Notice: Any comments made by me, are my own, and should not be construed to be those of anyone else, or any organization or association.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Investigating Fast & Furious

(Note: Excuse my rush on this. I went back and corrected many errors in grammar. I am NOT an English major!)

The on-going (18 months and counting?) investigation into the Fast & Furious debacle, stinks to high heaven. The Dems claim its a Republican witch hunt, and the Republicans claim its about the truth. The Home Committee on Oversight, is lead by Chairman, Congressman Issa, and is attempting to find out what happened, who was involved, when they knew about it, and who should be held responsible if wrong doing is found.
While there "may" be some political interest involved, the FACT is, over 2,000 guns, illegally purchased and transferred under OUR government agents' direction in that operation, are unaccounted for. And, at least one or two or those guns were used in the killing of one of our Border Patrol Agents, Brian Terry (in 12/10/2010), outside Rio Rico, Arizona. That area of Arizona was not at the border, although that doesn't really matter, but was more than 40 miles INSIDE the US border. Reportedly, Terry was shot by drug runners, using an AK-47 rifle. That rifle has been tied to the guns PERMITTED to go to drug runners. (READ - "Provided"by OUR own government.)

Add to that, there are untold numbers of Mexican people who have been targeted for violence, with some of those very weapons permitted to "walk" (without tracking!).

There are a number of issues involved in this web of deceit surrounding Fast & Furious. And I'll try to address those that I feel can be agreed with by most reasonable and objective people.

1. The "AK-47", IF that was what the weapon actually is (this is important to understand), is on the face of it, an ILLEGAL firearm to buy by the average lawful citizen. Only a specially licensed and regulated citizen, can have a Class III license to buy such a weapon. An AK-47 is a fully automatic rifle! Possession by any unlicensed US citizen, is a FEDERAL FELONY. (Good questions for any Oversight committee.)

2. The gun walking program, failed in every way we know of, and the guns were NOT tracked. Not tracking the guns, to the suspected drug runners, makes NO sense to me at all. What was the expected goal of that flawed program? Not tracking them, makes me wonder if they only expected to match guns at crime scenes ... AFTER shootings (with victims) had taken place. (Good question for any Oversight committee.)

3. Do we, and particularly the Terry family, deserve to know who was involved, from government officials to gun dealers and straw purchasers? (Yes. And more good questions for any Oversight committee.)

4. In ANY investigation, ANY potential person who may be involved, should ALWAYS be treated with a certain level of suspicion. If any person is involved, criminally and/or civilly, where possible charges could be brought, it should be expected that they will attempt to cover up their involvement.

Therefore, such investigation, and legal inquiries, MUST be prepared to dig deeper than the person questioned is offering as information and evidence. (As an good Oversight committee do.)

5. When ANY person of interest, or suspect, provides information and/or evidence, ANY good investigator should suspect more could be hidden. MOST cooperating persons of interest, who DO have something to hide, will very often "appear" to be cooperating, while concealing the most damning of information and/or evidence.

THIS is why Issa and the committee are trying to get ALL relevant information. And except for absolutely critical investigative information, shouldn't OUR representatives on such a "oversight" committee, get everything relevant? And IF that is not forthcoming, then shouldn't they go for a subpoena? And if the subpoena is NOT being followed, an investigative entity go one to the next step to obtain such information? (Yes!)

In this case of US Attorney General Holder, claiming he HAS cooperated by turning over some 7,500 pages, of more than 80,000 yet to be reviewed, IS NOT cooperating. If a suspect hands over 99 of 100 pages of communication, and says he/she is fully cooperating, then how would an investigator know if page 100 didn't have the page that said, "I DID IT!"?

Withholding ANY requested information in an investigation, should absolutely suggest a cover up of involvement of active participation in the situation being investigated! DUH!!!! (Any good Oversight committee, would be cautious, and suspicious, of such efforts.)

6. For this President, to "protect" his AG with a Executive Privilege in the 11th hour, now adds to the suspicion. The President has done more harm than good here. And THAT too, is a mis-justice to the Terry family, the whole Law Enforcement community, and to ALL of us who should expect ACCOUNTABILITY! (Any good Oversight committee, should DEMAND compliance!)

Politics? No. Not on Issa's side. Politics ARE being played from the Obama side. Why hide facts otherwise?

Oh, by the way, the US Justice Department, under Holder, has refused to charge Holder with contempt. They also refused to prosecute The New Black Panthers for "voter intimidation", when the whole world saw them on video attempt just that!

ANY fool, specially if anyone is Law Enforcement or Military, who would still vote for those in the Obama camp, should line up for their Jim Jones kool-aide!
Disclaimer: I DO NOT like Obama, and in fact feel he is destroying "the foundation" of our great country. But the facts described above, should apply to ANY investigation.