.
.
.
Funding of $10,000,000 for “Project Gunrunner” was approved as part of the Obama Administration’s “stimulus package” approved shortly after Mr. Obama took office. http://www.readthestimulus.org/
For an additional amount for ‘‘State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance’’, $40,000,000, for competitive grants to provide assistance and equipment to local law enforcement along the Southern border and in High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas to combat criminal narcotics activity stemming from the Southern border, of which $10,000,000 shall be transferred to ‘‘Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Salaries and Expenses’’ for the ATF Project Gunrunner.
Tragically, approval of these funds of lead to the deaths of both American and Mexican nationals. Both President Obama and Attorney General Holder have denied advanced knowledge of the Project Gunrunner/Fast & Furious – but someone in the administration had to put this line item in the budget. I guess this is what we get when neither the President nor Congress read what they are voting on.
Last month, the Orange Juice Blog reported about two ill-fated programs code named “Project Gunrunner” and “Operation Fast and Furious” in which President Obama’s Justice Department through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (the “ATF”) approved the sale to Mexican drug cartels of more than 1,800 AK-47s and 50 caliber sniper rifles. The ostensible plan was to follow the weapons across the Mexican border to allow the ATF to chart a path to the leadership of the cartels. One not so small problem, the ATF “lost track” of more than 1,000 of the assault and sniper rifles. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/15/us-usa-mexico-guns-idUSTRE75E49N20110615
Unfortunately, these weapons started turning up at crime scenes and two were found at the murder of United States Border Agent Brian Terry who was killed in a gun battle with members of a Mexican drug cartel. When Agent Terry’s mother was informed about the connection between the ATF sold guns and her son’s death she responded that she was “flabbergasted.” “At first I didn’t believe it,” she said.
Later, CBS News confirmed that ATF Fast and Furious “walked” guns have been linked to the terrorist torture and murder of the brother of a Mexican state attorney general last fall. Two AK-47 variant rifles were found at the scene of a shoot-out with the murder suspects. Sources say the weapons were part of the controversial ATF program in which agents allowed thousands of guns to fall into the hands of suspects trafficking for Mexico’s drug cartels. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-20073704-10391695.html?tag=mncol;lst;1
From Media Matters;
Fox News Baselessly Claims Stimulus Funds Went To ATF’s Operation Fast And Furious
Fox News is baselessly reporting that funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 went to Operation Fast and Furious, a controversial initiative of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) operation Project Gunrunner in which agents knowingly allowed guns to be trafficked across the border to Mexico in order to identify other members of a trafficking network. In fact, stimulus funds earmarked for Project Gunrunner were not distributed in Arizona, where a GOP report indicates Fast and Furious took place.
http://mediamatters.org/research/201107080018
Hm! FOX News reports this, huh? Ya think that’s where Geoff picked up this latest talking point?
Again – these stimulus funds were NOT DISTRIBUTED IN ARIZONA. You have to stop taking FOX at their word, Geoff. I know this screwup is very exciting to Republicans, but you can’t take it the extra step to discredit the stimulus, as dreamy as that might seem.
And it’s really obnoxious to keep saying “Obama Murdergate” as though Obama murdered someone here. I guess that’s your original twist, as google only shows your articles with that phrase. No, Obama’s murders are done by drones on the other side of the planet – a whole other discussion.
If anything, this “report” shows how twisted and wrongheaded the unwinnable War on Drugs is. Agent Terry is one of that many unnecessary deaths of men, women and children that our government counts as “collateral damage” in this 40 year Drug War. Whether or not guns were funneled to gun cartels is debatable. Regardless, the outrage should be focused on WHY we are continuing to throw away billions of dollars on this war. Not a very prudent use of financial resources or as conservatives like to dub it “being fiscally responsible.”
Think FOX News or anyone in the media, outside of LinkTV, would ever take that angle? I don’t think so.
I also don’t get your choice of categories up at the top. What does this story have to do with civil liberties, civil rights, the “2nd admendment,” hypocrisy, democracy, or the 2012 elections?
Uh-oh, Let me be Purfect lee Clee-arrr! Looking a bit like Obama/Nixon and another coverup that will make the petty Watergate look like a kindergarten skit.
The Head ATFE guy has already turned as a Prosecution witness indicting the S.FL ATFE as another Gunrunner agency….funding provided via ‘stimulus’, distributed via Big Sis Homeland Security and then we gotcha FBI agents running guns into Mexi-crapola….a little Frog Marching in the future of numerous DOJ pricks and their Bosses.
Never furget Lefties, your media monopoly that took down Nixon is long gone, you can run but you cannot hide. YAIG!
“Compromised” by Terry Reed…..read it……you will see what Clinton and Huckabee were able to accomplish with a meaningful bi-partisan effort….in Arkansas.
Bizarre posts like this make me less inclined to take seriously Orange Juice’s otherwise interesting commentary on local politics. Stick to the local stuff.