Gunwalker about to break wide open?

**Posted by Phineas

This might be the final crack before the dam surrounding Operation Fast and Furious collapses altogether. We already knew that a BATF operation, with the cooperation of other federal agencies including the FBI and the US Attorney’s Office in Arizona, knowingly allowed regulated heavy firearms to be sold by US gun dealers to “straw buyers” who were acting on behalf of the Mexican drug cartels. We also know that those guns were knowingly allowed to “walk” over the border to the waiting hands of the cartels , where we promptly lost track of them. And finally, we know that up to two US federal officers and over 200 Mexican soldiers, federal agents, and civilians have died because of “walked” guns.

That’s bad enough.

But today’s revelation in the New York Post is even worse: the BATF may have bought some of the guns themselves and resold them to the cartels:

Let that sink in: After months of pretending that β€œFast and Furious” was a botched surveillance operation of illegal gun-running spearheaded by the ATF and the US attorney’s office in Phoenix, it turns out that the government itself was selling guns to the bad guys.

Agent John Dodson was ordered to buy four Draco pistols for cash and even got a letter from his supervisor, David Voth, authorizing a federally licensed gun dealer to sell him the guns without bothering about the necessary paperwork.

β€œPlease accept this letter in lieu of completing an ATF Form 4473 for the purchase of four (4) CAI, Model Draco, 7.62×39 mm pistols, by Special Agent John Dodson,” read the June 1, 2010, letter. β€œThese aforementioned pistols will be used by Special Agent Dodson in furtherance of performance of his official duties.”

On orders, Dodson then sold the guns to known criminals, who first stashed them away and then — deliberately unhindered by the ATF or any other agency — whisked them off to Mexico.

People were killed with Fast and Furious weapons, including at least two American agents and hundreds of Mexicans. And the taxpayers picked up the bill.

So where’s the outrage?

(Emphasis added)

Darned good question. While I think Michael Walsh’s speculations on the motives behind Gunwalker (1) are premature in the absence of more facts, I agree one-hundred percent with his conclusion: it’s time for a special prosecutor.

With the DOJ stonewalling House and Senate investigators, it’s the only way we’re going to get to the bottom of this fiasco.

RELATED: Prior Gunwalker posts.

Footnote:
(1) That it was either (or both) an effort to create a crisis that would lead to a call for strict gun-control in the US, or a CIA operation to arm other cartels against the Zetas, out of fear the Zetas might overthrow the Mexican government.

(Crossposted at Public Secrets)

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