While federal officials publicly denounced a lone whistleblower and told Congress the Obama administration had tried to stop guns from going to Mexico, administration officials had signs that "Fast and Furious" investigators were losing track of weapons, a new memo obtained exclusively by FOX News suggests.
The memo, written in early February by Agent Gary Styers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, appears to corroborate allegations made a few weeks earlier by whistleblower ATF Agent John Dodson about the gunrunning probe. It also conflicts with a letter from Assistant Attorney General Ron Weich to Congress, in which he insisted, "The allegation ... that ATF 'sanctioned' or otherwise knowingly allowed the sale of assault weapons ... is false."
The gun-monitoring program known as "Operation Fast and Furious" was supposed to build a case against Mexican drug lords and organized crime syndicates. At least 2,000 guns went missing during the operation, which began in 2009. Dozens of those weapons were trafficked along the US-Mexico border and some guns were used in violent crimes in Mexico. One weapon has been linked to the murder of a US immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.Styers' memo to top ATF officials was dated Feb. 3, a day before Weich told Congress on Feb. 4 that Dodson's claims were false. Styers explained that "Fast and Furious" "divided and isolated agents," and the agent in charge called off surveillance. He detailed one instance in which agents monitoring a firearms transaction at a gas station were told they were too close to the scene -- while they repositioned, the buyer left the area without agents following.
"It is unheard of to have an active wiretap investigation without full time dedicated surveillance units on the ground," he wrote.
Styers wrote that his advice, and the advice of other agents, was "widely disregarded."
The memo was meant to describe conversations Styers had with staff for Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) after the senator's staff contacted him with questions about "Fast and Furious." And it presents a starkly different portrait of the probe than that portrayed by the Feb. 4 letter from Weich -- that letter is at the center of the controversy on Capitol Hill.
And while Attorney General Eric Holder now admits Weich's letter was inaccurate, many in Congress feel deliberately misled. Holder is accused of knowing from multiple sources that "Operation Fast and Furious" deliberately allowed guns to go to Mexico, and that some of those guns had been linked to the killing of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry the previous December.
It is unclear whether any of the top brass at Justice saw the Styers memo. Asked about the memo, Justice spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler referred FOX News to Holder's November testimony on Capitol Hill, where he said he only learned of the operation a "couple of months" before a May hearing where he testified on the matter.
Grassley has demanded to know who at Justice approved the Weich letter before it was sent out. So far, Justice has failed to comply.
Holder will be grilled on Fast and Furious next week by the Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee. They are likely to bring up the memo from Styers which quickly made its way to Washington in February.
Jeeez, who the fuck cares about "Fast and Furious!" It's over, it's been exposed and that piece of shit Eric Holder (AG) isn't going to be held responsible nor is he going to be prosecuted, so get the fuck over it! All those guns aren't going to be recovered nor any of them Mexican assholes, who did the murdering, are going to be held responsible either! Move on..
ReplyDeleteIf it wasn't for so much demand for weapons coming from mexico...
ReplyDeleteSound familiar? We blame them they blame us.
Nice post. My partner and i learn one thing more challenging on different sites everyday. It will always be stimulating to read content from other writers and practice a little something from their site. I’d would prefer to use some while using the content on my blog regardless of whether you don’t mind. Natually I’ll give you a link on your own web weblog. Thanks for giving.!!!
ReplyDeletethe first post was d ead on get over it not one assholes is going to jail unless they had hispanic last names
ReplyDeleteand they say being white doesnt help now adaysssssss
How much did it cost Mexican cartels to have the tracking "lost " on 2,000 guns?
ReplyDeletewho said white doesnt help these days what fuckn rock have you been under...having a hispanic last name never helps out here in Cali a white last name and you are set..law enforcement has it comin to you if your hispanic like me so calm.down with your bo shit.....punk white head of the ATF should be arrested
ReplyDeleteThis was all a ploy to outlaw automatic rifles in the U.S.. Unfortunately for Obama and friends the whistle was blown. That's all this is. Only the dumbest sheep even find this shocking or newsworthy.
ReplyDelete12/05 2:52AM,
ReplyDeleteAre you fucking serious, do you know how to read? The comment calls the Mexicans, who did the murdering "assholes!" Basically, people forget the vast majority of the murders committed were Mexican on Mexican! Your comment is idiotic, your logic is basically.."Well duh..I was given a gun..duh, so I better go kill some people with it." What else was I supposed to do with it? So, your suggesting that Mexicans have no mind of their own, no moral compass, no regard for human life? I'm not at all condoning what the ATF did..but posting the same old shit about "F&F" over and over again isn't going to change anything. Learn how to read..dumb fuck!