Fast And Furious

DOJ: Issa's Move To Hold AG In Contempt 'Unprecedented'

Ryan J. Reilly | May 15, 2012, 6:16PM

Rep Darrell Issa (R-CA) confers with a staffer.

Rep. Darrell Issa's drive to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt is "unwarranted," "unprecedented" and "ill-advised," a top Justice Department official said in a letter to the California Republican, who is chair of the House Oversight Committee, on Tuesday.

Deputy Attorney General James Cole also wrote that the committee's "core questions" on the flawed gun trafficking operation known as Fast and Furious "have been answered."

Cole suggested that the lack of documents showing high-level discussions about the tactics used in Fast and Furious show the problem grew out of offices in Arizona and that top Obama administration were not aware that ATF agents were telling gun shop dealers to sell large quantities of weapons to individuals they suspected were "straw purchasers" for Mexican drug cartels.

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Fast And Furious

Issa's Holder Contempt Resolution All About Politics, Say Experts

Ryan J. Reilly | May 4, 2012, 5:57AM

A year after floating the idea, House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa made a big move Thursday by releasing a draft contempt resolution against Attorney General Eric Holder, claiming the Justice Department hasn't cooperated with his congressional investigation into the flawed ATF operation known as "Fast and Furious."

But several experts in congressional contempt proceedings told TPM that Issa's move is mostly a problem of political perception for Holder. Legal consequences, should the House pass the contempt resolution, would take years to sort out.

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Fast And Furious

Fast And Furious: GOP Moves Towards Holder Contempt Resolution

Ryan J. Reilly | April 27, 2012, 1:50PM

Attorney General Eric Holder

Led by House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Republicans in the House are preparing a contempt resolution against Attorney General Eric Holder, alleging that the nation's top law enforcement official has obstructed a congressional investigation into a federal operation that allowed guns to flow to Mexican drug cartels.

A congressional source with knowledge of the contempt resolution confirmed to TPM that a draft does exist and said Republican leadership had been very supportive of the measure, which was first reported by CBS News. CBS said House Speaker John Boehner had given Issa the go-ahead to pursue the resolution, but a GOP leadership aide disputed that report and told TPM that "no decision" had been made.

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Fast And Furious

Obama DOJ Makes It Easier For Legal 'Aliens' To Get Guns

Ryan J. Reilly | December 22, 2011, 3:09PM

President Barack Obama

In the midst of the Fast and Furious scandal, the Obama administration just made it easier for immigrants in the United States legally to purchase weapons from licensed firearms dealers.

Under the Gun Control Act (GCA), individuals are generally prohibited from transferring firearms to "any unlicensed person who they know or have reasonable cause to believe does not reside in the State in which the transferor resides."

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Fast And Furious

Obama Has 'Full Confidence' In Eric Holder Ahead Of 'Fast And Furious' Hearing

Ryan J. Reilly | December 8, 2011, 1:05AM

While House Republicans gear up to grill Attorney General Eric Holder about what-he-knew-when about ATF's botched Operation Fast and Furious at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday, the White House is signaling they're standing by the nation's top law enforcement officer.

"As the President has made clear, he believes Eric Holder is an excellent Attorney General who has his full confidence," White House spokesman Eric Schultz said in a statement to TPM on Wednesday.

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Darrell Issa

Issa's Suggestion Of Folding ATF's Duties Into FBI Probably Isn't Going Anywhere

Ryan J. Reilly | December 5, 2011, 12:03PM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) suggested Friday that the role of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives could be folded into the FBI in the wake of ATF's botched Fast and Furious operation.

Issa's House Oversight Committee has been investigating Fast and Furious, the operation which let guns flow across the border into Mexico in the course of an investigation aimed at stopping gun trafficking.

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DOJ

DOJ: Issa's Theory That Gun Disappeared After Border Patrolman's Murder 'Maligns' FBI Agents

Ryan J. Reilly | October 17, 2011, 7:30PM

Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) said Sunday that he was worried about what he saw as certain inconsistencies in the investigation into the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and floated the theory that there was a third weapon at the scene. Federal officials say he didn't do his homework.

Two weapons linked to ATF's botched Fast and Furious operation (which allowed guns to "walk" into Mexico) had been found at the scene of Terry's death, but investigators haven't determined conclusively if one of those weapons killed him. It was Terry's murder that lead to complaints from ATF agents about the the bureau's anti-gun trafficking program.

"If weapon number one [which] appears to be missing were ballistically matched," Issa said on CBS "Face the Nation", "we would have an absolute rather than the inconsistency." From the interview:

Host Bob Schieffer: Are you suggesting that maybe that might be the gun, that evidence shows was the murder weapon, and for some reason the FBI has not disclosed that?

Chairman Issa: Well, we certainly want to know in some cases, as you know, there are investigations where there's materials that people feel are very sensitive.

Issa also added that the FBI "has a history in some cases of working with felons and criminals and hiding their other crimes."

A Justice Department spokeswoman said that Issa's false accusation "maligns the dedicated agents investigating the murder of Agent Terry" and "mischaracterizes evidence in an ongoing case."

"The FBI has made clear that reports of a third gun recovered from the perpetrators at the scene of Agent Terry's murder are false," Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said in a statement to reporters.

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ATF

Emails: Bush-Era Embassy, Prosecutor's Office Approved ATF 'Gun Walking' Tactic

Ryan J. Reilly | October 14, 2011, 5:00PM

As House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) continues to try to pin the flawed "gun walking" tactic employed in Operation Fast and Furious on the Obama administration, it's becoming increasingly clear that problems with ATF's Phoenix division date back at least into the Bush era.

TPM has obtained the documents relating to another Bush-era ATF operation (on top of Operation Wide Receiver) which deployed the "gun walking" tactic. The development was first reported by Pete Yost of the Associated Press.

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Darrell Issa

Despite Denials, Sources Say Darrell Issa Was Briefed On Details Of ATF's 'Fast And Furious'

Ryan J. Reilly | October 14, 2011, 9:15AM

House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) said this week that he was "never" briefed about what was going on in Operation Fast and Furious and that ATF agents who ran an April 2010 briefing he attended "never mentioned 'Fast and Furious' by name."

That contradicts contemporaneous documents prepared for that meeting as well as the claims of officials familiar with the briefing, who say Fast and Furious was, in fact, discussed in detail. Still, Issa's office says staffers at the meeting don't recall Fast and Furious coming up and say they weren't given the briefing materials.

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Fast And Furious

Issa To Holder: Time 'To Come Clean' About Fast And Furious

Ryan J. Reilly | October 10, 2011, 1:50PM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) sent a letter firing back at Attorney General Eric Holder, who had accused House Republicans of engaging in "political posturing" instead of trying to actually get to the bottom of what went wrong in ATF's Fast and Furious scandal.

"Incredibly, in your letter from Friday you now claim that you were unaware of Fast and Furious because your staff failed to inform you of information contained in memos that were specifically addressed to you," Issa wrote.

"At best, this indicates negligence and incompetence in your duties as Attorney General. At worst, it places your credibility into serious doubt," he continued.

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Eric Holder

DOJ: Holder Was 'Consistent And Truthful' About Fast And Furious

Ryan J. Reilly | October 4, 2011, 6:30PM

Attorney General Eric Holder

Justice Department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler issued this statement about the Republican allegation that Attorney General Eric Holder lied to Congress about his knowledge of the controversial ATF program known as Fast and Furious:

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Eric Holder

'Operation Wide Receiver': The Bush Administration Had Its Very Own ATF 'Gun Walking' Scandal

Ryan J. Reilly | October 4, 2011, 3:50PM

Fmr. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and President George W. Bush

Updated: Oct. 4, 6:45PM

Know how Republicans have been blaming the Obama administration for a local ATF office's decision to let thousands of guns "walk" into Mexico? Turns out the Bush administration had a "gun walking" program of their very own.

Republicans on Tuesday called for a special prosecutor to look into whether Attorney General Eric Holder perjured himself during testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on ATF's Fast and Furious scandal.

Holder had testified on May 3 that he was "not sure of the exact date, but I probably heard about Fast and Furious for the first time over the last few weeks."

Documents have now emerged showing that the "Fast and Furious" program came up in the course of a couple of Holder's extensive weekly reports on ongoing developments in the Justice Department and its components in July 2010 and again in October 2010.

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ATF

ATF Promotes Agents Who Ran Program Which Let Guns 'Walk' To Drug Cartels

Ryan J. Reilly | August 16, 2011, 12:25PM

Acting ATF Head, Ken Melson

Three supervisors who ran Operation Fast and Furious, the program which allowed at least 2,000 semiautomatic weapons to be illegally trafficked over the border into Mexico, have been promoted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

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Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives

To Combat Gun Trafficking, ATF Ask Dealers To Report Sales Of Semi-Automatic Rifles

Ryan J. Reilly | July 11, 2011, 3:27PM

Amid ongoing probes of the ATF Fast and Furious scandal, the Obama administration announced Monday that they are asking gun dealers in four border states to report when they sell two or more semi-automatic weapons to an individual in a period of five business days.

The rule, enforced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), is meant to slow the trafficking of weapons across the Southern border and into the hands of Mexican drug cartels.

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Justice Department

Amid ATF Fast And Furious Scandal, House Democrats Point To Weak Gun Laws

Ryan J. Reilly | June 30, 2011, 8:00AM

Rep. Darrell E. Issa (D-CA) and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD)

A new report from the Democrats on the House Oversight Committee points to the difficulties that weak gun laws pose for federal agents trying to stop gun trafficking on the Mexican border.

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Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart: ATF Director Was 'Tivoing' Fast And Furious Plan (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | June 22, 2011, 2:45PM

The Fast and Furious scandal at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has reached the Daily Show stage.

On his program last night, Jon Stewart mocked the ATF plan, in which the agency asked gun dealers to allow sales of weapons to individuals they suspected were straw purchasers so they could track where the weapons ended up.

"If this was the plan that they went with, what plan did we reject?" Stewart asked.

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ATF

Issa Refuses To Let ATF Agents Testify Against 'Toothless' Gun Laws (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | June 15, 2011, 12:40PM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) wouldn't let ATF agents testifying before his House Oversight Committee hearing Wednesday on the controversial Project Gunrunner say how weak U.S. gun laws were making it difficult for them to catch criminals smuggling assault weapons to Mexican drug cartels.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) asked one of the agents if weak gun laws made their prosecutions difficult.

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ATF

Issa Report: ATF Agents In 'State Of Panic' Over Gunrunner Program

Ryan J. Reilly | June 15, 2011, 11:32AM

Rep. Darrell E. Issa (D-CA) and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD)

The Obama administration handed over documents on a controversial anti-gunrunning program run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) just ahead of a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing Wednesday chaired by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).

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ATF

What To Expect From Darrell Issa's Hearing On ATF's 'Project Gunrunner'

Ryan J. Reilly | June 15, 2011, 5:45AM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, will hold the most high-profile hearing yet Wednesday in his investigation into Project Gunrunner, the controversial program run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) which apparently let weapons the agency was supposed to keep tabs on end up in the hands of Mexican drug cartels.

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Darrell Issa

Cummings: Issa Staff Released Document Under Seal In ATF Gunrunner Probe

Ryan J. Reilly | June 14, 2011, 5:45AM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)

Staffers working for House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) improperly disclosed information about a criminal investigation being run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) which could have compromised ongoing criminal proceedings, according to a letter House Oversight Ranking Member Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) sent to Issa on Monday.

Justice Department officials met with committee staffers on May 5 and told them the committee had released a document filed under seal, Cummings wrote. A federal district court judge had issued an order prohibiting the public release of a particular document, according to Cummings' letter.

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Darrell Issa

Too Fast, Too Furious? Guns In Mexico Stash Traced To ATF Ahead Of Issa Hearing

Ryan J. Reilly | June 9, 2011, 12:00PM

At least five Romanian-made AK-47-style assault rifles purchased by suspects being traced by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were found in a stash of weapons in Mexico, Evan Perez reports in a front-page story for the Wall Street Journal.

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Project Gunrunner

Issa's Office: Obama Admin Wouldn't Answer Questions On 'Role In Arming Deadly Drug Cartels'

Ryan J. Reilly | April 29, 2011, 12:55PM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and President Barack Obama (D)

As congressional investigators ramp up their investigation into Project Gunrunner, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is ramping up his rhetoric.

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ATF

Amid Probe Of 'Project Gunrunner,' Obama Seeks Comments On ATF's Anti-Gun Trafficking Rule

Ryan J. Reilly | April 28, 2011, 3:55PM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and President Barack Obama (D)

As House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) probes Project Gunrunner -- the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) effort aimed at combating gun trafficking on the Mexican border that went awry -- the Obama administration is seeking another round of comments on a controversial proposal to make gun dealers in four border states report sales of multiple rifles.

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Project Gunrunner

Issa Says ATF Not Cooperating With Subpoena, Threatens Contempt Proceedings

Ryan J. Reilly | April 20, 2011, 11:20AM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)

The chairman of the House Oversight Committee says that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is not cooperating with his committee's probe of the controversial Project Gunrunner and said he'll be forced to begin contempt proceedings unless that changes soon.

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ATF

Gun Dealer To Feds: ATF Sting May Let Guns Go To 'Bad Guys'

Ryan J. Reilly | April 15, 2011, 11:30AM

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

As early as April 2010, an Arizona gun dealer was expressing concern to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) about whether firearms sold from his store as part of a federal sting could end up in the wrong hands.

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Project Gunrunner

Darrell Issa Subpoenas Records On 'Project Gunrunner'

Melissa Jeltsen | April 1, 2011, 11:58AM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) wants answers about Project Gunrunner -- a controversial initiative targeting illegal gun trafficking on the Mexico border -- and he wants them now.

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Project Gunrunner

President Obama on Project Gunrunner: A 'Serious Mistake' May Have Been Made

Melissa Jeltsen | March 24, 2011, 9:40AM

President Barack Obama

In his first public comments addressing Project Gunrunner -- a national initiative by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to combat illegal gun trafficking along the Mexico border now taking heat for allegedly letting guns end up in the hands of criminals -- President Barack Obama conceded that "a serious mistake" may have been made.

During an interview with a reporter from Univision that aired Tuesday night, Obama said he was "absolutely not" informed about the ATF program. The agency came under fire after a senior ATF agent told media outlets that supervisors ordered agents not to intercept weapons made in suspicious sales -- but instead to monitor them to see where the weapons ended up.

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Darrell Issa

Darrell Issa To Investigate ATF's Controversial Gunrunner Project

Melissa Jeltsen | March 17, 2011, 11:30AM

Darrell Issa (R-CA) lobbed criticism at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Wednesday night and revealed he is investigating allegations that the agency intentionally let more than 1,700 guns be illegally trafficked to Mexico.

Issa, who is chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, told the Roger Hedgecock Show the ATF probe will be one of his primary investigations.

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ATF

Feds Indict Mayor, Police Chief Of Border Town As ATF 'Gunrunner' Program Faces Heat

Ryan J. Reilly and Melissa Jeltsen | March 15, 2011, 9:45AM

Eleven people -- including the mayor, police chief and a town councilman in Columbus, N.M. -- have been indicted by the feds for alleged involvement in an international gun running scheme that may have fueled violence south of the border.

Ten out of the eleven defendants charged in the trafficking ring will be arraigned Tuesday on charges of conspiracy, smuggling and making false statements in connection with firearms purchases, according to federal officials.

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ATF

Gov't Too Scared Of NRA To Stop Border Gun Trafficking

Ryan J. Reilly | December 15, 2010, 1:53PM

Just how much power does the National Rifle Association wield in Washington? Enough that a plan quietly proposed by federal agents to combat illegal gun trafficking along the Mexico border has languished at the Justice Department for months -- all because officials are worried about what the NRA might think.

The Washington Post published an account of the internal debate today, outlining the enormity of the influence the gun lobby -- led by the NRA -- holds over federal gun policy and its enforcement.

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ATF

DOJ Watchdog Knocks ATF's Anti-Gun Trafficking Program

Ryan J. Reilly | November 9, 2010, 12:04PM

Weapons seized from members of the drug cartel, "Los Zetas."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is not sharing information with other federal agencies, is not properly communicating with Mexican officials and is focusing too much of their effort on low-level gun traffickers while ignoring the bigger cases, according to a report by the Justice Department Inspector General released Tuesday.

DOJ Inspector General Glenn Fine's report focuses on ATF's implementation of "Project Gunrunner," which became a national initiative in 2006 to combat illegal gun trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border. Fine found "significant weaknesses in ATF's implementation of Project Gunrunner undermine its effectiveness."

The agency "does not systematically and consistently exchange intelligence with its Mexican and some U.S. partner agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Customs and Border Protection," the report found.

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