Topic: ATF’s Fast & Furious- Obama’s ‘Weaponsgate’?

[charlesoakwood]

(The Hill) — Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) has requested a briefing with the Justice Department over a news report that U.S. law enforcement officials helped Mexican drug cartels launder millions of dollars into the country.

The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee made the request in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder, in which he questioned DOJ head’s ability to lead the agency.

[Pandora]

As we continue to watch the general uproar over the Operation Fast and Furious program, and specifically what Attorney General Holder knew and when he knew it, it needs to be noted that perjury is not the only apparent violation of law to have occurred.

I refer to the apparent violation of at least one (probably two) major U.S. laws by the Holder Justice Department. A few years ago, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701, the follow-on to the Trading with the Enemy Act) was expanded in order to criminalize any transactions between U.S. entities — to include departments and agencies of the U.S. government — and all foreign drug cartels.

I am familiar with these prohibitive statues because several years ago, while serving as the senior drug analyst for the Senate Intelligence Committee, I was tasked to initiate and became the principal drafter of legislation which became known as the Kingpin Act (21 U.S.C. §§ 1901-08). The Kingpin Act is an extension of the highly successful IEEPA sanctioning program specifically targeting Colombian drug cartels. It expands sanctions authority against various drug cartel operations worldwide — including Mexico — which have been determined by the president to be threats to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States.

A violation of any of the IEEPA sanctioning programs or the Kingpin Act carries stiff penalties, both criminal and civil, and potentially totaling decades in prison and tens of millions of dollars in fines. It is not necessary that an individual or governmental entity be shown to have “knowingly” violated any of these programs: it is illegal for any U.S. entity or individual to aid, abet, or materially assist — or in the case of Operation Fast and Furious, to facilitate others to aid, abet, or materially assist — designated drug traffickers. There are no exceptions within IEEPA programs for unlicensed U.S. law enforcement or intelligence agency operations.

Based on the July 5, 2010, memo to Eric Holder, it would appear that Fast and Furious facilitated the delivery of weapons to — at a minimum — the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico. The U.S. Department of the Treasury, which administers both the IEEPA and Kingpin Act programs, has designated numerous members of the Sinaloa cartel under both programs. IEEPA prohibitions apply to the U.S. government as well as to individuals, and as stated there are no exceptions within IEEPA programs for unlicensed U.S. law enforcement or intelligence agency operations.

There is a provision in the Kingpin Act for “authorized” law enforcement and intelligence activities, however the only procedure by which an Operation Fast and Furious program could have been “authorized” under the Kingpin Act was by the U.S. attorney general requesting a waiver (known within the Treasury Department as a Specific License), prior to any such operation being undertaken. To illustrate and emphasize this point: even during the run-up to war in Iraq, the U.S. secretary of Defense had to obtain waivers (specific licenses) from the Treasury Department to allow U.S. Special Forces and their necessary equipment (to include weapons, intelligence gathering, and targeting gear) to go into Iraq, as Iraq at the time was under separate IEEPA sanctions.

As an aside: having spent many hours in discussions and negotiations over the exception in the Kingpin Act for authorized law enforcement and the intelligence community, I can assure the reader that the intent of this provision was not to allow for the transfer of thousands of semi-automatic weapons to cartel members. The intent of this portion of this particular Act is to allow for cash payments by U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies to confidential informants and intelligence sources within cartels to aid in their dismantlement, and not to facilitate the transfer of weapons used to murder hundreds of innocent civilians in Mexico and a U.S. Federal Border Agent.

As part of Congress’ ongoing investigation, as well as its constitutionally mandated oversight activities, it should be asked of Attorney General Holder if any such specific licenses were requested or granted by the Treasury Department. Additionally, Treasury Secretary Geithner should explain whether his Department has begun an investigation into these apparent violations of IEEPA and the Kingpin Act.

Interestingly, and of serious note — if Secretary Geithner finds that the laws and programs which his Department administers have been violated, Treasury procedures mandate that the matter be referred to Eric Holder’s Justice Department for enforcement!

Perhaps the appointment of a special prosecutor is necessary after all.

http://pjmedia.com/blog/gunwalker-justice-dept-violated-us-laws/?singlepage=true

H/T Havoc

[Libertas]

 

Screw the special prosecutor, these asshats will never go for that, and even if they did they'd select a partisan hack to whitewash the whole damned thing!

File suit, find a district attorney somewhere to file charges against these bastards and list Obama as an unindicted co-conspirator, go after these thugs!  Surely someone representing the intertests of the Terry family has standing, get after these SOB's!!!

 

[Pandora]

We've documented this issue with updates and new developments for 18 pages now, and it's mind-boggling that no one's been arrested yet.

It appears the NY Post is finally catching on .....

Operation Fast and Furious — the “botched” gun-tracking program run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — did, in fact, deliberately allow some 2,000 high-powered weapons to be sold to Mexican drug cartel agents and then waltzed across the border and into the Mexican drug wars — just as Sen. Chuck Grassley and Rep. Darrell Issa, who are leading the congressional investigations, have charged all along.

[Libertas]

The Post, meanwhile the Old Gray Hag continues to look the other way, and so shall the bulk of the MFM!

 

[charlesoakwood]

Documents: ATF used "Fast and Furious" to make the case for gun regulations
[blockquote]
Documents obtained by CBS News show that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) discussed using their covert operation "Fast and Furious" to argue for controversial new rules about gun sales.
...
ATF officials didn't intend to publicly disclose their own role in letting Mexican cartels obtain the weapons,
...
...
"In light of the evidence, the Justice Department's refusal to answer questions about the role Operation Fast and Furious was supposed to play in advancing new firearms regulations is simply unacceptable," Rep. Issa told CBS News.[/blockquote]

One day they may go for ratings and start asking some
difficult questions along with published expectation of answers.

[Predator Don]

Documents: ATF used "Fast and Furious" to make the case for gun regulations
[blockquote]
Documents obtained by CBS News show that the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) discussed using their covert operation "Fast and Furious" to argue for controversial new rules about gun sales.
...
ATF officials didn't intend to publicly disclose their own role in letting Mexican cartels obtain the weapons,
...
...
"In light of the evidence, the Justice Department's refusal to answer questions about the role Operation Fast and Furious was supposed to play in advancing new firearms regulations is simply unacceptable," Rep. Issa told CBS News.[/blockquote]

One day they may go for ratings and start asking some
difficult questions along with published expectation of answers.

Hell, they were not discussing it, they were doing it. What kind of sick mindset must this administration have to push policy which endanger American life for an agenda not supported by the will of the people.



This reminds me of a scene from the sci fi flick "Alien"....... A planned contamination of the crew to reach a hideous goal. But this isn't science fiction, this is real life. If I'm Issa, i'm reacting like one of the soldiers when they found out they were guinea pigs. Issa should tell Holder, dude, you'r fvcked, you're dead.

[Libertas]

Issa should tell Holder, dude, you'r fvcked, you're dead.

 

[charlesoakwood]

Holder Says Definition Of "Lying" To Congress Depends On "State Of Mind"

@1:45
No one in this department has lied.
Nobody has lied.

Why was the letter withdrawn?

The letter was withdrawn because information in there thta was ah,
innacurate.  The  Justice Dept letter of Feb.....

OK, well tell, tell me what's the difference between  lying and misleading Congress?

[Pandora]

As to the state of mind, Holder is correct in the general sense, in that laws broken without intent to purposefully and willfully do so used to be a consideration in assigning guilt; however, that is not the way the application of the law works today as regards the general public -- regardless of intent, if the law is not adhered to, no matter how obscure or stupid, you've criminalized yourself, and the DOJ and the ATF are notorious for applying this standard.

Notwithstanding, he's a lying sack of sh!t.  He knew what they were all doing and it goes right into the Oval Office.

[John Florida]

As to the state of mind, Holder is correct in the general sense, in that laws broken without intent to purposefully and willfully do so used to be a consideration in assigning guilt; however, that is not the way the application of the law works today as regards the general public -- regardless of intent, if the law is not adhered to, no matter how obscure or stupid, you've criminalized yourself, and the DOJ and the ATF are notorious for applying this standard.

Notwithstanding, he's a lying sack of sh!t.  He knew what they were all doing and it goes right into the Oval Office.

  Ignorance of the law is not a defence? Ant it depends what the meaning of is,is?

[Pandora]

As to the state of mind, Holder is correct in the general sense, in that laws broken without intent to purposefully and willfully do so used to be a consideration in assigning guilt; however, that is not the way the application of the law works today as regards the general public -- regardless of intent, if the law is not adhered to, no matter how obscure or stupid, you've criminalized yourself, and the DOJ and the ATF are notorious for applying this standard.

Notwithstanding, he's a lying sack of sh!t.  He knew what they were all doing and it goes right into the Oval Office.

  Ignorance of the law is not a defence? Ant it depends what the meaning of is,is?

They, you know, "they"?, can tell you that until they're blue in the face; the fact remains that, currently, no one can possibly not be ignorant of the law, all the laws, and that's the way the law-makers and upholders like it.

[charlesoakwood]

Watch the weasel on a skillet
Fireworks! Issa grills Holder over withholding documents about Fast and Furious
Posted by The Right Scoop The Right Scoop on Dec 8, 2011 in Politics | 45 Comments

Issa admits at the end of this clip that he intentionally treated Holder like a hostile witness because of his lack of cooperation with congressional attempts to get information from the DOJ about Fast and Furious. In fact Sheila Jackson-Lee comes to Holder’s defense, twice, as Issa won’t allow Holder to filibuster his questions.

Watch the entire clip for all the fireworks:

Watch the weasel on a skillet

[Libertas]

And remember, Holder is the HIGHEST RANKING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER in our nation!!!

 

[Libertas]

Watch the weasel on a skillet
Fireworks! Issa grills Holder over withholding documents about Fast and Furious
Posted by The Right Scoop The Right Scoop on Dec 8, 2011 in Politics | 45 Comments

Issa admits at the end of this clip that he intentionally treated Holder like a hostile witness because of his lack of cooperation with congressional attempts to get information from the DOJ about Fast and Furious. In fact Sheila Jackson-Lee comes to Holder’s defense, twice, as Issa won’t allow Holder to filibuster his questions.

Watch the entire clip for all the fireworks:

Watch the weasel on a skillet

OMG, comment by M_J_S - "Issa needs to Ike Turner slap Shelia Jackson Lee"

 

[AlanS]

]

OMG, comment by M_J_S - "Issa needs to Ike Turner slap Shelia Jackson Lee"

 

Word.

[BMG]

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/12/09/congressman-claims-tea-party-nra-manufactured-fast-and-furious/

Attorney General Eric Holder has accused The Daily Caller of creating the story of calls for his resignation. Never mind that more than 50 Republicans are on board for his ouster. Maybe not all of them would have made the official call for his resignation had a DC reporter not called to ask their opinions — but the reporter didn’t supply the opinions for ‘em. The gist of Holder’s accusation: Stop asking questions, reporters!

No doubt Democrats like Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson agree. Reporter Michelle Fields didn’t make him say what he said, but, if she hadn’t asked a question, he never would have said this quote, which was especially revealing about what he knows of the Fast and Furious scandal:

    “I think this is another manufactured controversy by the second amendment, NRA Republican tea party movement,” Johnson said.

Hmm. How exactly did the Tea Party Movement or the NRA instigate an ATF program to sell firearms to straw purchasers and then rapidly lose track of the weapons?

Honestly, the quote makes so little sense, I don’t know how to respond to it. But, then again, it comes from a fellow who somehow managed to mention “white supremacists” in yesterday’s Judiciary hearing — and who once said overpopulation might cause the entire island of Guam to “tip over and capsize.” What did I expect?

I was wondering where that guy went. Haven't heard from him in a few months...

[charlesoakwood]

http://shark-tank.net/2011/12/08/22969/

By Javier Manjarres
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder went before the House Judiciary Committee today to answer questions regarding the botched ‘Fast and Furious’ program that allowed illegal firearms to wind up in the hands of Mexican drug cartels.  Florida Congresswoman Sandy Adams had several minutes to question Holder, and the blood was on the floor before the time limit saved Holder from further embarrassment.  Must watch video!
===============================================

WORM is too noble a word for this humanoid.

Adams Grills Holder Over Fast and Furious Operation

[Libertas]

What a filthy rotten pile of pig scat!!!

I can't stand seeing or hearing this corrupt criminal bastard anymore!!!

He needs to be removed by any means necessary, PERIOD!!!

[Alphabet Soup]

Thanks Charles. I didn't have a chance to see any of the circus previous to this vid and the one with Issa.

eric holder. Doesn't he just fill you with confidence that the United States is in good and capable hands?

Me neither.