Arizona's U.S. attorney resigns as weapons probe ensues

Howard Fischer, Capitol Media Services | Posted: Tuesday, August 30, 2011 10:06 am

The top federal prosecutor in Arizona quit this morning in the wake of congressional probes and criticism of a program to let straw buyers purchase guns for Mexican cartel members.

Dennis Burke, in a prepared statement, made no mention of the Fast and Furious program which was designed to track the weapons into the hands of gang members. Instead he said it was the "right time to move on.''

But Burke has been accused of mishandling the program, with guns disappearing. Two of the weapons that were supposed to be being tracked showed up at the scene where Border Patrol agent Brian Terry was shot to death last year near Rio Rico.

Separately, the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Kenneth Melson, who has been acting director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, also is stepping down today. That agency worked with federal prosecutors on the program.
http://azstarnet.com/news/state-and-reg ... ml?print=1