Supporter of our Constitutional freedoms,

"DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CLAIMS ARE FALSE!"

That's the latest in the round of volleys of words between Congressional leaders and Eric Holder, the United States Attorney General.

Federal investigators arrived in Arizona a little over a week ago to start their ATF "Gunwalker" and "Fast and Furious" Mexican weapons scandal probe. They have faced stonewalling and cover-ups on every turn. Frankly, they are tired of these tactics; and they fired off a terse letter to the U.S. Attorney General.

U.S. Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) and U.S. Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) chastised Eric Holder after the Obama lieutenant wrote a recent letter DENYING that the U.S Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) had knowingly authorized the sale of weapons to gun smugglers as part of what has become known as "Project Gunrunner" and its sub-operation "Fast and Furious."

This is also a followup to Eric Holder's appearance before Congress where he continued to stonewall Rep. Issa in questioning and cross-examination. Congress does have an oversight responsibility, but Holder refused to say who authorized what! Holder even made a statement, which contradicts the findings of the ATF investigators, when he said: "In no case should guns be distributed in an uncontrolled manner."

The ATF cover-up continues to grow in leaps and bounds. Investigators are gathering interviews from witnesses, including ATF insiders and area gun shop owners. More and more, the fingers of guilt point to officials high up in the Obama administration. Across-the-board stonewalling by government agencies is hindering the final investigation, including the Attorney General. Of course this does not surprise me, as the Obama administration is the most anti-gun and anti-Second Amendment administration in recent memory!

The Congressmen's letter states: "We are very concerned that the department chose to send a letter containing false statements. The ATF sent a letter on February 4, 2011, claiming that … 'ATF makes every effort to interdict weapons that have been purchased illegally and prevent their transportation to Mexico.' When questioned in transcribed interviews last week in Phoenix, agents with first-hand knowledge of ATF operations contradicted that claim."

"We are extremely disappointed that you do not appear to be taking seriously enough to ensure that the department's representations are accurate, forthcoming and complete. We will continue to probe and gather the facts independently, as it has become clear that we cannot rely on the Department's self-serving statements to contain any realistic picture of what happened."

It is also quite ironic that the local Arizona media (which has a lot at stake here, news-wise), by-in-large, remains silent. It's possible that Janet Napolitano, head of the Department of Homeland Security - and former governor of Arizona - intervened in that arena. She actually visited Arizona immediately after the first news broke of the possible cover-up. This cover-up could reach all the way to the top of our federal government! At the very least, Mr. Obama needs to clean house on this cover-up, from top to bottom---unless he is at the very top!

In his most recent letter refuting the bureau's whistleblowers, Holder wrote: "It remains our understanding that ATF's Operation Fast and Furious did not knowingly permit straw buyers to take guns into Mexico."

According to Grassley and Issa, whistleblowers and current investigation interviews tell a much different story!

What started out as an "innocent" program run by the ATF to allow guns purchased in the United States to be smuggled into Mexico for the purpose of TRACKING THEM to high-ranking members of Mexican drug cartels. Has turned into a genuine cover-up, involved many hundreds of weapons unaccounted for by the ATF.

U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa wants to uncover all the evidence.

A statement released by Representative Issa, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, explains the process of how whistleblowers within the ATF first alerted him and Grassley, ranking member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, to the possible cover-up:

"Grassley began looking into allegations brought forward by Agent John Dobson, and more than a dozen other ATF agents after the Justice department Inspector General failed to investigate their concerns. The agents indicated that their supervisors kept them from stopping gun traffickers with the normal techniques that had been successfully (used) for years. They instead were ordered to only watch and continue gathering information on traffickers instead of arresting them as soon as they could. In the meantime, the guns were allowed to fall into the hands of the bad guys even as agents told supervisors that it could not end well. Many of the guns have subsequently been found in firefights along the border, including a December 14, 2010, firefight where Customs and Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed."

Issa's statement concludes by insisting that the operation was, despite Holder's denials, implemented by the ATF. "As Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Issa has begun issuing subpoenas to uncover the facts about how this reckless policy was approved," the recent statement declares.

I am convinced that there is a possibility that the cover-up could possibly go ALL the way to top to include Mr. Obama. Will you help us to get the lid blown off of this mess?

This goes way beyond "finger-pointing." This is a cover-up of an enormous magnitude.

Many of the whistleblowers have come forward to Congress out of loyalty to the murdered Border Patrol Agent. Now we need the administration to come forward out of "loyalty" to the American constituency who voted their superiors into office!

Darrell Issa wants the truth, as well as Senator Grassley. The parents of the killed agent want the truth. As honest gun-owners and patriotic Americans who believe in our Second Amendment right to own a gun, we want the truth.

Just like Jack Nicholson in the movies---"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"---Eric Holder!!

Even the Federal Bureau of Investigation has refused to provide the names of the men arrested for Terry's murder. They also put a lid on any and all other investigative findings. The Agency "declined" to honor a Freedom of Information Act request to provide information on the weapons found at the murder scene.

Every single thing points to an unbelievable COVER-UP!

Will you please help the Second Amendment Foundation to get to the very bottom of this?

You see, here is directly how this cover-up affects you and me directly---when the criminals use the illegal weapons, it puts gasoline on Mr. Obama's anti-gun "fire" to go against ALL gun owners in general; and even against those who believe in our Second Amendment rights! We cannot let Mr. Obama use this illegal act---perpetrated by his own administration---to use against legitimate gun owners!

The Obama Administration is doing all this in a concentrated effort to blame America's gun owners like YOU for the violent crime with guns in an attempt to pass new anti-gun laws to infringe on your gun rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment!

Now is the time that I really need to hear from you so our battle can continue to protect YOUR right to bear arms. Now is the time for you to decide; to help in this fight or not.

I sincerely look forward to hearing from you on this very urgent matter.

Respectfully,

Alan M. Gottlieb
Chairman
Second Amendment Foundation

Second Amendment Foundation
12500 NE 10th Place, Bellevue, WA 98005

Paid for by Second Amendment Foundation 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Contributions are tax deductible. Copyright © 2011 Second Amendment Foundation, All Rights Reserved.

The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation's oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.

received by e-mail from Second Amendment Foundation on Thu, May 5, 2011 12:33 pm.