Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Dam Breaks. Oh, Gunwalker, where is thy sting? Melson and his popcorn. The meeting of Obama's Gunwalker capos & "a goin' jessie."


For those who have been paying attention, the Gunwalker conspirators' cover-up has been reduced to a tattered piece of underwear that wouldn't cover Weiner's little wiener.

First, the testimony of the ATF agents at the hearing today demonstrated that there was no "sting", thus there could not have been a "botched sting." What there was, it seems, was a program to encourage straw purchases and smuggling, but no "sting" by any known meaning of that word. Which begs the question, why? Issa, nettled by Cummings' complaints of a "political agenda" responded by asking if the entire purpose of allowing large numbers of weapons into Mexico didn't itself serve a political purpose? Meaning, of course, further restrictions on American firearm rights. Precisely.

Second, the the Melson emails, released by the Committee, show that the Acting Director was "very much in the weeds" of Gunwalker, with at least weekly briefings and his own Internet access to the webcams situated at the Lone Wolf Trading Company.

From the Committee press release:

Moments ago in his opening statement at today’s hearing, Operation Fast and Furious: Reckless Decisions, Tragic Outcomes, Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) released three e-mails detailing the intimate involvement of ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson and Acting Deputy Director Bill Hoover in Operation Fast and Furious:

-The first e-mail from March 10, 2010, to Operation Fast and Furious Group VII Leader David Voth indicates that the two most senior leaders in ATF, Acting Director Kenneth Melson, and Deputy Director Billy Hoover, were “being briefed weekly on” Operation Fast and Furious. The document shows that both Melson and Hoover were “keenly interested in case updates.”

- A second e-mail from March 12, 2010, shows that Deputy Assistant Director for Field Operations William McMahon was so excited about Fast and Furious that he received a special briefing on the program in Phoenix - scheduled for a mere 45 minutes after his plane landed.

-A third - and perhaps the most disturbing – e-mail from April 12, 2010, indicates that Acting Director Melson was very much in the weeds with Operation Fast and Furious. After a detailed briefing of the program by the ATF Phoenix Field Division, Acting Director Melson had a plethora of follow-up questions that required additional research to answer. As the document indicates, Mr. Melson was interested in the IP Address for hidden cameras located inside cooperating gun shops. With this information, Acting Director Melson was able to sit at his desk in Washington and – himself – watch a live feed of the straw buyers entering the gun stores to purchase dozens of AK-47 variants.



Ken Melson exerts headquarters oversight in the Gunwalker scandal.

Melson undoubtedly sat at his desk and watched the gunwalking in real time. You've got to wonder if he had his secretary pop some popcorn. Melson now has a choice, roll or take the fall. And it is a fall that, according to my sources, increasingly looks like it might involve some prison time.

Third, John Solomon's blockbuster that there was a meeting in October 2009 involving representatives at the highest levels of various agencies from whence Gunwalker first toddled. A comprehensive list of the people at that meeting just might bring the entire rotten edifice down upon the conspirators. Don't think that Issa's people aren't keenly interested in that list, and the notes taken and memos issued.


FBI Director Robert Mueller. He was at the October 2009 meeting. I think Issa should subpoena him and ask him about the Terry murder cover-up.

Folks, we're just gettin' started. As they say up in Winston County, the Gunwalker Scandal is now "a goin' jessie."

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Got a link to the particulars on the testimony today? I've got some people that need to see this, but frankly Mike, your site would probably make them crap their pants. They almost lose it going to politico, so...

chesepioc said...

Watch all four hours today, lots of interesting stuff. One ATF agent testified that the Phoenix AG's office refused to prosecute many good cases. One notable case was kicked because the gun was in Mexico and the AG cited that because of where the evidence was, they couldn't make a case, even though they had a pretty strong one. The question was then asked, well if the local AG won't prosecute solid cases brought to them by the ATF, and they won't prosecute a case because the gun (evidence) happened to be in Mexico, then how was Project F&F going to accomplish its goals of a big bust and prosecution with conspiracy seeing all the guns and actors would be in fact, in Mexico? Then Issa ripped Holder's representative to shreds. The guy refused to answer every pointed question. Most disgusting was that the democrats were obviously going to do everything to hinder the committee and try and make this a referendum on gun control laws in America.

Mike Landfair said...

I watched much of the hearings today and was very impressed with the knowledge of the ATF agents, the whistleblowers. This is a story that needs full public disclosure and all those abetting the walking of guns need to be brought to justice, no matter how high up in the DOJ or WH. Thanks for all your work

Anonymous said...

Said it before, say it again.
All the upper management go to jail.
De-fund and disband the entire ATF.
If the other three-letter agencies want to hire the field agents, fine. Otherwise, have fun looking for a job, just like all the other schlubs out in the real-world economy.

B Woodman
III-per

Anonymous said...

"Oh, Gunwalker, here is thy sting?"

From the droll title, it is a safe to assume Mike is in high spirits after hearing today's testimony. :^)

MALTHUS

Scott J said...

This post came to mind when I was wating to start teaching VBS tonight.

It then reminded me of this scene from the Lord of The Rings movies.

Particularly the part starting at 3:29: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTFP9QQzEL4

This truly might be the last march of the Ents in the scheme of Liberty. I pray we are as effective in the overall war.

aughtsix said...

Once more, with feeling:

Mike and David deserve the Medal of Liberty, with Laurels, Oak Leaf Clusters, Ruffles and Flourishes for intelligently and doggedly bringing this to light and making sure it wouldn't go away.

For those who don't know, the Medal of Liberty is the highest award a Citizen of the FreeFor can receive for service above and beyond the call of common citizenship.

I just initiated this honorific and trust that the shining example of its first two recipients will ensure its enshrinement and continuity.

My tongue may be slightly in my cheek but my heart is plainly and honestly on my sleeve.

Mike and David are solidly in the line of the Founders.

Jon III

III Forever!

Forever Free!

Col Bat Guano said...

Melson has probably said, "Doh!" several times today! This stooge has blood on his hands. He needs fitting for an orange jump suit and shackles!

Anonymous said...

Mike,

The one thing I couldn't get my head around is why would drug lords go through the trouble of paying top dollar for semi-auto AK's and them smuggling them back to Mexico when they can get the real thing through the southern border much cheaper. The only thing that makes sense is if the BATF funded the purchases.

Kurt '45superman' Hofmann said...

My favorite 70 seconds. Even though SA Forcelli wasn't ready to call it a political ploy, he had to admit that it obviously had zero law enforcement utility (so what else could have been the motivation?).

Anonymous said...

Issa and Grassley need to follow the money.

Col Bat Guano said...

Anon at 8:03 is reading my mind. Why would drug cartels buy from registered gun stores when they could get the same product with no strings on the black market. Some things here aren't adding up.

Anonymous said...

I previously questioned Congressman Issa's and Congressman Grassley's resolve in this case. I also said that If I was proven wrong I would come back and admit it. After watching much of the hearing yesterday, I proudly admit I was wrong.

theaton

Anonymous said...

Col Bat,

Orange jump suits are for criminals. Melson is a traitor and should be hung. Anybody else in the Administration that approved this or knew it was going are also traitors and should be hung.

theaton

1NCCCH said...

Does it bother anyone else that the surveillance cams in the Phoenix area guns stores also probably captured images of lawful purchasers? I'd be pissed if I found out I was being filmed during a lawful purchase w/o my permission. My retail habits are none of the government's business. Seems to me the distrust this arrangement might create would be of collateral benefit to the ATF gun-porn voyeurs by driving a wedge between supply and demand. In any case, I'll bet "Pee Wee Herman" Melson watched the feed with a newspaper over his lap...

Anonymous said...

First - Note that Obama wants to extend Mueller's appointment as head of FBI for 2 more years. Is Obama concerned someone new will uncover the facts? Would Mueller have to be confirmed by the Seate for the reappointment????
Second - We are witnessing history. I remember Watergate. This will be as big. Vanderbough and Codrea are the Woodward and Burnstein of Gunwalker.

Anonymous said...

Mike and David have much more integrity than Woodward and Bernstein. Mike and David deserve the admiration of the citizenry. They are doing while we are just talking.

I hope we are witnessing history. The outcome is still unclear.

theaton

Luis said...

To Col. Bat:

Regarding the question of where the Mexican cartels get most of their arms, they come from a wide array of sources:

1. Stolen from the Mexican government's own armories.

2. Bribing Mexican police and soldiers to work for them, and bring their weapons with them.

3. International arms bazaars in South America, Asia, Europe and Africa.

You simply can't buy grenade launchers or AK-47s at "Father and Son Gunshop"