Fast and Furious scandal is turning into President Obama's Watergate

[qabbaan]

Fast and Furious scandal is turning into President Obama's Watergate

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/ti...mas-watergate/

Obama is repeating many of the mistakes that led to Nixon's resignation in 1974

Fast and furious hasn’t been discussed a lot in the mainstream media,
which is why the facts can seem so preposterous when you read them for
the first time. But the story is slowly unraveling and the public is
catching up with the madness. On Wednesday, the The House Oversight
and Government Reform Committee voted to hold Attorney General Eric
Holder in contempt over his decision to withhold documents related to
the "gun walking" operation - documents that President Obama tried to
keep secret by invoking executive privilege. The question of why the
Prez intervened in this way will surely hang over the investigation
and the White House for many months to come.

Be patient, conservatives. It took nearly eight months for the
Watergate break in to become a national news story. But when it
finally did, it toppled a President.

Here’s what Fast and Furious is all about - and for the uninitiated,
be prepared for a shock. In 2009, the US government instructed Arizona
gun sellers illegally to sell arms to suspected criminals. Agents
working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
(ATF) were then ordered not to stop the sales but to allow the arms to
"walk" across the border into the arms of Mexican drug-traffickers.
According to the Oversight Committee’s report, "The purpose was to
wait and watch, in hope that law enforcement could identify other
members of a trafficking network and build a large, complex conspiracy
case…. [The ATF] initially began using the new gun-walking tactics in
one of its investigations to further the Department’s strategy. The
case was soon renamed ‘Operation Fast and Furious."

Tracing the arms became difficult, until they starting appearing at
bloody crime scenes. Many Mexicans have died from being shot by ATF
sanctioned guns, but the scandal only became public after a US federal
agent, Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, was killed by one of them in a
fire fight. ATF whistle blowers started to come forward and the
Department of Justice was implicated. It’s estimated that the US
government effectively supplied 1,608 weapons to criminals, at a total
value of over $1 million. Aside from putting American citizens in
danger, the AFT also supplied what now amounts to a civil war within
Mexico.

It’s important to note that the Bush administration oversaw something
similar to Fast and Furious. Called Operation Wide Receiver, it used
the common tactic of "controlled delivery," whereby agents would allow
an illegal transaction to take place, closely follow the movements of
the arms, and then descend on the culprits. But Fast and Furious is
different because it was "uncontrolled delivery," whereby the
criminals were essentially allowed to drop off the map. Perhaps more
importantly, Wide Receiver was conducted with the cooperation of the
Mexican government. Fast and Furious was not.

So Obama’s operation is subtly different. But just as concerning is
the heavy handed way that the administration has handled criticism.
Obama says that the Oversight Committee has been hi-jacked by
Republicans who would rather talk about politics than creating jobs
(because Obama is o-so very good at generating those). But there has
been Democratic criticism too, and the Prez’s determined defence of
Holder will only encourage conspiracy thinking that the scandal has
hidden depths. Executive privilege is usually associated with
protecting information that passes through the Oval Office. What did
the documents reveal about Obama’s association with the operation?

Again, it’s important to contextualise. Executive privilege has been
invoked 24 times since Ronald Reagan, and attempts to over-ride it
rarely reach the courts. Moreover, Holder’s request for executive
privilege made no reference to White House involvement in Fast and
Furious, which seems to have been run exclusively by the ATF.
Nevertheless, by refusing to sack Holder or push him to come clean,
Obama may have made a very Nixonian mistake.

A lot of conservatives are writing at the moment that not only is
Obama turning into Nixon Mark II, but Obama is much worse because no
one actually got killed during Watergate. The comparison is based on
the myth that Nixon ordered the Watergate break in and that’s what he
eventually had to resign over. But that’s not true. Nixon’s guilt was
in trying to pervert the course of justice by persuading the FBI to
drop its investigation of the crime. Mistake number one, then, was to
involve the White House in covering up the errors of a separate,
autonomous political department. Mistake number two was that when
Congress discovered that evidence about the scandal might be recorded
on the White House bugging system, Nixon invoked executive privilege
to protect the tapes. In both cases, it was the cover up that
destroyed Tricky Dick - not the original crime.

And, forty years later almost to the day, here we have Obama making
the same mistake. Perhaps it’s an act of chivalry to stand by
Holder; perhaps it’s an admission of guilt. Either way, it sinks the
Oval Office ever further into the swamp that is Fast and Furious. Make
no mistake about: Fast and Furious was perhaps the most shameful
domestic law and order operation since the Waco siege. It’s big
government at its worst: big, incompetent and capable of ruining
lives.

[The_Grand_Illusion]

Originally Posted by Otter

Racism!!!

Has this little gumdrop been worn out yet or is there still some gas left in the tank?

Apparently so. As a minority, this gets so old anytime the left doesn't like something, they scream racism if they can use it. Never mind, what happened was so wrong and hundreds died as a result of this botched program.

http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepa...nd_eric_holder


Predictable: Civil Rights "Leaders" Pull Race Card to Defend Eric Holder

Katie Pavlich
News Editor, Townhall

Jun 26, 2012 01:40 PM EST

When you have no facts to base an argument on, pull the race card. That's the worn out tactic of civil rights "leaders" like Rev. Al Sharpton and NAACP President Ben Jealous who are fully defending Attorney General Eric Holder in his handling of the Fast and Furious scandal while leaving the family of murdered Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry smothered in the dirt. Last week Nancy Pelosi made the ridiculous argument that the only reason Chairman of the House Oversight Committee Darrell Issa is investigating Operation Fast and Furious and proceeding with a full House contempt vote on Thursday is because Republicans want to suppress the vote of minorities and Holder is the person who "prevents that from happening."

“They’re going after Eric Holder because he is supporting measures to overturn these voter-suppression initiatives in the states,” she told reporters.

Now, Sharpton, Jealous and others are also running with that argument.


First of all, two can play the race game. If Holder and his race card cronies like Sharpton want to play the race game, let's play. Let's talk about the 300+ dead Mexicans as a result of the Holder Justice Department's Operation Fast and Furious. Even Holder is willing to admit more innocents will be murdered as a result of this program. Second, the Attorney General can be replaced, Holder isn't the only guy who can "prevent" what Nancy Pelosi sees as the suppression of the minority vote. In fact, you could argue Obama is keeping Holder around to sue states for Voter I.D. laws while turning a blind eye to voter fraud. Third, this isn't about voting, this is about getting to the bottom a bloody scandal that President Obama, Eric Holder, Nancy Pelosi and now Rev. Al and others are more than happy to cover up. Liberals are trying desperately, as they always do, to turn Holder into the victim here, when he isn't a victim at all, he's the problem. They're also trying desperately to throw out a distraction like voting that has nothing to do with the Fast and Furious scandal in order to take as much attention away from the facts as possible. Fact: Holder received multiple Fast and Furious memos dated July and August 2010, yet says he only knew about the program for a "few weeks" in May 2011. Fact: Holder has changed his testimony over and over again under oath. Fact: Holder refused to turn over more documents related to the program. Fact: Documents Holder has turned over are either partially or completely redacted. Fact: Holder's number two man at DOJ, Lanny Breuer, approved six Fast and Furious wiretap applications, yet Holder still claims his senior officials knew nothing of the program while it was active. Fact: Holder claims he ended Fast and Furious. The program ended in December 2010, yet he says he didn't know about the program until May 2011. Fact: Eric Holder, who is black, is one of the most powerful men in the world.

[mikey23545]

If this was a Republican administration, daytime tv would echo with the same question over and over, hour after hour, day after day - "What did you know and when did you know it?"

[The_Grand_Illusion]

Originally Posted by mikey23545

If this was a Republican administration, daytime tv would echo with the same question over and over, hour after hour, day after day - "What did you know and when did you know it?"

Oh indeed, and just shows what hypocrites their whole damn corrupt culture has become.

What ever they are hiding, Hot Air is reporting a poll that only 29% of the polled approved of Obama using Executive Privilege in this matter. If this administration knew it wouldn’t poll well, what is so important they are hiding?

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Can you provide proof that it's not? Because the proof has been shown that it is a forgery.

What's hilarious is that this is the first president where we really don't know his past. Even with other liberals like Gore or Clinton, we're able to look into their past. Obama has all of his records sealed away from the public and has him surrounded by lawyers to protect that info.

Selective Service says it is not a forgery and it was submitted properly and on time.

We do know his past. He's had nothing sealed.

[vailpass]

I blame it all on obama's slutty mother.

[go bowe]

Originally Posted by vailpass

I blame it all on obama's slutty mother.

he had a mother?

[mikey23545]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

We do know his past. He's had nothing sealed.

You're either delusional or an absolute liar, Orange.

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by mikey23545

You're either delusional or an absolute liar, Orange.

Which part of his life do you feel you don't know about? And if your response has anything to do with his childhood, the next question will be, "Why is it relevant?"

And what do you think has been "sealed?" And don't respond with something that isn't normally publicly-available information.

[mikey23545]

[mikey23545]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

Which part of his life do you feel you don't know about? And if your response has anything to do with his childhood, the next question will be, "Why is it relevant?"

And what do you think has been "sealed?" And don't respond with something that isn't normally publicly-available information.

He refuses to release any of his college transcripts because he was an affirmative action baby all the way through college, and can't even read a teleprompter these days.

And I love the "why is it relevant" question which you feel gives you the right to disavow any questioning of his sealed past...

You are too much, O...

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by mikey23545

He refuses to release any of his college transcripts because he was an affirmative action baby all the way through college, and can't even read a teleprompter these days.

And I love the "why is it relevant" question which you feel gives you the right to disavow any questioning of his sealed past...

You are too much, O...

So, you can't name anything he has had sealed. His transcripts have been "sealed" the same way yours have been "sealed." Assuming you attended some sort of school, they probably won't give me your records if I ask for them. So, I guess you had them "sealed."

You didn't answer what part of his life you feel you don't know enough about, but I'm asking why you think such information is relevant. Asssuming we don't know enough about 10-year-old Barrack, why do you think that is important?

As for his education, we know he graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, was president of the law review, and was a Con Law professor at a top law school. His grades were probably pretty damn good, at least in law school. Why is it relevant what grade he got in Freshman English or Math at Occidental College?

[CoMoChief]

Originally Posted by cosmo20002

So, you can't name anything he has had sealed. His transcripts have been "sealed" the same way yours have been "sealed." Assuming you attended some sort of school, they probably won't give me your records if I ask for them. So, I guess you had them "sealed."

You didn't answer what part of his life you feel you don't know enough about, but I'm asking why you think such information is relevant. Asssuming we don't know enough about 10-year-old Barrack, why do you think that is important?

As for his education, we know he graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, was president of the law review, and was a Con Law professor at a top law school. His grades were probably pretty damn good, at least in law school. Why is it relevant what grade he got in Freshman English or Math at Occidental College?

Because with Obama's sketchy background when you open one door, then 4-5 more doors open. Funny how all of this info we've been able to get from almost every other president if not all, but Obama seals much of his records?

For instance, who paid for Obama's education at Harvard? How did he get in, because pre-college reports were that Obama wasn't that great of a student, or one that would be considered to be accepted at Harvard.

The guy has DUAL CITIZENSHIP in Indonesia whenever he went to private school there. That's documented....AND it's direct violation of the constitution to hold office of the POTUS.

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Because with Obama's sketchy background when you open one door, then 4-5 more doors open. Funny how all of this info we've been able to get from almost every other president if not all, but Obama seals much of his records?

For instance, who paid for Obama's education at Harvard? How did he get in, because pre-college reports were that Obama wasn't that great of a student, or one that would be considered to be accepted at Harvard.

The guy has DUAL CITIZENSHIP in Indonesia whenever he went to private school there. That's documented....AND it's direct violation of the constitution to hold office of the POTUS.

Could you please show me where in the constitution that it explicitly states one can not have dual citizenship for the office of the presidency?

Furthermore, all you're looking for is mud to throw and are getting annoyed that he's not handing it over.

[cosmo20002]

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

Because with Obama's sketchy background when you open one door, then 4-5 more doors open. Funny how all of this info we've been able to get from almost every other president if not all, but Obama seals much of his records?

For instance, who paid for Obama's education at Harvard? How did he get in, because pre-college reports were that Obama wasn't that great of a student, or one that would be considered to be accepted at Harvard.

The guy has DUAL CITIZENSHIP in Indonesia whenever he went to private school there. That's documented....AND it's direct violation of the constitution to hold office of the POTUS.

Its only "sketchy" because you say it is based on some absurd standard invented when he became president. And again you use the term "sealed." Yet no one can tell me what has been sealed. You got anything? Anyone got anything?

Obama had loans for law school. But this 'who paid?' stuff is just bizarre. Has 'who paid?' been asked of any other president? No--no one cared, and what difference would it make?

The dual citizenship thing is completely false, but I'm sure that won't stop you from repeating it.

[VAChief]

I see the usual Klavern pinheads are assembling predictably.