Central figure in ‘Gunrunner’ controversy refuses to talk to Examiner

March 10th, 2011 11:21 am PT

A central figure in the growing Project Gunrunner controversy not only declined to speak to the Seattle Gun Rights Examiner this morning, but abruptly hung up when asked about a meeting reportedly held earlier this week by other officials of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

George Gillette, assistant special agent in charge in ATF’s Phoenix field office, returned a call placed by this column to get his perspective on what appears to be a growing scandal that is now being covered by CBS, Fox News, the Washington Post and others. But he cut the call short rather than respond to a question about the reported ATF gathering Monday.

Gillette said he was not at the meeting, could not discuss any details and quickly ended the call. There are unconfirmed reports from several sources that Gillette has hired an attorney; one of the issues he could have put to rest.

Project Gunrunner allegedly allowed thousands of firearms to be purchased by gunrunning suspects in Arizona, and subsequently cross the border into Mexico. Two of those guns were recovered at the scene of a December gun battle in southern Arizona where Customs and Border Protection agent Brian Terry was fatally wounded. This column discussed that case here. http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-s ... -gun-shows

Gillette’s name first emerged prominently in a Jan. 31 letter from U.S. Senator Charles Grassley to Acting ATF Director Kenneth E. Melson, in which the senator disclosed allegations that Gillette had “questioned one of the individual agents who answered my staff’s questions about Project Gunrunner.â€