LA Times: "ATF chief regularly briefed on botched gun operation"

[friendly_iconoclast]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-atf-gun-running-20110615,0,6702033.story


ATF chief regularly briefed on botched gun operation

By Brian Bennett, Washington Bureau

June 15, 2011, 12:24 p.m.
Reporting from Washington— A federal firearms investigation that allowed weapons from the U.S. to pass into the hands of Mexican smugglers was closely monitored by the very top leaders of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, according to internal emails released Wednesday by a congressional committee.

The head of the ATF was briefed weekly on the operation, the emails show, and had asked for access to an online video stream that showed buyers going into the gun shop that was part of the sting operation.

The operation was designed to catch top echelon drug cartel traffickers in Mexico who would ultimately receive the weapons, but agents lost track of the guns....

During a hearing Wednesday in Washington about the operation, Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) released six emails that show that ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson was being briefed weekly on Operation Gunrunner as of March 2010....

Link to said emails (in *pdf format):

http://oversight.house.gov/images/stories/Other_Documents/6-15-11_Melson_Docs.pdf

[ileus]

1. they got what they wanted...and then some.

they wanted dead mexican civilians from illegal American guns....they thought they'd scored a bonus when an agent was killed....then the real story broke.

[Katya Mullethov]

7. It does raise the question of legitimacy

Not that many care

[sharesunited]

2. Just stick to seizing and destroying, and shutting down manufacture, importation and sale.

This other cloak and dagger stuff was a misguided distraction from the real good ATF could be doing.

[TheWraith]

3. That approach has worked wonders on eradicating marijuana.

Why, you can't get a single bit of marijuana anywhere in the country!

[friendly_iconoclast]

4. And if you could show that such things were part of ATF's remit, you might have a point.

You're one of those types who want the government to do what they want it to do, regardless of law.

That's the mindset that got us Iran-Contra, and now Operation Fast and Furious.

[sharesunited]

5. No skullduggery required. Keep the eradication effort simple and straightforward.

[Tejas]

8. Stalin much?

[sharesunited]

9. Funny, I don't think of the UK, Japan, Canada and Australia as Stalinist.

[gejohnston]

10. difference is

Japan never allowed private ownership to any degree. UK and Australia was smaller gun owning population. Some Canadians argue that their laws are kind of Stalinist.

[sharesunited]

12. The difference is that the USA suffers from an unhealthy obsession, of which it needs to be cured.

[eqfan592]

13. The only one around here that suffers from an unhealthy obsession...

...is you, shares. You are more obsessed with guns than any gun owner I have ever met, and are completely beyond reason on the issue. As for what the cure is, that's up to you to find for yourself I guess.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rl6214]

21. "what a joke"r

[Abq_Sarah]

23. You mean the obsession

Against citizens being able to defend themselves with firearms?

Or our obsession with the Constitution?

Our obsession with individual rights?

Oh... the horrors!

[ileus]

11. Just stick to seizing and destroying, and shutting down manufacture, importation and sale of drugs

Leave illegal gun running to criminals...

[spin]

15. Out of curiosity do you believe that the American Revolution was a good idea? ...

Gun control was one of the big issues in why we revolted against England.

Gun Control: A Historical Perspective, Part 1
by Benedict D. LaRosa, June 1994

***snip***

Between 1768-1777, the British policy was to disarm the American colonists by whatever means possible, from entrapment, false promises of safekeeping, banning imports, seizure, and eventually shooting persons bearing arms.

By 1774, the British had embargoed shipments of arms to America, and the Americans responded by arming themselves and forming independent militia companies.

On the night of 18 April 1775, General Gage, Governor of Massachusetts, dispatched several hundred soldiers of the Boston garrison under the command of Major Pitcairn to seize the arms and munitions stored by the illegal colonial militias in Concord.

When Pitcairn encountered the Minutemen on the Lexington common blocking his way, he demanded that they throw down their arms and disperse. Although willing to disperse, the Minutemen were not willing to surrender their arms. The rest is history.
http://www.fff.org/freedom/0694e.asp

[rl6214]

20. ATF's Mission:

ATF’s Mission
We are ATF.

A unique law enforcement agency in the United States Department of Justice that protects our communities from violent criminals, criminal organizations, the illegal use and trafficking of firearms, the illegal use and storage of explosives, acts of arson and bombings, acts of terrorism, and the illegal diversion of alcohol and tobacco products. We partner with communities, industries, law enforcement, and public safety agencies to safeguard the public we serve through information sharing, training, research, and use of technology.

ATF’s Vision
We Are ATF — A dedicated team securing America’s future by accomplishing a critical mission today.

We Protect America.

We Protect Your Community.

ATF’s Values
We value our people and those we serve.

We value professionalism, integrity, diversity, commitment, innovation, and excellence.

We value partnerships that promote the safety of our communities.

http://www.atf.gov/about/mission/


Let's see, I don't see anything there about "shutting down manufacture, importation and sale."

Good luck with that though, thanks for playing.

[gejohnston]

22. and they do a shitty job at what they are supposed to do. BTW

when did they more from Treasury to DOJ?

[petronius]

6. The headline is darkly funny, makes me wonder what the briefings sounded like:

Week 1: "Hey, chief, we really screwed up this week - you might even say botched."

Week 2: "Yeah, those good ideas from last week? Didn't work. We fubar-ed royally."

Week 3: "Bad week. Don't ask."

Week 4: "Hey chief, did you read the paper this morning? Not yet? Well for the love of god, don't!! ... Huh? Oh, no reason..."

[Tejas]

14. Ousted? LOL, let me dust off my crystal ball.

I see a Special Prosecutor in Melson's future.

[DonP]

16. He may have to get in line behind Holder on this

Depending on how high they can track the planning and executional details, it might go all the way to Holder. He was one of the first to get out and start railing in public against "gun stores along the border selling to criminals and straw purchasers".

He just left out the part about, "... exactly like my BATFE told them to."

[Tejas]

17. Mark Manes got 6 years.

Alledgedly facilitated the Columbine shootings by selling the duo a Tec-9.

[rl6214]

19. That's gonna leave a mark

Hopefully