"New documents 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," Sharyll Atkisson reports.
That directly contradicts his statement to Congress.
Proof now exists that as early as July, 2010, Holder had been apprised:
The investigation, initiated in September 2009 in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Phoenix Police Department, involves a Phoenix-based firearms trafficking ring...and straw purchasers are responsible for the purchase of 1,500 firearms that were then smuggled to Mexican drug trafficking cartels.
Which means, among other things, what the Phoenix PD knew and when they knew it now becomes an issue.
And in the thick of things, based on a heavily redacted Nov.2010 weekly report, is Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer. Additionally, an October 2010 email from Breuer deputy Jason Weinstein shows that, disingenuous parsing aside, decision-makers and their legal advisers knew exactly what the term "walking guns" meant. (Long-time readers will recall Breuer's name surfaced as a speculative "Project Gunwalker" figure in early February of this year.)
Combine these disclosures with a September 29 report from Fox News, and one fact offered by Rep. Darrell Issa and Sen. Charles Grassley becomes inescapable:
Operation Fast and Furious may have ended 10 months sooner than it did...This would have prevented hundreds of assault type weapons from being illegally straw purchased on behalf of Mexican drug cartels."
It would have prevented human deaths, Brian Terry's and untold numbers of Mexicans, not to mention potential unknown victims on this side of the border.
One other fact also becomes inescapable. Watch the video in the sidebar media player, particularly at 47 seconds into it. It's Holder's response to Darrell Issa's direct question:
ISSA: Mr. Attorney General, we have two Border Patrol agents who are dead, who were killed by guns that were allowed, as far as we can tell, to deliberately walk out of gun shops under the program often called Fast and Furious. This program, as you know — and the President’s been asked about it, you’ve been asked about it – allowed for weapons to be sold to straw purchasers, and ultimately, many of those weapons are today in the hands of drug cartels and other criminals. When did you first know about the program, officially, I believe, called Fast and Furious? To the best of your knowledge, what date?
HOLDER: 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.
The man perjured himself in front of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. That is an impeachable offense and a prosecutable offense.
It's time to drag him back in front of the committee, and this time question him in a manner more appropriate to his conduct.
You must demand it of your representatives.
Also see:
- A Journalist’s Guide to ‘Project Gunwalker' Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five and Part Six 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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