Project Gunwalker: ATF Scandal Unfolding; Gunrunner; Mexican drug Cartels; BATFE

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mch_VFaZ ... re=related

Mar 7, 2011

ATF's Operation Gunrunner is responsible for Agents death. Guns from gun stores allowed to cross border are found to have been involved in the deaths of multiple US federal agents. CBS news and NRA News have been reporting on this, but few others in the news media have, with the exception of Laura Ingraham.

What exactly is happening with the ATF? Are they just incompetent, or does it go deeper than that. Perhaps they want the gun violence in Mexico to increase, thereby giving then even more reason to exist. And I guess if the guns are traced back to the United States, then it is even better for them. But wait, they made a miscalculation, they forgot that if the guns were traced back as the ones that they let be sold and cross the border, then there would be a backlash against them. But I guess they never thought that far ahead.

I'm not saying that this is the case, but one never knows. I trust the ATF about as far as I can throw them. There was a prominent talk show host back in the 90's who used to say on the air that if an ATF agent broke into your house in the middle of the night, that you should shot that agent in the head. The reason was because they wear bullet resistant vests. Some would call that hate speech, but not me. I would just call it good advice on how to kill someone who is breaking into your home. However, I am not advocating such actions, and the reason is because we are now living in a new age of civility brought on by the great community organizer himself. So let us all live in peace; that is if you're north of the Mexican border and not a victim of gunning running by the U.S. ATF.

ATF begins spin in wake of devastating press reports

Now that CBS News has delivered its second definitive report on the scope of "Project Gunwalker"* and Senator Grassley has expressed his determination to not allow the Department of Justice to stonewall his investigations, the damage control at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have begun in earnest.

This just hit minutes ago. Panic and chaos are taking place at ATF headquarters in advance of the anticipated media releases today and tomorrow. Below is a message just sent from the subordinate of Jim McDermond from the ATF Office of Public and Governmental Affairs. An emergency request is being issued to all ATF Public Information Officers to find ATF stories with a positive spin to counter-influence was is expected today. Very insulting and very much the character of ATF management. Please respond to me that you received this. I think it will be critical to your stories and for Senator Grassley to further see demonstrated ATF's continued desire to spin and cover up.

Here is the internal communication that was forwarded: Public Information Officers: Please make every effort for the next two weeks to maximize coverage of ATF operations/enforcement actions/arrests at the local and regional level. Given the negative coverage by CBS Evening News last week and upcoming events this week, the bureau should look for every opportunity to push coverage of good stories. Fortunately, the CBS story has not sparked any follow up coverage by mainstream media and seems to have fizzled. It was shoddy reporting , as CBS failed to air on-the-record interviews by former ATF officials and HQ statements for attribution that expressed opposing views and explained the law and difficulties of firearm trafficking investigations. The CBS producer for the story made only a feigned effort at the 11th hour to reach ATF HQ for comment. This week (To 3/1/2011), Attorney General Holder testifies on the Hill and likely will get questions about the allegations in the story. Also (The 3/3/2011), Mexico President Calderon will visit the White House and likely will testify on the Hill. He will probably draw attention to the lack of political support for demand letter 3 and Project Gunrunner. ATF needs to proactively push positive stories this week, in an effort to preempt some negative reporting, or at minimum, lessen the coverage of such stories in the news cycle by replacing them with good stories about ATF. The more time we spend highlighting the great work of the agents through press releases and various media outreaches in the coming days and weeks, the better off we will be. Thanks for your cooperation in this matter. If you have any significant operations that should get national media coverage, please reach out to the Public Affairs Division for support, coordination and clearance. Thank you, Scot L. Thomasson Chief - ATF Public Affairs Division Washington, DC Desk 202-648-7089 Cell 206-730-0005