Issa subpoenas ATF over gunwalking allegations

By: Chris Scholl
Topics: Law and Order

The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) is facing a Congressional subpoena today over allegations that it allowed thousands of guns to be smuggled into the hands of Mexican drug cartels.

Those allegations first received national attention in a series of exclusive investigative reports filed by CBS News' Sharyl Attkisson.

Gunwalking scandal uncovered at the ATF

The subpoena comes from Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA), who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government reform. It also follows the ATF's failure to produce the requested records voluntarily to either Issa or Iowa Senator Charles Grassley, who has also requested them.

ATF gunwalking: Who knew, and how high up?

"The unwillingness of this Administration - most specifically the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms - to answer questions about this deadly serious matter is deeply troubling," said Chairman Issa said in a statement. "Allegations surrounding this program are serious and the ability of the Justice Department to conduct an impartial investigation is in question. Congressional oversight is necessary to get the truth about what is really happening."

Agent: I was ordered to let U.S. guns into Mexico

The subpoena demands documents relating to Project Gunrunner, including records concerning the guns found at the murder scene of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in December. As CBS News has reported, the ATF was aware of the two guns being sold to "straw purchasers" nearly a year earlier but did stop them from being smuggled into Mexico."

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by shortydoowap April 11, 2011 9:28 PM EDT: "Those allegations first received national attention in a series of exclusive investigative reports filed by CBS News' Sharyl Attkisson." ---- Hmmm. Sipsey Street Irregulars was reporting on this ATF program in December 2010 (http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2010/12/border-patrol-agent-killed-with-atf.html). That's two months before CBS started reporting on this matter. Sipsey Street Irregulars and The Examiner both reported on this before CBS. This matter was reported on CleanUpATF.Org even before that. Many in the gun-owner's community cried out for the national media to look into this. It took 2 months before the national media did anything. CBS - stop taking credit for "breaking this story." You "broke" nothing. You picked up a ball and with it. But it was the gun owners and bloggers that broke this story.; Reply to this comment


by PourpaixPourpaix April 2, 2011 4:27 PM EDT: This same type of thing happened in the 90s. In Blaine, Washington, right on the Canadian border near Vancouver. A high school student decided he was going to start selling drugs at the high school, imported from Canada. When the feds found out, they decided to let the student continue selling drugs. Gotta find the "big" guy in Canada. No career fame in busting another high school student. So, they let this character build up a big smuggling operation, big sales to high school students. Principal knew all about it, as did Blaine police, and all the feds at the border. Let these characters sell drugs to our kids FOR SEVERAL YEARS. Numerous comedies at the border, feds just continued to let the drugs flow freely. Finally got tired of pursuing the "big" guy, and threw the kid and his mates in jail for the rest of their lives. I think Chief Bill Elfo felt genuinely bad for cooperating with the feds. High school principal Dan Newell should be shamed for life.

This is what the feds do with our tax money. Doesn't matter whether its a Republican or Democrat administration. Civil service and military do what they want with the excessive power they possess. Can't say they've always done it, because I've only been around 55 years. Scandal? No problem. Pin it on someone we coerced into cooperating. You think it's going to change ..... why? The real enemies of our Constitution can be found within our government, not a bunch of Arabs with rifles 10k miles away.; Reply to this comment

by nearl451 April 2, 2011 11:02 AM EDT

This does need investigated. Issa (because of his shady past) should not be the one to do it.

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by DanParker75243 April 13, 2011 3:46 PM EDT: So...who would you suggest? He's the only choice. Because of his position on the House committee he has subpoena power, which is needed because of the stonewalling by BATFE, DOJ, et al. His Democrat counterpart in the Senate doesn't want to investigate, and Grassley (Rep. who IS investigating in the Senate, and is on the same Senate committee) doesn't have that authority, and is being endlessly jerked around by the aforementioned alphabet agencies. And the Obama admin has already refused to assign a special prosecutor.


by ammo17 April 2, 2011 8:44 AM EDT: i think this will be the downfall of eric holder and that liar hillary clinton,i remember her standing next to the president of mexico and him saying that the violence in mexico is caused by the drug use in the USA and clinton agreeing with every word he said and that the gunrunners in the USA are responsible for all the guns going across the border.what she forgot to say is that our justice dept was in the gun running business.how many mexican citizens were slaughtered and how many AMERICAN CITIZES WERE MURDERED by these weapons. THIS IS HIGH TREASON.; Reply to this comment

by lami987 April 1, 2011 11:14 PM EDT

NRA has infiltrated ATF. NRA and gun manufacturers are making a lot of money exporting guns and ammo to Mexico.

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by leveractionjake April 2, 2011 10:11 AM EDT: Lami987... Misinformed people like yourself just like to spread and smear bogus claims, dont you? The NRA has nothing to do with the ATF's conspircacy scandal. The NRA is funded and supported by law abiding gun owners which in return fights for thier Second Amendment rights and freedoms. The ATF's main purpose here was to fabricate a statistic in order to add more laws restricting the 2nd Amendment.


by nearl451 April 2, 2011 11:01 AM EDT: Lami. Yes youhave it exactly right. NRA does have many law abiding and NON-Law abiding members. They say they are for 2nd amendment rights; but they truly will accept ANYONE whosupports gun manufacturers (and in bulk members have been fooled this way).


by outlawcowboy3 April 5, 2011 7:23 PM EDT: Are you people realy as dum as this sounds or did you get this way with age? Get out of the walls you have put up to hide yourselfs from the world.People have been killing each other sice the start of time, people just use guns now instead of rocks. If guns were gone and we started killing each other with rocks again would the goverment ban rocks? I don't beleive so. Rocks and guns do not kill people, people kill people.It's always been this way and always will be as long as people want to kill each other no matter what tool we use to do it with.

i


by DanParker75243 April 13, 2011 3:47 PM EDT: That has to be the most stupid thing I've heard so far this month.


by tarmac42 April 1, 2011 7:40 PM EDT: Responsibility for this shameful fiasco must belong to someone very high up to justify this willingness to absorb the public relations body blows that will come from stonewalling. Evidently, the truth is too terrible to reveal, no matter the cost.; Reply to this comment


by samXXkiley April 1, 2011 6:34 PM EDT: coucou

""""The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) is facing a Congressional subpoena today ...."""
il était temps
la suite des évènements, s'annonce houleuse
........
it was time
Following the event, promises to be stormy

=========================
"""The unwillingness of this Administration - most specifically the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms - to answer questions about this deadly serious matter is deeply troubling," said Chairman Issa""""
.......
l'explication de ce refus, est évidente, des "personnalités" au sommet sont au courant ou impliquées,
dans ce cas la "transparence" devient un "slogan"

.........
explanation of this refusal is clear, "personalities" at the top are aware or involved,
in this case the "transparency"becomes a "slogan"

excellent work "cbs"
" au revoir"; Reply to this comment


by theskeptical1 April 1, 2011 5:33 PM EDT: "As CBS News has reported, the ATF was aware of the two guns being sold to "straw purchasers" nearly a year earlier but did stop them from being smuggled into Mexico."

Hey CBS, wasn't that supposed to read " . . but did >NOT< stop them from being smuggled into Mexico"? Your total lack of competent editing/proofreading is quite disturbing.; Reply to this comment

by noneoftheabove1955 April 1, 2011 5:27 PM EDT

I am amazed by the people who have left comments here and elsewhere related to this story that already know exactly who is responsible and why. Even Congressman Issa, who has access to a lot more info than most ordinary citizens, says he doesn't know the facts yet. Perhaps some of you who "know" so much should run for office.
On a more serious note, Congressman Issa said, "Allegations surrounding this program are serious and the ability of the Justice Department to conduct an impartial investigation is in question. Congressional oversight is necessary to get the truth about what is really happening."
I agree that since DOJ is at least POSSIBLY implicated they should not "investigate" themselves. Unfortunately I'm not convinced we can rely on "Congressional oversight" to tell the full truth either. Still better them than the DOJ, in this case.

Go get them Congressman.

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by DanParker75243 April 1, 2011 7:08 PM EDT: - "Unfortunately I'm not convinced we can rely on "Congressional oversight" to tell the full truth either."

If DOJ and BATFE would stop playing the cover-up game and comply with the demand for documentation, we won't have to rely on either source for the truth.