In NRO’s The Corner, Andy McCarthy punches holes in the notion that Operation Fast and Furious – also known more colloquially as the Gunwalker Fiasco – was somehow inherited from President Obama’s predecessor:
The key to their strategy is conflating two very different programs: Operation Fast & Furious and a Bush era ATF initiative known as “Operation Wide Receiver.” In the questions from Judiciary Committee Democrats (principally, Senators Dianne Feinstein and Chuck Schumer — there may have been others but, again, I didn’t see the entire hearing), it emerged that Wide Receiver began in 2006, when Alberto Gonzales was the Bush administration attorney general. Senator Schumer took pains to describe Wide Receiver as involving the “tracing” of firearms that crossed into Mexico. As we shall see, Wide Receiver’s notion of tracing was night-and-day different from the tracing involved in the reckless gun-walking approach employed by Fast & Furious. Obviously, however, Democrats hope that if they get enough help from their friends in the media, the public will miss the distinction.
Mission Accomplished, courtesy of the New York Times:
Officials now acknowledge that the claim was misleading. It has come to light that A.T.F. agents in Arizona have on several occasions, dating to a 2006 investigation called Operation Wide Receiver, tried to identify the leaders of gun-trafficking networks by allowing lower-level suspects to transfer guns — and have lost track of weapons in the process.
In other words, the 2009 uncontrolled transfer of thousands of high-powered weapons, including one that killed a federal agent and lord knows how many hundreds of Mexican citizens was, wait for it:
Bush’s fault.
McCarthy isn’t buying:
(There) is another major distinction between Wide Receiver and Fast & Furious. The former was actually a coordinated effort between American and Mexican authorities. Law enforcement agents in both countries kept each other apprised about suspected transactions and tried to work together to apprehend law-breakers. To the contrary, Fast & Furious was a unilateral, half-baked scheme cooked up by an agency of the Obama Justice Department — an agency that was coordinating with the Justice Department on the operation and that turned to Main Justice in order to get wiretapping authority.
“Bush did it” should be sufficient for the president’s partisans. I wonder whether it will seduce those otherwise uncommitted.
Too many of the “independents” are easily seduced because they don’t want to think about what’s in front of them. That’s much of teh reason we got the Obummer in the first place, although i ahve to say there wasn’t much of a choice given his opponent who is little more than a Rockefeller Republican.
Can Holder be charged with “contempt of public?”
Holder et al are still very probably liable for several felonies for violating the Kingpin and the IEEP Act (Int. Emer. Economic Powers–follow-on to “Trading With The Enemy” Act.) by not notifying the State Dept prior to initiating the program. See fine article @PJ Media by a guy who wrote the laws, J.K. Steinbower titled: “Gunwalker: Justice Dept. Violated U.S. Laws Beyond Those Being Investigated.” @ http://www.pjmedia.com/blog/gunwalker-justice-dept-violated-us-laws/?singlepage=true
Of special note in above cited art., SECDEF had to request a waiver (specific licenses) from Treasury from both these acts before we could insert Special Ops men & equip into Iraq prior to beginning of hostilities in the 2003 war.
Laws are applied equally, unless you are Reed, Pelosi, Chuckie, Barney, Holder or The WON! Very much like the Communists offing their enemies, or sending them away, once they got the power…”we” just do it in a kinder, gentler way, eh? Raiding guitar production facilities, or closing down those GM dealerships owned by those who contributed (R). Nothing to see here…move along.
How far can this “prosecutorial discretion” administration and its lawyer-loaded Senate go in conferring impeachment immunity before the public recognizes obvious de facto tyranny?
As long as padem et circenses remain available, they won’t care. They just want Beer, [insert sport here], and a couch. As long as all seems OK to them they will go quietly to the slaughter.
We’re at the “apathy” stage of the progression.
Damn Straight. +1
I suppose that I am more cynical than most since I believe that there was an even more insidious agenda at DOJ. I see their actions as an end-around of the 2nd Amendment. Their intent was to show that the current system gun control is not working and ‘look at all the injuries and murders resultant.’ ‘We need to drastic change to ensure public safety. Do away with the “Right to bear arms” and we can stop the carnage.’ With the conniving, scurrilous, underhanded lame-stream media (can ya’ tell how I feel bout them) as an abettor and cohort they had hoped to pull the wool over the public’s eyes and slip this one by us all. More disingenuous and duplicitous intent I haven’t seen in quite some time. It is due time for a purge in DC, beginning with the DOJ, Fire and prosecute Holder as an accessory to murder. Follow the paper/email trail and clean the rest of the rats, even if it leads to POTUS which I suspect it does. The regime of this POTUS is the most corrupt and criminal in US history, from the top down. Como dizem no Brasil , paredão
I’m with you, but watch out. These days, cynical analysis is often interpreted as wacko right wing conspiracy theory. Just ask Ms. Napalitano.
Stephen:
You do realize, don’t you, that Ms. is part of the PC garbage. I refuse to hiss like a snake when I’m addressing someone. If she is offended by Miss or Mrs., then there are any number of alternatives available. None of which I would even THINK of writing at Lex’s place. I do have to say, however, that my wife disagrees with me on this subject. Doesn’t stop me, as I am on a first name basis with her and the rest of the women in her family.
Paul
I’m still trying to figure out how “Bush did it too” dismisses perjury.
Because it does! How DARE you question anything about this adminstration!
You tell ‘em Joe! Such insensitivity towards the caring.
Leland … As you undoubtedly know, *Tu quoque* [the other guy did it] is considered by law professors as one of the weakest arguments or defenses.
Marianne
It’s actually a logical fallacy as well.
You know Lex you had that beautiful day on the Truckee–but you were skunked? Wait for it—It was Bush’s Fault!