“It has been brought to my attention that you have not been cooperating with congressional inquiries about Project Gunrunner and Operation Fast and Furious,” Rep. Darrell Issa, Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform wrote to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Acting Director Kenneth E. Melson on March 16 in a letter obtained by CBS News.
Citing previous inquiries by Sen. Chuck Grassley of the Senate Judiciary Committee that have been stonewalled both by ATF and the Department of Justice, Issa provided a list of key documents he is seeking and questions he wants answers to, advising Melson:
We request that you provide the requested documents and information as soon as possible, but no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 30, 2011.
As that deadline has passed, and as no reports have appeared to indicate whether or not it was met, this correspondent called the Committee this morning, and was transferred to a media liaison. I was advised to put the question in the form of an email, and the representative gave his email address. The following was sent at 9:27 a.m. EST:
Chairman Issa wrote a letter to ATF AD Kenneth Melson on Mar. 16 requesting specific information and documentation regarding Project Gunrunner to be provided to his committee "no later than 5:00 pm on March 30, 2011."
Was the information provided by the deadline?
I am seeking a for-the-record quote to share with readers who have been following this story.
At the time of this writing, no response has been received. When and if it is, it will be shared with Gun Rights Examiner readers.
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Also see:
- Rep. Issa’s March 30 deadline for ATF documents looming
- A journalist’s guide to ‘Project Gunwalker' Part One and Part Two for a complete list with links of independent investigative reporting and commentary done to date by Sipsey Street Irregulars and Gun Rights Examiner.
*Note to newcomers to this story: “Project Gunrunner” is the name ATF assigned to its Southwest Border Initiative to interdict gun smuggling to Mexico. “Project Gunwalker” is the name I assigned to the scandal after allegations by agents that monitored guns were allowed to fall into criminal hands on both sides of the border through a surveillance process termed “walking” surfaced.
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