probe.

All five were removed from their jobs and reassigned a year ago. Attorney General Eric Holder has said further personnel changes could be made, depending on the findings in an upcoming review of Fast and Furious by the Justice Department inspector general.

“Though Attorney General Holder testified that the case was ‘fundamentally flawed’ and President Obama has stated that mistakes may have been made, all responsible ATF officials still work either at the ATF or within the Department of Justice. The two men most closely identified with the failed strategy of the case and who bear the brunt of responsibility for supervising the operation on a day-to-day basis, William Newell and David Voth, have both kept their jobs at ATF,” the report states.

Schmaler said the report does signal a notable shift in that the Issa-led House Oversight and Government Reform Committee “finally acknowledges what the attorney general and other department officials have been saying from the beginning – that the flaws in this operation, and in previous ones, had their origins in the field in Arizona and occurred, in part, due to weak oversight by ATF leadership.”

More from KSAZ:

FOX 10 News – Phoenix, AZ | KSAZ-TV

A second still-unreleased report by Republican congressional investigators on Operation Fast and Furious will deal with the roles of the deputy attorney general‘s office and the Justice Department’s criminal division. A third report will deal with the roles of the attorney general and other top officials at the Justice Department in responding to the controversy after it erupted publicly in early 2011.

The third report will follow what is likely to be a lawsuit against the attorney general by the Republican-controlled House seeking Justice Department documents detailing how Justice officials decided to respond to the congressional investigation.

The House voted June 28 to hold the attorney general in contempt of Congress for withholding material sought by Issa’s committee. President Barack Obama invoked executive privilege to order Holder not to turn over the documents on grounds that they reveal internal executive branch advice and recommendations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Comments (28)

  • NO_MORE_OBAMA
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 11:02am

    If any of you did what they did. You would be in a federal prison right now for LIFE.

    Report Post » NO_MORE_OBAMA  
  • Banter
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 8:03am

    “We must identify, investigate, and eliminate the sources of illegally trafficked firearms and the networks that transport them,” the (justice) department stated.

    Well, you have at least one hot lead – the justice department itself.

    Holder is a liar and complicit in the murder of Agent Brian Terry.

    Report Post » Banter  
  • nzkiwi
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 7:12am

    That was a big read.

    Let’s see if I can sum up.

    A “dysfunctional agency”, the ATF, has two members, the inexperienced Newell and the newish McAllister who want to make a name for themselves with this “phenomenal case”. They do not fully understand the legal parameters or the logistics and they ignore cautionary advice.

    They get all their supervisors on board. Everyone is enthuiastic. The FBI and DEA become involved but there is a bit of rivalry because it’s an ATF case.

    They start losing track of the weapons because there are so many of them and because of poor logistics. The gun shop owners start getting nervous because they are worried, due to their own knowledge and experience, that things are getting out of hand and they require high-level reassurance.

    The wheels start coming off. No high-value crook is on the radar. They have lost track of most of the guns. An exit strategy is called for but doesn’t materialise. They start preparing for the fallout by trying to attach F&F to Wide Receiver, which was shut down in 2007, in the hope that no-one will notice.

    The crap begins to sail towards the fan. Newell says that he’s not going down alone, so the defence starts.

    It makes very interesting reading, if you have the time (I don’t, I should be asleep, but WTH) and the truth is pretty evident. It reaches right up to Mr Holder’s office eventually, but we must wait for further instalments and the “smoking gun”.

    Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 7:59am

      The only other part is now with the pending defeat of Obama in Nov, assuming he just does not up and overthrow the nation completely in a coup, is that he and the rest of his administration see the growing probability of indictments, trials and convictions for all manner of criminal offences they have done.

      This is why we are entering dangerous territories with them; Obamas sanity is nearly gone, and when he snaps, especially with the defeat this Nov for him, he and the rest of the admin may conduct a complete scorched earth to bring down everything.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 2:46am

    All of those involved in the Fast and Furious – from these five agents to Holder, Napoletano, Hillary and Obama should be brought to trial and jailed for life behind bars.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Bill Rowland
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 7:07am

      The supervisors that ran the operation from AZ have all been given better jobs and moved to other areas. They will not be prosecuted by the DOJ because DOJ is afraid they will cut a deal and start talking.
      Epic Holdup and his boss are neck deep in this mess and are using every tactic to avoid the truth.

      OMG Nov 6, 2012

      Report Post »  
    • americansfightingforcommonsense
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 7:37am

      It’s not that they are afraid that they will cut a deal and talk. The administration looks at these people as heroes. They did exactly what they were told to do and therefore passed the test and have been given higher ranking jobs. They will never be held accountable under this administration because they would then have to hold themselves accountable.

      Report Post » americansfightingforcommonsense  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 7:56am

      @Bill:

      I think now what Obama and his adminsitration are fearing, is their defeat in Nov, and post inaguration investigations, indictments, and prosecutions for all these actions.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • nzkiwi
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 8:33am

      And fraud, Snow. Not part of F&F but potentially attached to Mr Obama, never-the-less.

      Report Post »  
  • Diane TX
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 2:26am

    “that asserts Operation Fast and Furious arose from a strategy created by the Obama administration.”
    —————————-
    All along the Democrats made misleading statements (lies) that F & F was something started in the Bush Admin. and ended by Eric Holder. That’s complete B S. The Bush Admin. had Operation Wide Receiver AND had ended it before Obama was elected President. Also, no one died as a result of Wide Receiver, and the weapons were tracked. No guns were lost during Wide Receiver, while 4500 guns were lost track of during Fast & Furious.

    Also, on the day Brian Terry was killed, DHS ordered the border patrol agents to use weapons that shot bean bags.

    Report Post »  
  • rsanchez1
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 1:54am

    If it’s all a “conspiracy theory” and it was started by Bush, why the secrecy? Why did Obama need to invoke executive privilege to prevent the truth from coming out?

    Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 3:50am

      Looking at the normal means Obama and his admin handle things; I hold it is being handled as a “right wing conspiracy” by the Democrats for these reasons:

      Obama, Holder, and many others are up to their eyeballs in the mess; guilty of violating many laws both domestic and foreign.

      It was done for the purpose of enacting crushing anti-second amendment legislation or regulations via executive fiat/decree.

      It is now being used as a foil, a smoke screen, such as with the Hillary started ‘birth certificate’ and the continuing refusal to release his college records. Distract, deny, demean; as Cass Sunstein said, “even if it is a true conspiracy, make it appear as a theory only to distract the opposition,” or to that effect.

      The last one is, key of all, Issa and his probes have gotten too close; and the narcissist in chief cannot accept blame for any of his plans failing, and probably Holder threatened to go public if the POTUS did not cover his tail along with him.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • nzkiwi
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 5:52am

      @ Snow

      I can not find a single flaw in your comments. Not one.

      You hit the nail squarely on the head in every paragraph.

      Excellent post.

      Report Post »  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 7:03am

      @NZKiwi:

      Thanks, its fairly easy to understand the mindset of the liberal fanatics like Holder and Obama if one takes a look at things from their perspective. To paraphrase Sun tzu: “Know yourself, and to know your opponent, is to be unbeatable in 100 confrontations.”

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • historyguy48
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 7:19am

      How about Dear Leader doesn’t want to be impeached and spend time in prison? Instead he just wants to destroy this country and imprison all of us!

      Report Post » historyguy48  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 1:15am

    the fast and furious program was in no way similar to the gun programs under bush

    1) guns were tracked under bush……………….they were NOT tracked under obama

    2) guns were closely monitored and tracked via electronic trackers under bush …………… NOT under obama

    3) when the trackers were found by the cartels, the program was shut down to eliminate any more loss of guns …………NOT POSSIBLE under obama……..in fact, if it wasnt for the border patrols death, chances are no one would have known

    4) arrests were made of multiple criminals ……….. NONE WERE MADE UNDER OBAMA

    I FAIL TO SEE ANY SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO PROGRAMS other than three things>> guns, criminals, and the government were involved …………… THATS IT

    Report Post » Psychosis  
    • TurboCat
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 5:42am

      Also Holder and Co. never informed the Mexican Government whereas Bush admin. did.

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

    dang…..can u imagine americans seeking justice from him…..omg what a joke

    Report Post » cookcountypatriot  
  • lapua338shooter
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 12:45am

    AHhhhhhh yes….. Here we go!

    Let the games begin!

    Hey, this may be the “Watergate” of the new millenium!
    And deep down inside, I hope I get to see holder in handcuffs but you know, as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, obammie will pardon his buddy & swear on a stack of korans that he knew nothing of it.

    Report Post »  
  • okieron
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 12:45am

    Please specify what jobs/promotions these 5 received.

    Report Post »  
  • grickm
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 12:15am

    Of course the DoJ accuses the Republicans of “distorting reality.” The left sees its reflection in the right, and accuses them of its own failings.

    Report Post » grickm  
    • barber2
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 7:06am

      Yes. Accuse your opponent of doing what you are actually doing . One of Alinsky‘s Rules For Radicals which are the political Left’s version of the Ten Commandments . Big Brother is their God.

      Report Post »  
  • Smokey_Bojangles
    Posted on August 1, 2012 at 12:05am

    I thought The Important things were Romney’s tax records and what he said over seas? Surely murder and mayhem with Eric Holder’s guns is not as important as that and Chick-Fil-A.

    Report Post » Smokey_Bojangles  
    • TelepromoterNChief
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 6:53am

      Barry is just jealous Mitt has accomplished more with his life than he did.
      Not playing the race card and living off of the government teet can give a man a certain sense of dignity for his own (you didn’t build that) accomplishments.

      Report Post »  
    • barber2
      Posted on August 1, 2012 at 7:11am

      Awoke to NPR reporting about Romney’s “gaffe ” filled European trip. “Gaffes?“ Apparently ” GAFFE” is the new parroted buzz word that our Lap Dog Media has been scripted to use. If only we could not only clean out these international Lefties from the White House in November, but also clean them out of NPR, PBS, and the New York Times ,etc. ! The constant barrage of biased propaganda that gets thrown in our faces – some of this at tax payers’ expense ! – is as disgusting as the twisted, Alinsky tactics of the Democrats. And much harder to get rid of.

      Report Post »  

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