ATF Agent's CHILLING Warning on Glenn Beck Show: 'You CANNOT Trust Your Government'

I have always had what I consider to be a "healthy" distrust of government.  I've seen nothing to change that and this interview with a just retired ATF agent solidifies that distrust.

The agent, John Dodson, is the whistleblower who revealed the ATF “gunwalking” scandal known as Operation Fast and Furious that led to the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. John’s decision to speak up was extremely risky, and he tells Glenn why he was afraid to start his car every morning after his family left. John also talks about the chilling reality of what’s happening at the southern border. Why hasn’t the illegal immigration problem been solved? John jokes that “the Mexican drug cartels must be huge donors to the Democratic Party." Take a look.

New Report Accuses Obama Administration of Coverup in Fast and Furious Scandal

According to Fox News, the report claims former attorney general Holder repeatedly lied to the Terry family about the weapons used in the slain border patrol officer's death.  You may recall that Border Patrol Officer Brian Terry died in a gunfight between Border Patrol agents and members of a six-man cartel "rip crew," that patrolled the desert along the U.S.-Mexico border looking for drug dealers to rob. Terry’s death exposed Operation Fast and Furious, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) scheme where the federal government allowed criminals to buy guns in Phoenix-area shops with the intention of tracking them as they were transported into Mexico. However, BATFE lost track of more than 1,400 of the 2,000 guns they allowed smugglers to buy. Two of those guns were found at the scene of Terry's killing.

TownHall.com Editor and Fox News Contributor Katie Pavlich also spoke with Cam Edwards of NRATV's Cam and Company about the House Oversite Committee hearing.

Document Dump Shows Justice Department Tried to "Spin" Away Fast and Furious Scandal

Last week, the Obama administration released documents related to the  Fast and Furious scandal after the president’s executive privilege claim from 2012 was struck down in federal court. Details are beginning to emerge, notably that the Department of Justice was more concerned about how to cover up the scandal, even pointing to the fact the NRA had asked Congress to investigate gave DOJ an opening to say this was just a political witch hunt.

“Chutzpah,” wrote Ron Weich, assistant attorney general for legislative affairs. “The NRA’s now-public involvement in this may be useful in convincing reporters that this is part of the overall effort to discredit ATF.”

As you will hear in the video below, emails included in the document dump indicate high level officials discussed how to get out in front of the information so as to control the narrative.  Townhall Editor and Fox News Contributor Katie Pavlich, who has written extensively on the subject appeared on NRANews.com earlier this week to discuss the document dump.  She said DOJ spent more than 10 months denying any knowledge of the operation, but in fact were deciding how to cover it up. The multi-year delay has been effective in running out the clock on the Obama administration.

Originally aired on Cam & Co 04/19/16.

ATF Multiple Rifles Sales Rule May Be Issued By Friday

Gun rights writer Alan Korwin reported in an email last night that four BATFE agents familiar with the planned Fast and Furious gun-smuggling "fix," state the bureau plans to release a "demand letter" by the end of this week, insisting that gun dealers in the four Mexico-border states begin reporting multiple rifle sales to the bureau.

The demand letter will require that all multiple rifle sales made to the same buyer within a five-day period to be reported beginning on August 14, on a form to be announced according to the agents. The order will exclude rifles in .22 caliber, and  rifles without detachable magazines. The agents acknowledged that  congressional action, lawsuits, an injunction or other court orders might forestall the implementation of the hastily concocted scheme. Such preventive measures are already underway.

Korwin also spoke with Cam Edwards last night about the forthcoming regulation on NRANews.com.

Operation Fast and Furious Hearings

The House oversight committee is meeting now.  You can watch live at http://oversight.house.gov./.

Juan Williams Targets GOP for Focusing on Fast and Furious Instead of Mexican Drug War Deaths

In an opinion piece in this morning's The Hill, Juan Williams (formerly of NPR and now full-time Fox News contributor) chastises Republicans for focusing on what he refers to as a "distraction," ATF's Fast and Furious scandal, and not giving enough attention to what he believes is the real issue across the border.

The daily horror of mass murder in Mexico hit the U.S. Congress last week in the form of scandal. Sadly, the scandal is not about the incredible loss of life in the drug wars. Instead, Republicans in Congress are busy targeting their least favorite member of the Obama cabinet, Attorney General Eric Holder.

Williams has covered the drug wars in Mexico for Fox News, so I don't doubt that he truly believes what is going on across the border is a tragedy.  He seems to share gun owners outrage that a government agency would allow guns to walk across the border into the hands of the cartel.

It is offensive to think an American government agent would hand out firearms to the drug gangs even if they thought it would help build a case they could prosecute.

ATF Director Kenneth Melson testified to Issa’s committee last week that he did not know the ATF would be unable to track the firearms.

Which is more troubling: that the head of the ATF knew this was going on or that he didn’t know?

The difference is Williams, who has expressed support for gun control in the past, apparently does not believe the failed program rises to the level of a full blown congressional investigation.

Williams should pose the same question about Eric Holder that he rhetorically asks about Melson.  Harry Truman used to say, "The Buck Stops Here."  Many believe that an operation of the type of Fast and Furious does not get authorized without knowledge from higher up.  Maybe Williams should consider that Congressman Issa believes that Holder is ultimately responsible for what happens on his watch.

Holder Meeting With Anti-gun Travor

As mentioned in a post last week, the expected departure of ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson is not necessarily good news.  While it has become clear that Melson new more about Operation Fast and Furious than the agency or DOJ have wanted to admit, his likely replacement is vigorously anti-rights.

Obama Eyeing Anti-Gun Backer to Run ATF - President Obama - Fox Nation

ATF Acting Director May Be Ousted

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Acting Director Kenneth Melson may be ousted from the agency's leadership for his involvement in Operation Fast and Furious.

Head of ATF Likely to Be Ousted - WSJ.com

Unfortunately, his replacement may be Andrew Travor, who was appointed by President Obama but who has yet to receive a confirmation hearing because of his anti-rights leaning as head of the Chicago ATF office. Travor is traveling to DC next week to meet with Attorney General Eric Holder. The Journal reports that the administration is considering naming Travor Acting Director in place of Melson.

Hat tip to NRANews.com

Anti-rights Democrats Push Gun Control During Fast and Furious Hearings

Anti-gun members on the House Oversight Committee looking into ATF's gun walking scheme known as Operation Fast and Furious, faced with no way to defend the embattled agency, seized on comments made by some agents to push for more fun control.

Gun Control | House Oversight Committee | NRA | ATF | The Daily Caller

Among the members calling for new gun ban laws was Virginia's 10th District Representative Gerry Connolly. He  blamed the NRA for opposing regulations that would require tracking of multiple sales.  The problem with Connolly's charge is, tracking multiple sales is not the issue, ATF telling dealers to allow questionable sales to go through is the issue. 

Grassley Threatens Holds on Justice Nominees

It is actually more than a threat.  One nominee who had a confirmation hearing on March 30th, but has not had a committee vote, Denise O'Donnell, is waiting to take over the Bureau of Justice Assistance.  She is said to be one of several Justice nominees on hold by Senator Grassley.

Top Justice Nominees Could Be Held Up Over Grassley Concerns on 'Gunrunner' - FoxNews.com

We will see how long the administration wants to keep career bureaucrats in acting positions or come off the information Grassley has requested. But given some of the people in acting positions have been in those jobs for over half of Obama's first term, one has to wonder if another year will make a difference to the administration.

Fast and Furious Takes Another Twist

A Phoenix CBS affiliate reported last week that federal drug agents discovered a cache of "AK-47-type assault rifles" wrapped in cellophane and hidden inside two giant trash barrels during a drug raid conducted in April. According to the report, the agents believe the confiscated weapons were heading to drug cartels in Mexico.  The problem is, a serial number on at least one of the firearms traces back to the ATF.  NRANews provides more on the story.

Senate/House DOJ Oversight Hearings Garner More Media Attention of Failed ATF Program

Recent Oversight Hearings of DOJ by the House and Senate have increased the media exposure of the failed ATF program known as Operation Fast and Furious. The best coverage of the story however continues to be bloggers and NRANews.

Gun Probe's Tactics Criticized - WSJ.com

Holder Gets Second Day of Grilling

Later today I will post the transcript of yesterday's back and forth between Attorney General Eric Holder and Congressman Darrell Issa related to BATFE's Operation Fast and Furious.  Needless to say Holder obfuscated and did not directly answer questions.  He will appear before Senate Judiciary this morning at 10:00.  If you would like to watch that you can do so by clicking here.

Look for Senator Chuck Grassley to continue where Issa left off.

LaPierre Calls for Holder's Resignation

One way to get the national media to cover a story they have otherwise ignored is to bring up the subject (ATF's Fast and Furious) while all of the national media is watching, then call for the resignation of the guy at the top of the food chain.
NRA chief wants Holder resignation - James Hohmann - POLITICO.com

The News Just Keeps Getting Worse for ATF

CBS reported earlier today that Senator Grassley now has emails from a Phoenix firearm dealer expressing concern to ATF that firearms they urged him to sell may end up in the wrong hands in Mexico.

Gun shop owner expressed concerns early on in "gunwalker" scandal - CBS News Investigates - CBS News

Could ATF Agent Cooperation Bring Down ATF Leadership, Others?

On Sunday, Dave Workman, the Seattle Gun Rights Examiner wrote about how Phoenix Assistant Special Agent in Charge George Gillett was, through and in conjunction with his attorney, “cooperating with” Grassley’s investigation of ATF’s Project Gunrunner.  Gillett may be cooperating because he feared he was about to be "thrown under the bus" by ATF higher-ups.

Workman writes that Gillett's cooperation now is "steeped in hypocrisy."

It was Gillett’s name that surfaced early in Grassley’s investigation, in a Jan. 31 letter the senator wrote to Melson, posted here by my colleague, David Codrea. In that letter, Grassley wrote, “I understand that Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) George Gillette of the ATF’s Phoenix office questioned one of the individual agents who answered my staff’s questions about Project Gunrunner. ASAC Gillette allegedly accused the agent of misconduct related to his contacts with the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Workman continues now it is Gillett who is talking to the committee, and Grassley is covering him with the same whistleblower protection he gave the agent Gillett allegedly confronted. The irony is overwhelming.

Workman spoke with NRANews' Cam Edwards about the article on Monday night's Cam and Company program.

Without the hard work of Dave Workman, David Codrea and CBS reporter Sharyl Attkisson none of this information would have seen the light of day.

Hat tip to Cam Edwards and NRANews. 

Grassley Questions If ATF Is Stalling Probe of "Fast and Furious"

It looks more and more like ATF told agents not to cooperate in the congressional probe of Operation Fast and Furious which allowed 1700 firearms from the U.S. to end up in the hands of the Mexican drug cartel.

The Story That Just Won't Go Away

One has to wonder if President's Obama's efforts to find "middle ground" on gun control is an effort to divert attention from this colossal mess at ATF.  If that was his intention, it's not working.  While DOJ has been trying to get gun control and gun rights supporters to sit down for discussions on keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals, members of Congress have been asking for answers on how ATF did just the opposite - allow large numbers of firearms to "walk" across the border and end up in the hands of drug cartel members.

This from Fox News:

Congress and the Department of Justice appear to be headed for a showdown this week over documents detailing Operation Fast and Furious, the botched gun running sting set up by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that funnuled more than 1,700 weapons from Arizona to Mexico.

Fox reports that Obama has spoken for the first time and said that while the program may have been a "serious mistake" he did not authorize it (big surprise that admission).  Senator Charles Grassley and Congressman Darrell Issa want to know who knew what and when.  So far, DOJ has not been forthcoming with the documents.



It should be noted that CBS News was the first to break this story and to stick with it. NRANews picked up on CBS' coverage and has done a great job of following the story. Fox is now covering the story but most of the mainstream media are still silent.