Attorney General Eric Holder grilled by Congress on ATF "Gunwalker" controversy

By: Sharyl Attkisson
Topics: Law and Order

Attorney General Eric Holder testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, May 3, 2011, before a House Judiciary Committee oversight hearing.

/ AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Appearing today before the House Judiciary Committee, Attorney General Eric Holder got grilled about the "gunwalker" controversy in which the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is accused of allowing guns to get into the hands of criminals in Mexico. (Scroll down to watch video of Holder's testimony)

Gunrunner scandal at the ATF

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) used asked Holder when first knew about the controversial Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) operation known as "Fast and Furious." Though documents indicate Fast and Furious was started in 2009, Holder told Congress he only learned of it a "few weeks" ago.

That's after a CBS News investigation into allegations about Fast and Furious and other gun trafficking cases. Issa also asked who at the Department of Justice, if not Holder, approved Fast and Furious. Holder stated that he didn't know, but that investigations are underway to find that out.

Agent: I was ordered to let guns into Mexico

The Department of Justice and ATF are under investigation by Congress and the Inspector General after numerous insiders say ATF pursued a strategy that allowed thousands of assault rifles and other weapons to cross the border into Mexico, where it was allegedly known they were being put into the hands of drug cartels. Holder reiterated such a strategy would be against Department policy. Investigators are looking into possible ties between those weapons and the deaths of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, Customs Agent Jaime Zapata, and an unknown number of Mexicans.

Sharyl Attkisson
Sharyl Attkisson is a CBS News investigative correspondent based in Washington. All of her stories, videos and blogs are available here.
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by dad19555 August 18, 2011 3:03 PM EDT: Of course the whole game was to force through gun control, and eliminate the second amendment.

The agent would be quite correct in letting the guns through, but he could have called someone to call the media and film the entire event for the 6:00PM news. That would have helped Eric Holder a lot by demonstrating his involvement with the ATF on this project.

http://www.thepiratescove.us/2011/04/04/eric-holder-congress-should-mind-their-own-damned-business-on-detainees/

Barring that, a call to the Mexican secret service for pick up of all involved would have been good, too. The media there would have loved following the paper trail back to the originators.

A bit of luck, and Mexico trying to extradite Holder for crimes against the Country of Mexico would have been good fun for the Obama administration.

Any way of getting gun control through, I guess. They know whats best for us. We are idiots to this intelligent genius.

Eric Holder: Congress Should Mind Their Own Damned Business On Detainees. I know better.

http://www.thepiratescove.us/2011/04/04/eric-holder-congress-should-mind-their-own-damned-business-on-detainees/; Reply to this comment


by Smokep July 15, 2011 3:55 PM EDT: Holder knew of Gunrunnerr in 2009

Attorney General Eric Holder at the Mexico/United States Arms Trafficking Conference
CUERNAVACA, MEXICO ~ Thursday, April 2, 2009
Remarks as prepared for delivery.
First, let me express my thanks to Attorney General Medina Mora and Secretary of Government Gomez Mont for making this conference possible.
This is my first trip to another country as Attorney General. I wanted to come to Mexico to deliver a single message: We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you in this fight against the narcotics cartels. The United States shares responsibility for this problem and we will take responsibility by joining our Mexican counterparts in every step of this fight.
And, together, we will win - thanks in large part to the courage of my Mexican colleagues here today, who are on the front lines every day, and with whom I am proud to collaborate.
The topic that has been addressed over the past two days could not be more important - the development of an arms trafficking prosecution and enforcement strategy on both sides of the border.
I would like to thank the Mexican and U.S. experts who have worked so hard on this issue. On our side, Secretary Napolitano and I are committed to putting the resources in place to increase our attack on arms trafficking into Mexico.
Last week, our administration launched a major new effort to break the backs of the cartels. My department is committing 100 new ATF personnel to the Southwest border in the next 100 days to supplement our ongoing Project Gunrunner, DEA is adding 16 new positions on the border, as well as mobile enforcement teams, and the FBI is creating a new intelligence group focusing on kidnapping and extortion. DHS is making similar commitments, as Secretary Napolitano will detail.
But as today's conference has emphasized, the problem of arms trafficking will not be stopped at the border alone. Rather, as our experts emphasized, this is a problem that must be met as part of a comprehensive attack against the cartels - an attack in depth, on both sides of the border, that focuses on the leadership and assets of the cartel. This is the type of full-bore, prosecution-driven approach that the U.S. Department of Justice took to dismantle La Cosa Nostra - once the most powerful organized crime group operating in the United States.
With partners like those we have here today, I am confident that together, we will defeat these narcotics cartels in exactly the same way. I am proud to stand with you, and to join you in this fight. Thank you again for inviting me here.
http://www.justice.gov/ag/speeches/2009/ag-speech-090402.html; Reply to this comment


by Smokep July 15, 2011 3:52 PM EDT: Gunrunner funded by Stimulus bill.
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 111th Congress, H.R.1 (Stimulus Bill)
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h1/text?version=enr&nid=t0:enr:232t

Office of Justice Programs, 3rd paragraph.
For an additional amount for 'State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance', $90,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 20140,000,000, for competitive grants to provide assistance and equipment to local law enforcement along the Southern border and in High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas to combat criminal narcotics activity stemming from the Southern border, of which $10,000,000 shall be transferred to 'Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Salaries and Expenses' for the ATF Project Gunrunner.
&
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h1enr.pdf
(page 16)

How Much Money Did Operation Gunrunner get:

A November 2010 report says it got $10 Million in February 2009 Recovery Act Supplemental Appropriations Act,
June 2009 another Six Million Dollars.
Emergency Border Security Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2010 allocated $37.5 million to ATF for Project Gunrunner,in August 2010, as Reported in this DOJ Document: http://www.justice.gov/oig/reports/ATF/e1101.pdf Scroll down to page 110 of the report at the link above to read for yourself
Another 20 Million Dollars in the Stimulus package, plus an additional 10 Million Dollars that was due for this operation in the fiscal 2011 Budget thats never been voted on; Reply to this comment


by dvplaw1 May 5, 2011 1:28 PM EDT: I have been amazed CBS is covering this Obama/Holder scandal. Try finding coverage on ABC or NBC.; Reply to this comment

by lucifersshadow May 5, 2011 12:33 AM EDT

He does not know and obviously has not tried to find out . . . that says enough

Reply to this comment


by ericx777 August 19, 2011 11:05 PM EDT: He knows... and is covering his trail! Holder is as corrupt as they come!

by wfw3536 May 4, 2011 7:21 PM EDT

Sounds like a real cover-up. If you know anything about these government operations, you know someone way up in the chain of command gave the go ahead. If Eric doesn't come up with a better story, it is time for him to turn in his resignation.

Reply to this comment


by ericx777 August 19, 2011 11:07 PM EDT: There was FUNDING... that comes from the top down. Holder knew, Obama knew and soon we will all know of this pathetic scheme to change gun policy in America. Nothing this stupid could be a "simple mistake"... nothing!


by cbsnacilbuper May 4, 2011 2:18 PM EDT: This is the real story:

CBS News has learned that the Mexican Government has retained an American law firm to explore filing civil charges against U.S. gun manufacturers and distributors over the flood of guns crossing the border into Mexico.

Sure, we won't stop you from having guns, we will just stop you from making them. Corrupt SOB does not begin to describe it.; Reply to this comment


by crazyname May 4, 2011 9:24 AM EDT: run the liar out of town! Perhaps he was drunk when he approved the deal. Somebody was, unless it is the obama administration's mission to keep the drug cartels in business to fund the mexican government; Reply to this comment


by ericx777 May 4, 2011 1:49 AM EDT: SQUIRM YOU CORRUPT SOB!
Funny how his campaign to circumvent the Constitution and the Second Amendment is what will end his career and hopefully put this SOB in jail!
Burn him Issa!
Nation of cowards, huh?; Reply to this comment