by Sari Horwitz of the Washington Post spoke with Anqoinette Crosby about the reassignments of Ken Melson and Emory Hurley and the resignation of Dennis Burke. You could almost hear the sadness in her voice that Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) were holding hearings into Operation Fast and Furious.
Project Gunwalker
Good Question
Wayne LaPierre appeared with Cam Edwards on NRA News following the reassignment of Ken Melson and the resignation of Dennis Burke. As Wayne asks, how can Valerie Plame get a special prosecutor and Eric Holder gets to continue his cover-up? Good question.
I Can’t Believe An ATF Official Actually Said This
Julie Torres is the Deputy Assistant Director for Field Operations (East) with ATF. On Monday she sent out an open letter to all Federal firearms licensees regarding the September 11th anniversary.
The letter warns FFLs to exercise “increased awareness and vigilance” as September 11th approaches. While ATF has no specific threat information, they obviously believe that gun shops would be targets for terrorists seeking weapons.
After giving links to publications on safety and security and after reminding dealers that they have a legal obligation to report losses to both local law enforcement as well as ATF, Ms. Torres includes this statement:
Any time you spot suspicious activity associated with your Federal firearms license, please contact your local ATF field office immediately.
In light of the behavior of ATF officials in Project Gunwalker I find this highly ironic. Dealers did contact ATF immediately in both Texas and Arizona when they were faced with dubious buyers making suspicious purchases. They were ordered by the ATF to let those sales go through even though they were going to what obviously were straw purchasers.
So, Ms. Torres, you may want to reevaluate your choice of words in the future. Or better yet, cooperate with the dealers when they are asking you for permission to reject suspicious sales.
Chuck Grassley On FoxNews About ATF Changes
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was interviewed today about the changes at ATF and DOJ by Jenna Lee of Fox News.
While Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) was given a courtesy call by Attorney General Eric Holder about the changes, Grassley was not despite being the Ranking Minority Member on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Common courtesy never has been a strong suit of anyone in the Obama Administration it seems.
Asked about whether DOJ is still stonewalling on the request for documents, Grassley said it has improved but they are still getting many documents that are just black sheets of paper.
Updated Report On Moves At ATF And DOJ By CBS
Sharyl Attkisson had an updated report on the reassignment of Kenneth Melson and the resignation of Dennis Burke. Also revealed in this report is the ATF Senior Agent John Dodson is being transferred from Arizona to South Carolina. While not mentioned in the report, it is my understanding that three out of the four ATF Special Agents who testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee have been transferred out of Arizona.
Darrell Issa On FoxNews About Melson And Burke
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, was interviewed last night on Greta van Sustren’s On The Record. He said his real concern is that no one involved in Operation Fast and Furious has been held accountable to the point of facing criminal charges for their actions.
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
A Roundup Of Interviews From Cam And Company On DOJ Moves
Cam Edwards of NRA News devoted most of the show last night to the big moves at the Department of Justice. Among his guests were Representatives Paul Gosar (R-AZ) and Blake Farenthold (R-TX) both of whom serve on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. He also had Katie Pavlich of Townhall.com and columnist Michelle Malkin on as guests. They have done a great job of reporting on Project Gunwalker over the past months.
First, Rep. Blake Farenthold who noted that the reassignment of Newell, Voth, and McMahon to ATF HQ reminded him of a shell game on a street corner in New York City.
Second up is Rep. Paul Gosar who calls the administrative shuffle of ATF agents and Ken Melson as “bringing them home to the nest” so they can protect them.
Michelle Malkin says the moves yesterday were not a surprise coming from the “master of screwing up and moving up” Eric Holder.
Finally, Katie Pavlich says that the moves are an attempt to buy time by DOJ as they continue to stonewall the Congressional investigation into Project Gunwalker.
Quote Of The Day
The quote of the day comes from Michelle Malkin. It is actually two quotes from her article last night in the New York Post regarding the changes at the Department of Justice made due to Project Gunwalker.
First on the reassignment of Kenneth Melson to a position within the Department of Justice as well as the promotions of Newell, Voth, and McMahon to ATF Headquarters in Washington, DC:
Keep your friends close and your henchmen on the verge of spilling all the beans closer.
The second quote from Malkin is an indictment of the Department of Justice for its handling of Operation Fast and Furious and the fact that only U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke is out of a job:
Screw up, move up, cover up: It’s the Holder way, the Obama way, the Washington way. And innocent Americans pay.
Reactions On Capitol Hill To Melson “Reassignment”
Some in the Obama Administration must have thought that the furor over Project Gunwalker might blow over if Kenneth Melson and Dennis Burke were gone. I don’t think they are going to get their wish.
Rep. Darrell Issa’s statement on resignation of Dennis Burke and the reassignment of Kenneth Melson:
(WASHINGTON) House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) today released the following statement regarding Department of Justice personnel changes involving Arizona U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke, ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory Hurley:
“While the reckless disregard for safety that took place in Operation Fast and Furious certainly merits changes within the Department of Justice, the Oversight and Government Reform Committee will continue its investigation to ensure that blame isn’t offloaded on just a few individuals for a matter that involved much higher levels of the Justice Department. There are still many questions to be answered about what happened in Operation Fast and Furious and who else bears responsibility, but these changes are warranted and offer an opportunity for the Justice Department to explain the role other officials and offices played in the infamous efforts to allow weapons to flow to Mexican drug cartels. I also remain very concerned by Acting Director Melson’s statement that the Department of Justice is managing its response in a manner intended to protect its political appointees. Senator Grassley and I will continue to press the Department of Justice for answers in order to ensure that a reckless effort like Fast and Furious does not take place again.”
While Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has not issued a statement yet, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) did issue one. Cornyn, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is one of the newer critics of Project Gunwalker as it seems to have spread to his home state of Texas.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and former state Attorney General, today responded to reports that Kenneth E. Melson, the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and other Department of Justice officials who oversaw the “Fast and Furious” gun-walking operation, have been reassigned to new positions within the Justice Department:
“Instead of reassigning those responsible for ‘Fast and Furious’ within the Department of Justice, Attorney General Holder should ask for their resignations and come clean on all alleged gun-walking operations, including a detailed response to allegations of a Texas-based scheme.”
Earlier this month, Sen. Cornyn sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder demanding answers following recent press reports of alleged Texas-based “gun-walking” programs similar to the “Fast and Furious” operation currently being investigated by Congressional lawmakers. To date, Attorney General Holder has refused to respond.
The Democrats on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee seem to be rather quiet on the whole change. Nothing is listed on the minority section of the committee’s website nor on Ranking Member Elijah Cummings’ page. Checking the Queen Bee of Gun Control Rep. Carolyn McCarthy’s website and there is nothing there either. Finally, checking Rep. Carolyn Maloney’s site there is no mention of Melson being reassigned either.
UPDATE: Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) represents the 1st District of Arizona. He is also a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. In what must be a disappointing sign to administration officials, Gosar says the investigation into Project Gunwalker must go forward.
Congressman Gosar’s Statement on Arizona U.S. Attorney Burke’s Resignation and BATFE Acting Director Melson’s Reassignment
Safford, AZ –Congressman Paul Gosar (AZ-01) issued the following statement regarding the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) Acting Director Kenneth Melson’s demotion to the Department of Justice Office of Legal Policy, and the resignation of Arizona U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke:
“The resignation of U.S. Attorney Burke and the demotion of Acting ATF Director Melson are only small steps on the long road to accountability for the Department of Justice. As the only Arizona congressman who serves on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, please be assured I will continue to press the Department of Justice for answers about Operation Fast and Furious.”
“I will not rest until the American people are informed about who authorized the program, who allowed it to continue despite grave misgivings on the part of dedicated ATF agents, and who is responsible for the lack of transparency from DOJ thus far.”
Congressman Paul A. Gosar, a member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, represents Arizona’s First Congressional District. For more information on Congressman Gosar’s involvement in the investigation into Operations Fast and Furious, please visit http://gosar.house.gov.
UPDATE II: The Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire has some comments by Senator Chuck Grassley on the “reassignment” of Ken Melson and resignation of Dennis Burke.
“There’s a lot of blame to go around. As our investigation moves forward, and we get to the bottom of this policy, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more fall out beyond the resignations and new assignments announced today,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley (R., Iowa)….
Mr. Grassley called the shakeup “an admission by the Obama administration that serious mistakes were made in Operation Fast and Furious, and is a step in the right direction that they are continuing to limit any further damage that people involved in this disastrous strategy can do.”
UPDATE III: Sen. Chuck Grassley posted the following reaction to today’s events at ATF and DOJ on his website this evening:
Grassley Reacts to New Fall-out from ATF Oversight
Senator Chuck Grassley made the following comment after the resignations and new assignments of several officials involved in the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives strategy known as Fast and Furious.
“Today’s announcement is an admission by the Obama administration that serious mistakes were made in Operation Fast and Furious, and is a step in the right direction that they are continuing to limit any further damage that people involved in this disastrous strategy can do.
“There’s a lot of blame to go around. As our investigation moves forward, and we get to the bottom of this policy, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more fall out beyond the resignations and new assignments announced today.
“The Justice Department and the ATF have yet to answer a majority of the questions and still must produce many of the documents Congressman Issa and I have asked for. We’re looking for a full accounting from the Justice Department as to who knew what and when, so we can be sure that this ill-advised strategy never happens again.”
Sharyl Attkisson On Changes At ATF
Sharyl Attkisson of CBS News has an on-air report on the changes at ATF today. One of the things she says towards the end of her report was quite interesting. An administration official told CBS that “nobody is naive enough to believe these changes end the controversy but the Department of Justice believes ATF has been bogged down by mistakes made over the past couple of months and desperately needed fresh air and a new start.”