After a senior ATF agent revealed that supervisors at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) ordered agents not to intercept weapons sold illegally, Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, plans to investigate the allegations as one of his primary investigations.
"I have four investigators working full-time on this, and we're not going to quit until we see, not just an answer, but an absolute guarantee that this cannot happen again."
"Having a sting operation that has no sting in it is a terrible example of misuse of their ability to do investigations. The gun shops are often vilified for being the source -- well in this case, they did the right thing, they contacted the agent, and they were told to go ahead."
"As we get to the truth, we're going to hold those who lied to us early on accountable."
It is believed that among the 1,700 weapons allowed to illegally flow into Mexico, some may have contributed in the deaths of U.S. agents.
"Two individuals, maybe more, lost their life needlessly because AK-47s got over the border -- not by accident, they got there as part of effectively a plot, by the very people who we believe should be protecting us from those weapons getting into the wrong hands."
Letter sent to Kenneth Melson, acting director of the ATF:
Issa urges Melson to "act decisively to assuage the public's deep suspicions" about the program:
"Recent media reports have raised grave questions about your department's handling of operations involving gun trafficking in Mexico. In the aftermath of the tragic killing of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Jamie Zapata, it is imperative that you act decisively to assuage the public's deep suspicions that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has a policy permitting - and even encouraging - the movement of guns into Mexico by straw purchasers."...
"Senator Grassley requested specific documents about this policy but, thus far, has received nothing from ATF or DOJ."
Yakima County Sheriff - Gun Permit, 128 N. 2d Street 509 574 2639 offers Law Enforcement Labor Services, Law Enforcement Training Services, Law Enforcement Support Services, Law Enforcement Medical Services, and Law Enforcement Psychological Services.
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