A Codrea/Vanderboegh Exclusive: "ATF Counsel email to Melson on Gunwalker-Terry murder link preceded intimidation."

A just-uncovered January 5, 2011 email to former Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Acting Director Kenneth Melson from Stephen R. Rubenstein, Chief Counsel, ATF, responded to a request by Melson for information regarding allegations on whistleblower website CleanUpATF that walked guns were linked to the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, and indicated this was a violation of ATF Orders and Standards of Conduct.

Copies of the email and Melson’s reply are posted in David Codrea's Scribd account.

Per Rubenstein’s email:

This is in response to your request regarding information posted on "Clean Up ATF." Specifically, on December 22, 2010, "1desrtrat" [screen name used by CUATF comment poster--DC] stated that "word is" that Phoenix FD ASAC George Gillet "[a]llegedly approved more than 500 AR-15 type rifles from Phoenix and Tucson cases to be 'walked' into Mexico." The post further states that "[o]ne of those rifles is rumored to have been linked to the recent killing of a Border Patrol Officer in Nogales, AZ."

That post can be read here, and was the basis for my initial December 28 report on the Gunwalker/Terry nexus.

“The disclosure of this information has a potential deleterious effect on ATF's undercover operations,” Rubenstien continued. “In that regard, suspects may alter their behavior if they know that law enforcement is allowing certain firearms to 'walk' into Mexico. In addition, public knowledge of this type of operation potentially places informants and undercover agents in jeopardy. Finally, public disclosure of such information could ATF's working relationship with Mexico.”

Examined objectively, Rubenstein admitted guns were purposely allowed to walk, that walking guns to a foreign country must be hidden from the public, and that if the Mexicans found out about it, cooperative law enforcement efforts would be jeopardized.

“If ‘1desertrat’ is an ATF employee,” Rubenstein advised, “then he/she is subject to our Orders and Standards of Conduct.”

Examined objectively, Rubenstein admitted "1desertrat's" allegations were true, otherwise, there could be no disclosure of official information, nor jeopardizing of operations, personnel or relationships.

Copied on the email to Melson, and apparently taking this assessment from his boss as marching orders, was ATF Associate Chief Counsel Barry S. Orlow. Per The Washington Times in a July report:

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell E. Issa, California Republican, said at least two scheduled witnesses expected to be asked about a controversial weapons investigation known as “Fast and Furious”received warning letters from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to limit their testimony…after receiving subpoenas, at least two of the agents got letters from ATF Associate Chief Counsel Barry S. Orlow warning them to keep certain areas off-limits, including those still under investigation. Neither of the targeted agents was identified.

Mr. Issa said at least one witness wanted to back out of testifying to his committee after receiving the letter, but the chairman declined that request. Instead he fired a letter back to William J. Hoover, deputy director of ATF, saying the “timing and content of this letter strongly suggest that ATF is obstructing and interfering with the congressional investigation.”

David Codrea's Gun Rights Examiner June 22 report on the Issa letter, including a copy of it, can be read here.

Melson’s reply to Rubenstein:

Thanks, Steve. I am going to forward this to A. Ken.

His self-interested cooperation with Congressional investigators notwithstanding, the former Acting Director’s cognizance and involvement warrant further examination of his role in covering up Gunwalker activities and retaliating against whistleblowers.

And who "A" is remains to be determined.

I will have more on the Chief Counsels Office and the cover-up later today. David's post is here.

Interesting,

From Trinidad and Tobago: Tracing begins on 102 seized guns.

Media Matters once again defends the murderously indefensible and proves that George Soros is wasting his money.

Fox's "Straight News" Division Parrots GOP Attack On DOJ Investigators Into Fast And Furious.

The best they've got is that FOX didn't parrot the DOJ cover-up line. Woowoo.

Darrell Issa on Greta: "'Fast and Furious' Coverup at Justice Department?" The only question is why FOX used a question mark.

Link.

This was forwarded to me with the comment "Damn!" I concur.

Gutsy wrangler, huge horse save boy from charging grizzly.

Today was a big day for letters: Grassley-Issa letter to IG suggests obstruction

From Dave Workman.

Will post link to letter tomorrow when I have it. I'm beat.

Newell tries to undo the damage of his testimony by sending this nice DOJ lawyer-crafted letter "explaining" what he couldn't under oath.

Link.

FOX: Secretly-Recorded Tapes Emerge in Fast and Furious Probe

Secretly-Recorded Tapes Emerge in Fast and Furious Probe: MyFoxPHOENIX.com

Link.

OK, which of you world leaders knows what the term "gunwalking" means.

The Lone Wolf tapes continue to roll. Destruction of evidence & Brian Terry was just "collateral damage."

CBS -- "ATF 'Fast and Furious' secret audio: Murder of Border Patrol agent 'collateral damage'"

In secretly recorded conversations between two individuals deeply entwined in the ATF's controversial "Fast and Furious" operation, the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry is described as "collateral damage."

The recordings were obtained exclusively by CBS News. The man who made them - Arizona gun dealer Andre Howard - ran the Lone Wolf Trading Company and was speaking with Hope MacAllister, the ATF operation's case agent.

Two of the guns Howard sold while cooperating with the ATF that were later found at Terry's murder.

"It happened. It's terrible," Howard said. "That's life ok we move on."

Both Howard and MacAllister also shared concerns about Special Agent John Dodson who by that point had gone public with allegations about "Fast and Furious" and was assigned to the FBI. It was Dodson who first publicly disclosed allegations about "Fast and Furious" in an interview with CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson. That interview took place several weeks before the recorded conversations took place. In his interview, Dodson said thousands of guns had been allowed to "walk" to Mexico - straight into the hands of the cartels - without intervention by ATF.

(Scroll down to listen to the audio and read the text of the excerpts)

In the following excerpts, they talk about the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Two weapons purchased by ATF Fast and Furious suspects were found at the murder scene. They also discuss concerns that ATF whistleblower John Dodson, who had then been moved out of the ATF office and tasked to the FBI, has information that could be damaging to the government.

EXCERPT 1

Dealer: Unfortunately a consequence occurred from a weapon shall we say that found its way into the wrong area ok and that was not anticipated. Nobody could foresee that that's collateral damage I think the term is. It happened. It's terrible. That's life ok we move on. Unfortunately, Mr. Dodson with his allegation is a pain in the a--. Now, my understanding now is it will be impossible now that he will be able to substantiate anything directly because that evidence is gone. I want you to know that. It don't exist. Not that one. You understand me?

Agent: MMhmm.

Dealer: Good. I get that.

EXCERPT 2

Dealer: My biggest problem is Dodson. You know this guy has damaged the hell out of me. I mean I walked out of here yesterday.

Agent: Mmhmm.

Dealer: I got it from the tattoo parlor, I got some damn Mexicans and white trash over there.

Agent: Yeah...

Dealer: Yelling across the parking lot: "can i buy 300 AK 47's?? Would you turn me in, over that?" This is the kind of sh-- i'm getting.

Agent: Yeah.

EXCERPT 3

Dealer: The most damning thing that you guys got to be aware of I think hypothetically is was there, you have to ask yourselves this first I'm just throwin this out there, was there a communication that hypothetically the US Attorney's office uh was entertained with the DOJ in reference to any ballistics tests or anything? Is there any way any of these idiots..

Agent: The problem is I mean we're not investigating that case.

Dealer: I know the FBI is.

Agent: And he's (Dodson) assigned to the FBI. I, I have not, I don't have any way of knowing what he has access to. And that's on the FBI. I mean that's on them. If they consider him, don't consider him an operational security issue, that's their f-----g fault. But I don't have access to that sh--, I don't know I have no idea what the FBI.

Dealer: (unintell.) I know you don't...I'm saying that's a whole parallel issue.

Agent: Right.

EXCERPT 4

Dealer: What about the emails copies he's got?

Agent: Those emails are a year ago that's why I wonder what he I mean

Dealer: Let me help you out. Here's what I smell. There's a reason you ran (unintell.) about not talking about any of your other agents out there.

Agent: Yeah.

Dealer: You got some rats in there honey...

(Crosstalk)

Dealer: I'll tell you some of these motherf-----s, I don't know if they're giving it to Dodson, I think they are, somebody's got some inter-agency copies not just this sh--.

ATF offers hundreds of buyouts.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is offering hundreds of buyouts and early retirement packages to help avoid layoffs or furloughs, a bureau official said on Wednesday.

Senator Patrick Leahy as Eric Holder's punkass flunky boy. Selling your soul to the Devil.

Senator Patrick Leahy, Eric Holder's punkass flunky boy running cover-up duty on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Congressman Darrell Issa: That's fine. But I'm investigating the Justice Department who put twenty five hundred deadly weapons in the hands of Mexican cartels and the Justice Department is turning their nose up and going "we're not really going to deliver you on subpoenas." So, when the Justice Department wants to do something, let them do it. When they don't want to do something, like not even prosecute for related murder the people who trafficked these guns to the Mexican cartels that led to Brian Terry being gunned down in Arizona, then that's where our priority has to be. My job is to prioritize. This is perfectly good to monitor and see what happens. I intend to, but I'm not going to go off simply bashing FOX or CNBC or MSNBC or CSPAN because some left-wing blog wants us to. This is the most important issue that comes before us, is are we doing what we need to do to to ensure the protection of the First Amendment. The answer is we're watching the Justice Department to make sure they do a full investigation, at the same time I want to make sure that what the Justice Department did wrong that led to the death of a Border Patrol agent is properly investigated. I want to see that when the President and his cronies are picking winners and losers in the private market, in this case, in the solar panel matter, that it wasn't because there were large contributions given to them. And this isn't partisan. Every chairman has to make this decision. Over in the Senate, they've made the decision to investigate one thing. Senator Leahy has completely ignored -- completely -- and he's a friend of mine -- but he's completely ignored Brian Terry's death. He's let Senator Grassley twist in the wind without any cooperation. Our committee has been taking on what the Senate won't take on. (Emphasis supplied, MBV.)

Host: You're referring to the Fast and Furious program.

Issa: We're referring to Fast and Furious which they want to say is not a program, its just an operation, even though it led to twenty five hundred deadly weapons in the hands of the drug cartels. -- Darrell Issa on C-SPAN.

From the Lone Wolf Tapes:

Agent: I mean at some point they're gonna say have to say Grassley you're just gonna have to sit your a-- down. I mean that or they're gonna have to (unintell). I mean like I said my understanding is he can't call a hearing. Somebody from the majority party has got to call a congressional hearing and as of right now...

Dealer: Patrick Leahy's an asshole, you know that. He gets ahold of something he's like a dog with a bone.

Agent: As of right now we don't have any info that's occurred. So...

Dealer: No, not now, but

Agent: I know there was a presentation given to Judiciary committee and everybody aside from Grassley is is satisfied. At least at this point.

Back in June I wrote on the subject of Batman and The Grateful Dead: The Melson Deal, Patrick Leahy & the motives behind the scenes.

Among other things, I wrote this:

First and foremost, remember that Leahy is an Obama kool-aid drinker, having braved the wrath of Hillary Clinton to endorse Obama early on in the Democrat presidential primary process.

Remember too that Leahy has been around Mordor on the Potomac for a looong time, and understands every dirty nuance of how the real game is played. For example, while he was Vice-Chairman of the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in 1987, Leahy showed an unclassified draft report on the Iran-Contra affair to a news reporter -- and got caught. At a press conference, Leahy stated, "Even though it was declassified, I was way too careless about it," and accepted blame. As Wikipedia reports, "Disclosure of that information was against the Intelligence Committee rules, and Leahy said he hastened his already planned departure from the committee because he was so angry at himself. . ."

Right. In other words, it was important to the Democrats that the information be leaked, so he leaked it and was willing to fall on that sword in the interests of his party.

So he's canny AND tough. This is also worth remembering. Not that he's not a diligent practitioner of hypocrisy too.

The interesting thing to me is how ATF Agent Hope McAllister is so well informed about Senator Patrick Leahy as Eric Holder's punkass flunky boy on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

One wonders what the good senator from Vermont thinks when he reads these transcripts. He probably just grits his teeth and counts it as one more inevitable thing that happens when you sell your soul the Devil.

LATER: Kurt Hofmann has some more analysis in a similar vein here: 'Gunwalker' conspirators right to fear Grassley and Issa; Leahy, not so much.

More on the Issa phone conference with the "new media."

David Codrea: Issa holds telephone press conference on ‘Gunwalker’ with bloggers.

Michael Carl of World Net Daily 'Fast and Furious' investigated for violating international law. He also has a snippet of audio of yours truly asking about the FBI.

Bob Owens at Pajamas Media: Gunwalker’s Body Count Grows, Along with the Obama Administration’s Cover-Up.

It seems like only a matter of time before administration officials face felony indictments for their role in Operation Fast and Furious.

More reverberations from the Lone Wolf Tapes.

John Hayward writes in Human Events, "Fast and Furious Tapes: Sit Your Ass Down, Charles Grassley."

Katie Pavlich writing at Townhall, Panic Mode: Holder's Name Mentioned in New Fast and Furious Recordings

Off to the cardiac doctor and the lawyer. Plus, watch FOX News this morning for more Gunwalker news.

My "unlicensed carry" case comes up the first week in October, and I have to carry the man some lucre to keep him in the game. This is the way things work, of course, so I'm not complaining. I'll have more later. PS: Watch FOX News this morning. I feel fairly certain William LaJ. will have something for us today. I will have more later.

John Hayward in Human Events: A summation of where the "mainstream media" is, or isn't, on Gunwalker, saying it is "Time to Come Clean."

The media plays along with a massive cover-up.

Just to make sure the heavily-armed cat was kept in the bag, the Administration made sure the U.S. embassy and Mexican ATF office were “also kept in the dark.”

You can see why the Mexican government might be growing a bit crabby about getting shoved into voice mail when they call Washington to ask about a covert U.S. government program that put heavy weapons into the hands of terrorists who want to topple them. A less polite government might use terms like “act of war.”

I’m sure the Mexicans will have their answers, once the full-court media press squeezes some answers about this astonishing scandal out of the Administration. I’m sure that pressure will be coming soon from a media that went berserk and provided wall-to-wall coverage of far less serious matters, like Iran-Contra and Watergate. Instead of cooking up new trillion-dollar tax schemes, President Obama should spend his time answering tough questions about this, and many other, scandals.

As Heritage Foundation communications director Rory Cooper noted via Twitter this morning: “Media hasn’t asked White House about Fast and Furious since JULY 5. Not in one briefing. I have questions, do you?” That was 77 days ago. The L.A. Times and CBS News​ are virtually alone in providing comprehensive mainstream-media coverage of the “Gun Walker” outrage. At what point does the remarkable media ignorance of this historic scandal become impossible to regard as anything less than willing co-operation in the cover-up?

Despite the headline, this must be a very small bomb in a car, not a "car bomb." Why? No extra penises.

Michigan police: 3 hurt in possible car bomb blast.

Police say an explosion in southeastern Michigan that's being investigated as a car bomb seriously injured three people inside the vehicle.

The Monroe Police Department says in a statement that fire crews responded to the explosion around 5:40 p.m. Tuesday in Monroe near Interstate 75. Police say the three people were taken St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo, Ohio, where they were in serious condition.

A charred shell was all that remained of the vehicle.

Police say the investigation is in its early stages in Monroe, located about 35 miles southwest of Detroit and 20 miles northeast of Toledo.

An FBI spokeswoman in Detroit on Wednesday referred questions to local police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A message left with the ATF wasn't immediately returned.

Wasn't much of a bomb, was it? At least they didn't have any extra penises.

Something I didn't hit hard enough earlier: OIG's supposedly "independent" investigation of Gunwalker is just another part of the cover-up.

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Justice (DOJ) is the Office of the Inspector General specific to the United States Department of Justice that is responsible for conducting nearly all of the investigations of DOJ employees and programs. The present Inspector General is Glenn A. Fine, who has held the post since 2000.

The OIG conducts independent investigations, audits, inspections, and special reviews of United States Department of Justice personnel and programs to detect and deter waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct, and to promote integrity, economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in Department of Justice operations.

Specifically excluded from the authority of the OIG is jurisdiction related to the criminal or ethical conduct of DOJ employees who are attorneys. The Office of Professional Responsibility is responsible for oversight of attorneys employed by the DOJ. -- Wikipedia.

I was talking to a reporter last night, and we were puzzling out who released the Lone Wolf tapes and why. Strangely, it might even have been someone on the MINORITY side of Issa's committee, although the reasons are a little vague. As I said, it is a puzzle. (Katie Pavlich has some speculation here.)

Anyway, when I first posted the CBS story containing the paragraphs below here, I didn't hit hard enough on this point:

Law enforcement sources and others close to the Congressional investigation say the Justice Department's Inspector General obtained the audio tapes several months ago as part of its investigation into Fast and Furious.

Then, the sources say for some reason the Inspector General passed the tapes along to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Arizona: a subject in the investigation. It's unclear why the Inspector General, who is supposed to investigate independently, would turn over evidence to an entity that is itself under investigation.

A spokesman from the Office of the Inspector General today said, "The OIG officially provided the United States Attorney's Office with a copy of the recordings in question so that the USAO could consider them in connection with the government's disclosure obligations in the pending criminal prosecutions of the gun traffickers. Prior to receiving the tapes, the OIG made clear that we would have to provide a copy of the recordings to the United States Attorney's Office because they would need to review them to satisfy any legal disclosure obligations."

This is the supposedly "independent investigation" of the DOJ's Office of Inspector General. The whistleblower agents have long maintained -- even before Gunwalker -- that the OIG is just another part of the cover-up machine. I guess they were right.

Solyndra execs will decline to testify at hearing.

Seems they're smarter than Gunwalker Bill Newell.

Homeland Security recruits jittery coffee drinkers to spot terrorists.

"Big Brother is watching you while you drink your coffee, or at least imploring you to watch others while you drink your coffee."