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| Project Gunwalker: Dec 8th hearing --- Issa broadens DOJ investigation |
| 2011-12-06 |
| "House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., today announced an investigation into the Drug Enforcement Agency’s alleged laundering of millions of dollars in Mexican drug cartel money," a December 5 House Committte on Oversight and Goverment Reform press release declared. “Given your upcoming testimony this Thursday,” Issa continued, “it is imperative that Congress be apprised of the true dimensions of these alleged operation immediately. Please arrange to provide a briefing to my staff no later than Wednesday, December 7, 2011 at 5:00 pm to address these allegations.” In a new dimension to this continually unfolding story, James K. Steinbower of PJMedia reveals another area where gunwalking runs afoul of the law: There is a provision in the Kingpin Act for “authorized” law enforcement and intelligence activities, however the only procedure by which an Operation Fast and Furious program could have been “authorized” under the Kingpin Act was by the U.S. attorney general requesting a waiver (known within the Treasury Department as a Specific License), prior to any such operation being undertaken. More: Video: Grassley Calls out Holder and Napolitano from Senate Floor Consider this to be a 10 minute appetizer for the December 8th House Judiciary Committee hearing at which Attorney General Eric Holder will be grilled by the likes of Darrell Issa and other congressmen. Here, Grassley raises very serious and legitimate questions that are certain to be asked of Holder. In sworn testimony in front of various committees, both Holder and DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano allege that they were not made aware of Fast and Furious until February of 2011, despite the fact that Border Patrol agent Brian Terry was murdered on December 15, 2010. In the recent document dump from the White House, memos and emails prove that high-ranking officials, including Arizona US Attorney Dennis Burke and others knew about the connection within hours of Terry's death. It is also known that Napolitano visited Burke's office days after Terry's murder but maintained she was not informed about the connection. This raises several questions, which Grassley rightly asks in the video below but we might be getting a sneak peak into the strategy of the administration. Look for Burke and company to be blamed for not reporting the Fast and Furious connection up the chain. That's not believable but it will be interesting to see how Issa and company confront Holder about that narrative. It is already known that Burke has been cooperating with congressional investigators. If he told those investigators that the likes of Holder and Napolitano were informed very soon after Terry's death, Thursday's hearing would be a good time for Issa to bring it up. Anyway, here is Grassley on the Senate floor this week. Watch for Issa, the Rep from Arizona and the Rep from South Carolina to go for the throat. They are armed! (with information) |
| Posted by:Sherry |