Wednesday, November 9, 2011

The Revelation. "A stand-up guy" with "close ties to President Barack Obama's cabinet." Once again, the cover-up suffers from inextricable links.



NPR reported it first: Former Ariz. U.S. Attorney Admits Leaking 'Fast And Furious' Memo

Josh Gerstein in Politico: Former US Attorney owns up to Fast-and-Furious-related leak.

A politically-connected U.S. Attorney who resigned in August over the Operation Fast and Furious gunrunning probe acknowledged through his lawyers on Tuesday that he leaked a memo as part of what lawmakers say was an effort to smear a federal law enforcement agent who publicly criticized the probe's tactics.

Dennis Burke, who stepped down as U.S. Attorney in August as part of a Justice Department reshuffle of personnel involved in Fast and Furious, acknowledged to internal department investigators weeks earlier that he released the memo written by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Agent John Dodson. Dodson testified publicly at a House hearing in June about his unsuccessful attempts to persuade ATF higher-ups to abandon the tactic of gunwalking, in which government agents deliberately passed up opportunities to intercept suspicious shipments of weapons believed destined for Mexican drug cartels.

Burke "provided the memo to a reporter he had known for some time in response to the reporter's request. The reporter, who initiated the contact with Dennis, was working on several stories involving Operation Fast and Furious. It was clear to Dennis from their conversation that the reporter had either seen the memo or had it read to him," Burke attorney Lee Stein said Tuesday in a letter sent to Justice's Office of Inspector General, first reported by NPR, and posted here.

During questioning of Attorney General Eric Holder before the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) referred to the leak as an effort to smear Dodson because of his disclosures and complaints about Fast and Furious. Grassley did not publicly identify Burke, but Holder was visibly disturbed by the senator's public mention of Holder's private assurances that someone had been disciplined for the leak.

"It almost pains me,” Holder said of Grassley’s disclosure of what the attorney general called a “private conversation. “I called you to try to indicate to you that I had taken that matter seriously....In a different time in Washington, I’m not sure what you just said would have been shared with everyone here."

Neither Burke's nor Holder's public statements at the time of Burke's abrupt resignation last August made any reference to an unauthorized disclosure to the press. Some published reports said Burke was fired, but department spokespeople declined to confirm that.

Prior to his sudden exit in August, Burke was extremely well-regarded within the department and enjoyed close ties to President Barack Obama's cabinet. He served as a top aide to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, both in Washington and earlier when she was governor of Arizona. Burke was also frequently mentioned in Arizona as a potential Democratic candidate for statewide office. (Emphasis supplied, MBV.)


Burke and Newell. Both schmucks on the make, having previously sold their souls to the devil, both with personal links to the White House.

And the Obamanoids want to blame the entire scandal on THEM? How desperate is that?

11 comments:

John H. said...

Couldn't find anything on the site related or a place to put generic comments so I'll put it here and if necessary it can be moved.
from emptywheel.net in an article about the 4 old terrorist from Georgia...
She/they seem to think Mike's on the fed payroll to incite terrorizm...
Now maybe Vanderboegh and Erickson are just the FBI’s latest incarnation of Hal Turner, wingnut bloggers they pay to inspire other wingnuts whom they can arrest in Waffle House plots; maybe the FBI hasn’t tracked their calls for violence at all. But if Vanderboegh and Erickson were Muslim propagandists advocating violence–like Anwar al-Awlaki or Samir Khan–they’d probably be worried about a drone raining down from the sky.

At least they're concerned with ur safety.
John H.

Anonymous said...

This is "their" idea of stand up guys.

Clearly they serve interests other than those of the people or their employees, a fact that should not be lost upon those who still serve them and whatever they serve.

Bill said...

Burke is a turd...Holder is also a turd...only difference is Holder is a much bigger turd!

Slobyskysa Rotchikokov said...

Nuremberg trials, anyone?

Anonymous said...

In some circles a "stand up guy" is one who, once bought, stays bought. Sort of a variation of the old "He's a ______, Yes he is. But he's our _____!" line that that goes back at least to the 1870's

rdf67 said...

Interesting - Holder tells Grassley in confidence that Burke leaked the memo to the press to dissuade them from believing Dodson's wacky story about gun walking by DOJ to the cartels in Mexico. Holder rebukes Grassley for outing Burke - who has already "resigned". Burke was Napolitano's Chief of Staff and appointed to Phoenix as Gunwalker commenced in September 2009. Burke and Hurley allowed felons to buy guns and walk them to Mexico. Guess they found two guys who were well-connected to the Sinaloa. Look forward to the indictment naming Burke and Hurley and whoever else in Phoenix DOJ office who committed involuntary manslaughter.

Anonymous said...

Mere loss of the civil servant job is not equivalent to conviction and punishment for criminal activity.

otterhauser said...

Burke is the epitome of a lib wuss caught foolishly depending upon his Regime bosses to provide cover for him or bail him out after being properly crucified for following their orders.

rdf67 said...

It just occurred to me - Holder thinks that Burke is safe because he resigned. Burke will be indicted - but it would be nice if the indictment were delayed until Feburary 2013 after Obama is defeated so he can't pardon him on the way out of Dodge.

Dedicated_Dad said...

rdf67 - indictment is irrelevant - Dear Reader will issue a list of Pardons that will make Clinton look like an amateur Corruptocrat!

Mark my words, wait and see!

Post-election, he'll have nothing to lose and will pardon everyone in sight!

This is perhaps the WORST aspect of all this sickness -- even if we manage to dig out the truth against all the obstructionism (about this and other matters) the corrupt regime will simply pardon its friends and leave patsies to bear the only real punishment for the crimes of all!

WAIT
AND
SEE!!

Bad Cyborg said...

"And the Obamanoids want to blame the entire scandal on THEM? How desperate is that?"

Not a damned bit if it works. And with virtually the entire MSM covering for them how likely is it fo fail?