ATF shuffles personnel amid Fast and Furious "gunwalking" scandal: "We're gonna hit the reset button"

By: Sharyl Attkisson
Topics: Law and Order

CBS/AP

WASHINGTON - There's a major reshuffling at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms amid the Fast and Furious "gunwalking" scandal. In making the announcement this afternoon, Acting Director Todd Jones told reporters "we're gonna hit the reset button."

Memos contradict Holder on "Fast and Furious"

Among the changes, the current acting director of the beleaguered ATF Phoenix office where Fast and Furious was based, Tom Brandon, is being moved to Washington DC headquarters as Deputy Director. Brandon temporarily took over in Phoenix after the transfer of Special Agent in Charge Bill Newell, who led Fast and Furious.

Gunwalking scandal uncovered at ATF

Two key figures at ATF headquarters who were involved in Fast and Furious, and have testified before Congress, are being demoted. They include ATF Deputy Director Billy Hoover, who will become the Special Agent in Charge of the Washington field division; and Mark Chait, Assistant Director in Charge of Field Operations, who will become Special Agent in Charge of the Baltimore field division.

Major ATF Phoenix shake-up after "Fast and Furious"

In recent months, ATF had already reassigned other key figures as details of the gunwalking scandal unfolded. They include the Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix office and his two Assistant Special Agents in Charge.

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 tiredoldfart October 6, 2011 10:09 AM EDT: Re-shuffling the deck simply won't detract from the fact that SOMEONE ordered this operation. Let's be serious, the intent of this operation was to let the guns walk to promote violent crime. No one at ATF conceived of, or ordered this operation. Civil servants don't make policy decisions of this nature --- or order operations that are so boldly illegal. This operation had to originate at the DOJ and possibly higher.

That's why the DOJ and the Whitehouse are screaming at Sharyl over this. Keep up the good work. The media is supposed to root out corruption and incompetence, not cover up for it.; Reply to this comment

by rmacgilv October 6, 2011 12:32 AM EDT

Great work by Sharyl.I understand that CBS is not allowing access to her from other news organizations.I hope CBS News is not being intimidated by the Obama administration or the Justice Department.This is not going away.

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by AngryInOhio October 6, 2011 11:23 AM EDT: Intimidated? Are you kidding me? CBS IS NOT intimidated, they are just trying to stay out of trouble with the White House. I'm sure a phone call from the West Wing, maybe the Oval office was made to CBS to put a muzzle on Sheryl...scary stuff...very scary stuff.


by vfny October 5, 2011 8:54 PM EDT: Good work Sharyl. Don't let the screaming or the cussing distract you from your job. You are in the right, and that scares people. God speed to you.; Reply to this comment


by jt92202 October 5, 2011 7:31 PM EDT: One thing I want to say is if Mr Bush was responsible for what happened at Abu Graib then Mr Obama is responsible for what happen during the Fast and Furious operation! People said that because it happened under Mr Bush's presidency it's his fault, WHERE ARE THOSE PEOPLE NOW???? There is a hush when it comes to this story, it's burried as soon as it gets published on CBS!! I have been watching this story since it broke and the stories leave the CBS site within an hour or so each time, just to be filled with fluff and good feeling stories!

Thank you Sharyl Attkisson for continuing to push this story out into the Media! I don't care what Administration is in charge, we the people need to keep there feet to the fire! They can't get away with status quo anylonger!!!; Reply to this comment


by stevchipmunk October 5, 2011 6:16 PM EDT: We've got to stop this nonsense about punishing the lowest guys on the Totem Pole a la Abu Graib.

In this egregious case, we need to start at Holder (who just lied to Congress about when and how much he knew about the Fast and Furious). And we need to go as high as there is to go... even as high as Obama, if that's where the buck stops.

For sure, we need to investigate Holder with a fine tooth comb.; Reply to this comment


by SDFarmer October 5, 2011 5:58 PM EDT: The one that burned my butt is two(?) months ago two major players in
phoenix were PROMOTED and moved to DC. Not demoted! Got them out of the line of fire, so to speak... and gave them more money to keep their mouths shut. Here is the Fox News account, 'The three supervisors have been given new management positions at the agency's headquarters in Washington. They are William G. McMahon, who was the ATF's deputy director of operations in the West, where the illegal trafficking program was focused, and William D. Newell and David Voth, both field supervisors who oversaw the program out of the agency's Phoenix office."; Reply to this comment


by Choons October 5, 2011 5:49 PM EDT: yeah right "push the reset button" after you have already promoted the idiots behind this to cushy higher paying jobs. way to go ATF; Reply to this comment


by Mokkie57 October 5, 2011 5:12 PM EDT: Its not just the ATF, Why stop there take a look at big sis Janet and Michelle. They had to be in the loop somewhere. The whole government on the injustice side is corrupt from the floor up.; Reply to this comment


by Mokkie57 October 5, 2011 5:01 PM EDT: I guess hitting the reset button will make every thing all right?; Reply to this comment

by TheAmericanIE October 5, 2011 4:34 PM EDT

A shuffle is going to fix the situation? Does the Obama Administration want us to believe this was all just a misguided idea concocted by rogue ATF agents?

FYI what we the little people are understanding is that Obama's own Attorney General Mr. Holder knew everything from start all the way to the death's at the hands of the guns sold to the Mexican Drug Cartel.

Shouldn't someone be protecting the whistleblowers in this case? C'mon now America.

-TheAmericanIE

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by AZH1 October 5, 2011 6:11 PM EDT: Yes; sort of like the Solyndra debacle. And I'm sure there are a lot of similar cases we will never here off. So I guess that make me a racist.