Wednesday, January 4, 2012

SSI Exclusive: The Cover-up Stonewall Continues. Eric Holder's ATF Kabuki Play in advance of the February hearing designed to deflect blame from higher ups, including himself. Hoover, Chait and McMahon among the designated sacrificial goats.

DOJ acts on OIG report before it is even released.
"Why this one?" "Because he's named in the OIG Report, Holder told me so." "How'd he know? I thought the OIG process was sacrosanct." "Right. . . just slit his throat, will you? There's a whole bunch more to go." "But the OIG Report isn't even out." "Right. Look, if you're not going to slit his throat, hand me the knife."
Breaking: ATF reportedly relieves Fast and Furious managers prior to OIG report
Gun Rights Examiner and Sipsey Street Irregulars received information this evening that three of the prime Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives players in the Fast and Furious gunwalking scandal have been relieved of duties.
William Hoover, ATF's Deputy Director during Fast and Furious who was recently reassigned as Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office, Assistant Director in Charge of Field Operations Mark Chait, likewise reassigned as head of the Baltimore Field Office, and Deputy Assistant Director of Field Operations William McMahon have reportedly been sidelined pending the outcome of the anticipated report from the Office of Inspector General. Debbie Bullock a mid-level manager has reportedly been advised that she is now the acting SAC for Baltimore to assume Chait's functions.
My partner in inconvenient federal revelations has more here.
This correspondent also received a copy of a letter authored by Assistant Attorney General Weich, he of last February's now "withdrawn" letter to Senator Grassley falsely denying that the DOJ was aware of gunwalking. This letter is addressed to Senator Grassley and Congressman Issa and indicates to this observer that the stonewalling in the Gunwalker investigation continues. It is, as most of Weich's previous letters have been, personally insulting to the intelligence of both Grassley and Issa, and sticks a thumb in their collective eye while patently subverting the oversight process.
Here is a transcript of the body of the letter, sent on 21 December 2011.
Dear Chairman Issa and Senator Grassley:
This responds to your letter to the Attorney General dated November 1, 2011, which requested a comprehensive schedule of records of all government surveillance of suspected straw purchases of firearms in the United States.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) advises that it does not maintain a searchable database of cases involving surveillance of suspected straw purchases. ATF advises that creating the schedule you have requested would require a manual review of thousands of firearms trafficking case files in order to determine whether surveillance of suspected straw purchases occurred. This would entail an extraordinary commitment of time and resources that ATF is not equipped to undertake at this time. Further, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration advise that they do not conduct surveillance of straw purchases in the ordinary course of their law enforcement activities. We are not aware of any other Department components that would be likely to conduct surveillance of straw purchases. We also note that any surveillance records would likely implicate significant law enforcement and individual privacy interests.
We regret that we have been unable to assist you with your request. Please do hesitate to contact this office it we may provide further information on this this, or any other matter.
Sincerely,
Ronald Weich
Now, recall readers that the Lone Wolf Trading Company was set up for video and audio by the ATF. Acting Director Melson himself would sign on and observe dealings going down. And the ATF can't find ANY cases "involving surveillance of suspected straw purchases?" This, like the pre-OIG Report identification of the sacrificial goats of ATF, is simply more stonewalling in service of the cover-up.
As David concludes his story about the sidelining of Hoover, Chait and McMahon, "This latest reported development lends itself to the observation that Holder is protecting something else, and that this is a tactical move in anticipation of the report's release and his next trip to the Hill."
My sources concur. "The White House intends for Holder to go into the next hearing with a preliminary OIG report in his hands, indicating that he's got it all cleaned up, which is bullshit," said one. Said another, "They'll be firing some big names to convince everybody there's nothing left to see here."
On the human interest side of the story, another source was derisive about the three goats apparently now selected by the White House for sacrifice, believing them to be long overdue for some sort of karmic reckoning, saying:
"Hoover ran the Bureau with his little head instead of his big one as he was more interested in banging Anna Marie Paskalis (ATF attorney) than he was in paying attention to the ATF mission. Chait is a douche bag who abandoned his post as the SAC in New Orleans after Katrina. . . (a) no-account, low character coward. McMahon is a do-nothing boob whose involvement in running western region field operations amounted to hitting the forward button on such items as the wire tap documents for F&F while he was jet setting around the world with his girlfriend on ATF’s dime."
The question is, can Holder's ATF kabuki theater succeed in containing the blame for the Gunwalker Scandal to ATF personnel and the Phoenix U.S. Attorney's office? Based on information that this correspondent has received, and which will form the basis for future stories, I doubt it. But it will be fun to watch them try.

18 comments:

Buck Ofama said...

Charge them with accessory to murder, and 2000 individual charges of the illegal smuggling of firearms to Mexico. Next, agree to extradite them to Mexico for prosecution as accessory to 200 - 300 murders there should they ever get out of prison in the USA.

Watch them start talking!

Gunny G said...

Put them under oath and when they get caught in a lie, arrest them and move on to the next one. ONE of them will roll over and then all the dominoes will fall.

rexxhead said...

February 2nd... that's Groundhog Day, isn't it? Warm thoughts of Holder repeatedly living through a Congressional probe until he gets it right...

justiceseeker51 said...

Have you seen where there is a Motion in a Georgia court, where Obama is trying to get a "natural born" citizenship suit thrown out? The judge won't dismiss it. To be in Court in Atlanta Jan 26(?)

http://libertylegalfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Welden-GA-Opp.-Mtn.-Dismiss-1.4.pdf

http://libertylegalfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Order-Denying-Ds-Motion-to-Dismiss.pdf

http://libertylegalfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Welden-OSAH-CE-121537-60-Def-Motion-to-Dismiss.pdf

justiceseeker51 said...

Holder needs to be out, before he's able to get to the judge in GA.... I fear for him....Myself to, sometimes...for putting out all of this info.... I am a 'middle aged' lady:)

Semper Fi, 0321 said...

Turn them over to the Mexican populace, they'll fix their memory deficit.

SWIFT said...

Why is it that Hope MacAllister, Bill Newell, David Voth and George Gillett all got a pass on this "relieved of duties"? Is it because their potential testimony is too dangerous for Holder to try to offer them up as sacrificial lambs? Limited hang-out? By not adding their names, Holder just send up a red flag to Issa on how phony this latest move is.

rdf67 said...

And William Newell? Hope MacAllister? David Voth? Emory Hurley? Tonya English? Jim Needles?
Are they just going to pretend their paychecks are safe?

Anonymous said...

No matter what happens, expect Chistmas pardons. A pardon won't exempt them from extradition, though. Mexico regularly extradites wanted criminals to the US. The down side is that Mexican justice is all they'll receive. The upside is that Mexican justice is what they'll get.

Ashrak said...

Issa: Welcome back, Mr. Attorney General, to the hot seat before this oversight committee. This trip will be so very different than your previous attendances. Do you See this file to my right? Do you know what this is? No? I don't suppose you could, so I'll tell you, straightforwardly.

These, Sir, are Articles of Impeachment. If you refuse to answer, directly, the very pointed questions you are about to be asked, or if you answer them honestly and nefarious activity is demonstrated, this folder will be filed with the House Clerk before the end of the day.

Even the most average of Citizens can understand the criminal activity that has taken place, provided they have followed along as you and your crew have attempted to cover up that which you did. The cover up has failed, Mr., Attorney General, and it is time to admit that, along with the other misgivings that you and others have engaged in.

Holder: On the advice of my Attorney, I respectfully make it known to you, as SCOTUS has directed, by voiced opinion, that I will now exercise my right to remain silent so as not to incriminate myself any further.

Issa: Alrighty then. This hearing is formally adjourned and Article of Impeachment will be filed post haste.


Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that this will never happen - we don't have a government, or people in it, with enough guts to do what it is they are actually supposed to do. They are all too busy covering each other's behinds.

Just think how fast and furiously the corruption would be cleaned up if the operators of the republican form of government would actually abide by the Constitutional Boundaries that some very, very wise people enumerated so very long ago......

Anonymous said...

Who exactly from the Phoenix U.S. Attorney's Office has been held accountable? I know that Dennis Burke resigned to protect his political ass. Rachel Hernandez, Ann Schiel, Pat Cunningham, Mike Morrissey and Emory Hurley still collect government paychecks.

The only ones who have truly been forced to pay have been those who upheld their oaths of office. They were run out of town, lost thousands of dollars on their homes, as well as fighting to restore their reputations.

The Department of What?

kadar said...

William "We, ATF, are defenders of the second amendment" McMahon is scapegoated as he does not hold the company line.

Pat H. said...

If y'all don't know, all these guys are being paid big time to move around the country.

Enough that it's worth their while to comply and keep their mouths shut.

The place of birth issue won't affect the Gunwalker Scandal, it will drag out and affect next fall's election, maybe. I wouldn't bet on it, though.

Anonymous said...

another one down.

http://theulstermanreport.com/2012/01/04/hmmmm-eric-holder-assistant-abruptly-resigns-from-doj/

Little Johnny said...

Where is the State of Arizona on this?

Brian Terry was murdered in AZ. The guns in the Gunwalker scandal came from AZ.

Surely AZ has laws against committing murder. Do they have laws against supplying guns to known criminals? The Feds have already shown that guns were knowingly supplied to criminals. At the least the people who supplied the guns should be prosecuted as accomplices to Brian Terry's murder.

AZ should prosecute anyone breaking ANY State laws in this case even if they can't prosecute federal crimes.

Eric Holder has gone after AZ big time. Maybe it's time for them to join the game.

Gov. Jan Brewer should go after Holder's cronies using state laws and see if they start talking. If not, they could be spending life in an AZ prison. If they do...hey Eric, Karma's a BITCH!

SWIFT said...

Can anyone answer this question: Can Ron Weich be indicted for perjury , or as an officer of the court, is he exempt? I'd appreciate it if anyone could enlighten me. Thanks in advance!

Anonymous said...

Weich: 'Please do hesitate' as a slip instead of 'Please do not hesitate'. Where's the Viennese delegation when we need them?
===============

Anonymous said...

I guarantee there is at least one if not a small group of czars orchestrating this entire thing in concert with others to minimize impact and cobvver other ops ongoing.. there are way too many disjointed events that must have hidden connections not yet visible..

keep kicking them Mike.