ATF promotes "Fast and Furious" supervisors

By: Chris Scholl
Topics: Law and Order

CBS

The ATF has reportedly given job promotions to three of its supervisors who led the controversial "Fast and Furious" operation, according to an LA Times report.

As CBS News first reported, that program allowed thousands of high caliber weapons to be sold to "straw purchasers" despite the fact that ATF allegedly realized the guns were bound for Mexico. Two of those guns turned up at the murder scene of U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian Terry.

Despite an ongoing Congressional inquiry and Inspector General investigation into the gunwalker scandal, the ATF moved to promote Deputy Director William McMahon as well as field supervisors William Newell and David Voth. All three men will work out of ATF headquarters in Washington. In Congressional hearings this summer, both McMahon and Newell acknowledged having made mistakes with "Fast and Furious."

The timing of the promotions has drawn questions from some agents, and fire from some members of Congress. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) today issued a statement saying, "Until Attorney General Holder and Justice Department officials come clean on all alleged gun-walking operations, including a detailed response to allegations of a Texas-based scheme, it is inconceivable to reward those who spearheaded this disastrous operation with cushy desks in Washington."

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by Gary-Kirsch September 3, 2011 2:19 PM EDT: How just like the bureaucratic elite never having to pay the price for poor judgement and decision making that ended up killing how many with the illegal weapons allowed by the very agency tasked with stopping that exact activity.

Let's reward them with continued employment and a change of scenery.

They should be prosecuted for violating the public trust.; Reply to this comment


by OIF_to_USC August 16, 2011 10:47 PM EDT: Eric Holder cannot legitimize his attempt to promote a phony smuggling ring unless he pastes a "success" label on Operation Fast and Furious. The guy is so out of touch with reality that he doesn't realize that the whole country has already been stuck to this story like glue and that even the traditionally liberal mainstream media has turned on him.

Two U.S. federal law enforcement agents were killed with Holder's guns, and countless Mexican judges, police, soldiers, civic officials, and uninvolved bystanders were also killed with Holder's guns because Holder wanted to create the illusion of an out-of-control gun smuggling problem in time to promote more draconian gun control here at home. Even Watergate had no deaths related to its implementation.

This Fast and Furious fiasco is the biggest story out of this administration. I never I thought that I would say this, but CBS displayed some exceptional investigative reporting in this story and they pushed it to the forefront without being squeamish about it.; Reply to this comment