Just in: CBS' Sharyl Atkkisson suggests "Fast/Furious" evidence might be withheld...

[SteveM]

due to the involvement of personnel in other Federal agencies. On Face the Nation minutes ago:

"Attkinson, who also appeared on 'Face the Nation,' pointed out that one reason evidence might be withheld is if it were 'matched to a confidential informant that was being used by DEA or FBI or another agency.'"


Atkkisson seems convinced that other agencies are indeed involved:


"There are a lot of questions out there because other agencies were involved in this operation," she said.


Darrell Issa (R) claims that Attorney General Holder's "Number Two" man had intimate knowledge of "Fast and Furious" operations:


"His chief of staff had intimate details; we have notes in his handwriting that shows that the number two and Eric Holder's right hand had intimate details for long time," Issa told CBS' Bob Schieffer. "One of the questions is, why wouldn't you tell your boss about a program that had gotten so out-of-control that it had all kinds of people scurrying to try to stop it?"

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/16/ftn/main20121062.shtml

_____________
NOTE: Sharyl Atkkisson's name is spelled in a variety of ways, even by CBS staff. I have settled on this latter one.

[itsrobert]

1. Probably Defense

Look up Joint Task Force North. ;)

[moobu2]

2. Darrell Issa's pushing this crap hard hoping to take Holder down

thus hurting Obama which is his fantasy. Remember how the Bush administration used reporters to spread their war propaganda? There might be something the government conspired to do here or not, I don't know. I do know Darrell Issa is insanely partisan (to the extreme) and therefore I take all the news about this and what he's involved in accordingly. Some reporters are very ambitious too and can let themselves be used thinking they will get somewhere faster professionally. I'm a skeptic.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. Unfortunately it looks like the Fast & Furious story has some real legs

I keep hoping the administration will step in, clean house, and defang this attack

[Tuesday Afternoon]

9. +1

[friendly_iconoclast]

4. The problem with that is not only are there several other sources reporting on this:

The LA Times, McClatchy Newspapers, etc.- but that memos from Holder's own department have directly contradicted his sworn
testimony to Congress.

So while Issa is undoubtedly pushing hard on this, Holder himself gave Issa the means to do so.

[Celebration]

5. exactly

Unfortunately the AG has given himself enough rope to hang himself.

Although I hate it that this will hurt Obama, we definitely need to know what happened here--no coverups, please (sheesh)!

[SteveM]

10. So-o-o-o what are CBS's motives? nt

[Dawson Leery]

6. Then there is this:

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/10/emails_bush-era_embassy_prosecutors_office_approved_atf_gun_walking_tactic.php?ref=fpb

It is time to END the drug war.

[spin]

7. A lot a bad ideas were implemented under the Bush administration ...

I voted for Obama because I hoped that he would clean up the mess left behind by eight years of incompetence.

Unfortunately, it currently looks like the Obama administration is engaged in a cover up of this scandal. For an administration that promised to be transparent, this is very disappointing.

This is NOT what I hoped for!

I honestly felt that Obama would deliver on his promise of change that I could believe in.

I just looked through a list of promises that Obama made prior to the election and I noticed this one in particular.

Obama said he would:

• Uphold the Second Amendment but also keep "AK-47s out of the hands of criminals."
http://articles.cnn.com/2008-08-29/politics/obama.promises_1_fuel-efficient-cars-health-care-tax-code/2?_s=PM:POLITICS

Obama has lived up to his promise to uphold the Second Amendment and in fact has approved laws such as allowing legal concealed carry in national parks.

Parks open to holders of concealed guns
Monday, February 22, 2010

U.S. national parks will open Monday to holders of concealed firearms as a hard-fought law passed last year takes effect, but both sides expect more battles over exactly what the legislation means in practice.

The law - probably the biggest legislative achievement for conservatives in what was otherwise a year dominated by President Obama’s agenda - says national parks will be governed by the same rules as the states in which they are located. That means about 370 of the country’s 392 National Park Service properties will permit visitors to carry firearms.

Advocates of gun control were dismayed that House Democrats accepted the language and that Mr. Obama signed the bill. The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence gave Mr. Obama an “F” for his first year in office.

“In just one year, Barack Obama has signed into law more repeals of federal gun policies than in President George W. Bush’s eight years in office,” the Brady Center said in its one-year report, which also noted rules that restored Amtrak passengers’ ability to carry firearms in checked luggage.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/feb/22/national-parks-will-open-gates-to-holders-of-conce/?page=all

Unfortunately the Fast and Furious scandal shows that agencies of our government were allowing lethal weapons to end up in the hands of criminals.

I don't feel that Obama was personally aware of this program. However, the man I voted for would find this program unacceptable and would take full responsibility for finding out how this ever happened. He would never approve of a cover up. Perhaps he will decide to step in, take charge and if the allegations are indeed true, he will take steps to insure that this never happens again.

I can always hope.


edited for typo

[SteveM]

11. I agree with your position to the the "drug war...."

Previous "gunwalker"-type shenanigans by Bush have been reported here, and commented on at length. What is unfortunate, however, is if Holder and the White House try to keep the lid on this, then when it finally breaks, BushCo's role will pale in significance; he's out of office, it was about the W.O.D. anyhow, etc. If Obama, Holder air this out now, they can use Bush's involvement with some effect; that would be the political thing to do.

Unfortunately, if the scope of Gunwalker turns out to be far more extensive than merely arms tracing over the border -- "favoring" La Sinaloa over the Zetas, guns-for-drugs with a gang(s), a campaign to push for gun-control yet again -- then the White House has ample reason politically to stall or stonewall the investigation.

It is disturbing that other agencies may be involved, as Atkkisson reports.

[Katya Mullethov]

12. And ABC is all over it

Just like they have been .... right from the very beginning .

[Atypical Liberal]

8. "or another agency"

"Attkinson, who also appeared on 'Face the Nation,' pointed out that one reason evidence might be withheld is if it were 'matched to a confidential informant that was being used by DEA or FBI or another agency.'"

I.E. the CIA.