Shocking new crime scene photos show the serial number of
the Department of Justice Fast and Furious rifle used in a bloody
apartment shooting in Phoenix, Arizona.
The photos, obtained by the nonprofit group Judicial Watch in a
lawsuit against the city of Phoenix and provided to The Daily Caller,
depict the grisly aftermath of a July 29, 2013 shooting in a Phoenix
apartment that wounded two people. Four arrests were made in the case.
Suspects Bruno Brizuela, Jonathan Mejinez-Sanchez, Jovanny Andrade, and
Kayonte Scott were believed to have been using an acquaintance’s car,
which was abandoned near the crime scene after hitting a fence.
Joaquin Bojorquez-Romero was shot in the leg and Jobani Flores was shot in the head. Victim Cleiver Nava-Diaz was not injured. Keep on reading…
On Thursday, James Cole, the top deputy at the Department of Justice
and one of those under consideration as a replacement to the resigning
Eric Holder, suddenly announced his resignation. The timing is more than
slightly curious. It came immediately following the release and
analysis of documents which show that two Americans were injured in 2013
by a weapon which was part of the DOJ’s Mexican cartel armament scheme,
Fast and Furious.
Judicial Watch forwarded the documents to Senator Charles Grassley
(R-IA) and Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA), the chairman of the House
Committee on Oversight and Reform. The documents show that two people were wounded in a Phoenix-area crime in which a weapon purchased by a Fast and Furious operative was used.
On Thursday, Issa and Grassley notified Deputy Attorney General James
Cole of the linkage between the weapon, their gun-running adventure and
the two injured Americans. A short time later Cole announced his
resignation, stating as his reason an apparent urgent desire to work in
the public sector.
Grassley and Issa wrote, “Based on the serial number from the police
report obtained by Judicial Watch and documents obtained during our Fast
and Furious investigation, we can confirm that the assault rifle
recovered in the vehicle on July 30, 2013 was purchased by Sean
Christopher Steward. Steward pled guilty to firearms trafficking charges
resulting from his involvement with Operation Fast and Furious.”
Thanks to a Freedom of Information Act Lawsuit pursued
against the Department of Justice by government watchdog Judicial Watch,
the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has ruled
documents being withheld from Congress under President Obama’s claim of
executive privilege must be turned over. Obama made the claim on the
same day Attorney General Eric Holder was voted in criminal and civil
contempt of Congress in June 2012.
“This order forces the Obama DOJ, for the first time, to provide a
detailed listing of all documents that it has withheld from Congress and
the American people for years about the deadly Fast and Furious gun
running scandal,” Judicial Watch released in a statement.
The FOIA lawsuit has been ongoing for 16-months and is now proceeding
after a lengthy delay. The Justice Department originally asked the
court for an indefinite hold on a FOIA request from Judicial Watch,
citing executive privilege and an ongoing investigation. That indefinite
hold request was shot down more than a year ago. Keep on reading…
We recognize that most of the guns used to commit violence here in
Mexico come from the United States. In America, our Constitution
guarantees our individual right to bear arms, and as President I swore
an oath to uphold that right—and I always will. At the same time, as
I’ve said back home, I will continue to do everything in my power to
pass common sense gun reforms that keep guns out of the hands of
dangerous people—reforms that will save lives in both our countries.
Meanwhile, we’ll keep increasing the pressure on the gun traffickers who
bring illegal guns into Mexico, and we’ll keep putting these criminals
where they belong—behind bars.
Apparently, "increasing the pressure on the gun traffickers" includes allowing illegal guns to walk across the border and promoting the supervisors involved...
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. sharply criticized lawmakers Monday for voting to hold him in contempt of Congress last week, saying Republicans have made him a “proxy” to attack President Obama in an election year.
In his first interview since Thursday’s vote, Holder said lawmakers have used an investigation of a botched gun-tracking operation as a way to seek retribution against the Justice Department for its policies on a host of issues, including immigration, voting rights and gay marriage. He said the chairman of the committee leading the inquiry, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), is engaging in political theater as the Justice Department tries to focus on public safety.
“I’ve been doing all of these things all the time Darrell Issa and his band have been nipping at my heels,” a defiant Holder said. “They’ve been nipping, but I’ve been walking.”
The attorney general has long been a lightning rod for Republican lawmakers’ anger toward the Obama administration. But Holder said the debate over documents related to the gun operation, known as “Fast and Furious” — along with the National Rifle Association’s attempts to make it an electoral issue — have made matters worse.
“I’ve become a symbol of what they don’t like about the positions this Justice Department has taken,” he said. “I am also a proxy for the president in an election year. You have to be exceedingly naive to think that vote was about . . . documents.”
Sources described as "previously highly credible" and "close to the Gunwalker investigation" are claiming "one and perhaps two sources within the Department of Justice headquarters...have approached the Issa Committee seeking whistleblower status," Mike Vanderboegh of Sipsey Street Irregulars blog is reporting this afternoon in an exclusive story.
"One source, who reported that there were at least two of Eric Holder's subordinates who 'came in from the cold,' characterized them as 'high-level" DOJ employees 'with knowledge of Eric Holder's actions before and after" the 4 February 2011 DOJ letter denying that the DOJ and its subordinate agencies knew about "gunwalking," Vanderboegh writes, noting one source said the whistleblowers bring with them "the keys to the kingdom." Read more here...
(CBS News) — House Republicans investigating the Fast and Furious scandal have gotten the go-ahead by their party leaders to pursue a contempt citation against Attorney General Eric Holder, senior congressional aides told CBS News. The resolution will accuse Holder and his Justice Department of obstructing the congressional probe into the allegations that the government let thousands of weapons fall into the hands of Mexican drug cartels.
The citation would attempt to force Holder to turn over tens of thousands of pages documents related to the probe, which has entered its second year.
For months, congressional Republicans probing ATF’s Fast and Furious “Gunwalker” scandal — led by California Republican Darrell Issa, have been investigating a contempt citation.
They’ve worked quietly behind the scenes to build support among fellow Republicans, since it could ultimately face a full House vote. CBS News has confirmed that House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, has given Rep. Issa, who heads the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, the go-ahead to proceed. A 48-page long draft contempt resolution is being prepared.
A visibly frustrated Attorney General Eric Holder slammed the table when responding to a question about Operation Fast and Furious during a Tuesday budget hearing before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies.
“That was a fundamentally flawed program, fundamentally flawed,” Holder said of Fast and Furious. “And, I think that I can agree with some of my harshest critics that there are legitimate issues that need to be explored with regard in which the way Fast and Furious was carried out.”
“But, I think one thing that also has to be understood is that once this was brought to my attention” — Holder said before slamming his hand on the committee room table he was sitting at — “I stopped it. I stopped it.”
Arizona's state legislature will open its own investigation into the Obama administration's disgraced gun-running program, known as "Fast and Furious," the speaker of the state House said Friday.
Speaker Andy Tobin created the committee, and charged it with looking at whether the program broke any state laws — raising the possibility of state penalties against those responsible for the operation.
It's a turnaround from the rest of the immigration issue, where the federal government has sued to block the state's own set of laws.
A law requiring businesses to check new workers' legal status was upheld by the Supreme Court last year, and the court has agreed to hear the case of Arizona's crackdown law that makes being an illegal immigrant a state crime and gives state and local police the power to enforce that law.
Fast and Furious was a straw-purchase program run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives... Keep on reading...
It only took Eric Holder a year to write a "sorry" letter to the family of slain U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Agent Terry was killed with one of Holders "walked" guns. He still hasn't accepted responsibility and issued a real apology. Someone leaked the alleged letter to Politico, but the family of the slain agent haven't received it yet. Taking a year to write a "sorry" letter, after being reamed at a hearing by Sen. John Cornyn, and leaking it to the press before the family receives it reeks of a political stunt. It hardly seems like a real attempt to reach out to the family.
(Politico) — Eric Holder has told the grieving family of slain U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry that he is “sorry for the loss of your son” and offered to meet with them, according to a private letter from the Attorney General obtained by POLITICO.
“I am sorry for the tragic loss of your son, U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Brian was a hero who served his nation bravely and made the ultimate sacrifice,” writes Holder in a letter dated Wednesday. “I agree with you that the tactic of allowing guns to ‘walk,’ as was permitted in Operation Fast and Furious, is completely unacceptable.”
Holder said that he was willing to meet with the Terry family to answer their questions about what happened.
“I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you in person to discuss our shared concerns. I give you my word that we will do everything in our power to bring those responsible for Brian’ s death to justice,” wrote Holder.
A lawyer representing Terry’s parents confirmed on Thursday that the family had received Holder’s letter.
During Senate Judiciary Committee testimony on Tuesday, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) asked Holder whether he had apologized to the Terry family.
“I have not apologized to them,” Holder said.
Attorney General Eric Holder bobs and weaves when asked to apologize to the family of slain border agent Brian Terry. Agent Terry was killed with one of Holders "walked" guns. The words he couldn't seem to find are "I apologize."
Sen. Cornyn:“Have you apologized to the family of Brian Terry?” Attorney General Holder:“I have not apologized to them but I certainly regret what happened…” Sen. Cornyn:“Have you even talked to them?” Attorney General Holder:“I have not.” Sen. Cornyn: “Would you like to apologize today for this program that went so wrong, that took the life of a United States law enforcement agent?” Attorney General Holder: “I certainly regret what happened to Agent Brian Terry…It is not fair, however, to assume that the mistakes that happened in Fast and Furious directly led to the death of Agent Terry.” keep on reading...
AG Eric Holder's May congressional testimony claim to only have known about "Fast and Furious" a few weeks, would seem to be unlikely based on Obama knowing about it in March.
I guess there is always the possibility Obama knew before holder. This puts Eric Holder in a poor position. He looks either disingenuous or incompetent. Either way, he needs to go.
The Justice Department is refusing to release some documents relating to the "Fast and Furious" gunrunning scandal. The ones that have been released show AG Eric Holder lied to Congress during his "Fast and Furious" testimony. Republicans are asking for a Special Prosecutor. The request letter is here. The latest document drop was by CBS reporter Sharyl Attkisson. She told Conservative talk show host Laura Ingrham that WH spokesman Eric Schultz called her up cussing and screaming about her "Fast and Furious report.
Ingraham: So they were literally screaming at you? Attkisson: Yes. Well the DOJ woman was just yelling at me. The guy from the White House on Friday night literally screamed at me and cussed at me. [Laura: Who was the person? Who was the person at Justice screaming?] Eric Schultz. Oh, the person screaming was [DOJ spokeswoman] Tracy Schmaler, she was yelling not screaming. And the person who screamed at me was Eric Schultz at the White House."
Who is Eric Schultz? He is a hired gun the WH brought in for the "Fast and Furious" cover-up?
“Eric Schultz started Monday. He will be one of three associate communications directors, alongside Kate Bedingfield and Sandra Abrevaya," said a top administration official. "Eric’s portfolio of issues will focus mainly on DOJ and other oversight-related topics.”...
Schultz is no stranger to hostile political climates. Prior to taking over at the DSCC, he handled press for Al Franken’s 2008 Senate campaign in Minnesota, including the months-long recount against former Sen. Norm Coleman. Before that, he was national press secretary for John Edwards’ 2008 presidential bid, at one point tasked with handling press inquiries relating to Edwards' extramarital affair.
The Laura Ingraham Show - Investigative reporter says WH official cussed at her over ATF scandal
Why’s that a big deal? Watch the video below from CNS showing Holder’s testimony before Issa’s House committee back on May 3. The question: “When did you first know about the program, officially called, I believe, ‘Fast and Furious’?” The answer:
I’m not sure of the exact date but I probably heard about Fast and Furious for the first time over the last few weeks.
New documents (see above) obtained by CBS News show Attorney General Eric Holder was sent briefings on the controversial Fast and Furious operation as far back as July 2010. That directly contradicts his statement to Congress…
The ATF has promoted three key supervisors of a controversial sting operation that allowed firearms to be illegally trafficked across the U.S. border into Mexico.
All three have been heavily criticized for pushing the program forward even as it became apparent that it was out of control. At least 2,000 guns were lost and many turned up at crime scenes in Mexico and two at the killing of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Arizona.
The three supervisors have been given new management positions at the agency's headquarters in Washington. They are William G. McMahon, who was the ATF's deputy director of operations in the West, where the illegal trafficking program was focused, and William D. Newell and David Voth, both field supervisors who oversaw the program out of the agency's Phoenix office.
McMahon and Newell have acknowledged making serious mistakes in the program, which was dubbed Operation Fast and Furious.
"I share responsibility for mistakes that were made," McMahon testified to a House committee three weeks ago. "The advantage of hindsight, the benefit of a thorough review of the case, clearly points me to things that I would have done differently."
Three Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives spokesmen did not return phone calls Monday asking about the promotions. But several agents said they found the timing of the promotions surprising, given the turmoil at the agency over the failed program.
