As predicted, Representative Darrell Issa’s House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has sent a wide-ranging subpoena over to the Department of Justice. “Top Justice Department officials, including Attorney General Holder, know more about Operation Fast and Furious than they have publicly acknowledged,” Issa asserted in a statement heralding the move. “The documents this subpoena demands will provide answers to questions that Justice officials have tried to avoid since this investigation began eight months ago. It’s time we know the whole truth.” To that end . . .
Issa has requested docs relating to one of the lesser publicized aspects of the growing scandal surrounding the “stingless sting” run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (and Really Big Fires): the murder of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Agent Jaime Zapata.
The subpoena seeks, among other things, all communications regarding the operation from 16 top Justice officials, including Holder, his chief of staff, Gary Grindler, and the head of the department’s criminal division, Lanny Breuer, as well as correspondence on specific dates to and from the former head of the ATF’s Phoenix field division, William Newell.
It also asks for all documents and communications referring or relating to the murder of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Agent Jaime Zapata, including any correspondence outlining the details of Zapata’s mission at the time he was murdered.
Special Agent Zapata was assassinated by drug thugs who stopped his vehicle on a major Mexican highway between Monterrey and Mexico City. Mexican authorities confiscated ATF-enabled weapons at the scene. Thanks to his partner Victor Avila (who survived the attack), we know Zapata’s last words: “We’re Americans. We’re diplomats.”
According to published reports, Los Zetas cartel members assassinated Zapata. It’s possible they did so in retaliation for American support for the Sinaloa drug cartel, the Los Zetas deadly (and I do mean deadly) rivals. If so, the details will be damning on all sorts of levels.
Meanwhile, foxnews.com may not get all the details right—they fail to mention the third ATF-enabled firearm discovered at the murder scene of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry—but they rightly point out that Issa’s subpoenas indicate that the Department of Justice is just one spoke in a larger wheel.
The subpoena also asks for correspondence that Justice Department officials had with the White House about the gun trafficking operation, as well as what information was shared by Justice officials in Mexico.
The Sipsey Street Irregulars have been highlighting the fact that the State Department is up to their eyeballs in Gunwalker et al. As you’d expect. If Issa gets a window on the DOJ’s Gunwalker comms with Mexico, he could open the door to fresh revelations about Fast and Furious complicity by both Felipe Calderon’s government and Hillary’s State Department.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. Suffice it to say Eric Holder’s Justice Department will not fully comply with Issa’s subpoena. Even if Gunwalker was a “botched sting,” even if Zapata was just a tourist, surrendering documents that fully uncover this hot mess would be political suicide for Holder if not the entire Obama administration.
Issa will not give up. The U.S. presidential election is looming. Mexico’s general elections are coming. As is the trial of the captured Sinaloa jefe who’s itching to spill the beans about Uncle Sam’s involvement in Mexico’s drug trade in general and “guns for goons” in particular.
No matter how you slice it, the ATF has lit the fuse on one of the biggest political scandals of our time. And it’s just getting started.
That Issa is a tough looking guy. Reminds me of the father of a girl I used to date. I’d hate to be sitting there answering his questions, especially when I lied a few weeks ago and the have proof. I bet Holder is calling all over DC trying to find a way to save his skin. When he lawyers up you know the hook is set.
What is perjury going for these days? Disbarment, fine, and 5 years? Does executive privilege bullshit apply here or does he need a golden pardon from the King on his birthday?
What is perjury going for these days?
Clinton got disbarred and paid a fine. Oh, and he became very wealthy.
This site is doing excellent work in keeping readers informed about the unfolding Gunwalker scandal. My guess is that some of the daily readers or observers of this site also happen to work for the USG.
I hope Holder claims Executive Privilege and drags dear leader down with him.
Robert,
More than likely, Fast and Furious will go down as one of the worst scandals in the history of our Republic.
I say that, because it looks to me the operation was going to be used, in part, to subvert the Second Amendment.
Eric Holder’s Justice Department will not fully comply with Issa’s subpoena.
RF, that’s the funniest line you’ve ever written. Not fully comply? Man, Holder’s going to run up every false flag he can think of — national security, executive privilege, ongoing investigation, you name it. If you see smoke above the Justice Department building, they’re burning documents, not electing a new Pope.
Reminiscent of Slick Willie using tomahawks on the baby milk factory, to distract from the blue dress…
From here it is apparent someone, someone’s, or an entire organization is going to be held liable. The order and summons are just the gates closing. Now everyone involved in the vicinity is trapped and the arena is set. It makes me think of the idea that is popularly illustrated by history of a Roman collosseim before they release the lions…
Well the admin has said all along that the guns were getting into Mexico from dealers here in the states. What they weren’t saying was that they knew this because………….
Gitmo sounds like an appropriate place for them, (almost forgot how it got shut down, NOT), LOL.
Comments are closed.