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5 ATF employees to blame for Fast & Furious?

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    New congressional report raises questions about bureau

  • Duration 6:48
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Now back our top story a scathing congressional report just out an operation fast and furious.

That -- much of the blame for that gun running operation on five officials.

With in the ATF.

At least four of -- Are still being paid by the US taxpayers.

Including William Newell.

The former special agent in charge of the Phoenix field division William McMahon former deputy assistant director for field operations.

And this guy former deputy director William Cooper is the one William La -- told us may -- submitted his resignation just yesterday.

But then there's former acting director Kenneth Nelson.

Used to run the ATF and -- shake.

The former assistant director for field operations all these guys were referring to his former not because they were fired from their positions but they have been reassigned.

Joining -- now Julian Epstein was the former legal counsel former.

To the House Judiciary Committee and a democratic consultant who has worked at several high profile campaign to.

So the Republicans in the house are gonna not with three reports -- the first of the three the second gonna talk about DOJ that -- it's gonna talk about what they believe is DOJ obstruction.

This is focused more on -- yes and who there you know is to blame for this mess.

-- do do we learn anything from this report that we didn't know before.

-- we sure did a couple things number one the -- -- gun running program was known by officials in Washington DC remember that.

The attorney general previously testified that it was a localized operation that Washington wasn't involved in it.

That Mitt has been debunked if they did know about it went all the way up actually on number one number two we also know that guns that were taken from -- and -- used.

As part of the fast and furious.

Project and actually killed were used to kill a the brother of the attorney general one of the states and Mexico that is an new news at least to the public's.

So and there was a big operation to try to keep that silent.

So what you've got is what this report showing is that the -- did ATF and the Department of Justice knew what was going on -- But no wonder they're trying to not give information to.

-- the congress because the more we find out the worse it gets and I'll tell you what I think needs to happen right now we've we're paying for a taxpayer expense at least four.

Maybe five.

All of these officials that were involved.

Get rid of them there's enough evidence now the Department of Justice knows everything we we don't because they've given us the documents.

But Department of Justice knows everything there's enough for these debate -- -- they should be removed and that's what Eric Holder needs to do now we're of this thing continues to compound.

You -- that -- -- they if they thought enough of what -- you know the allegations.

To reassign them.

And why -- -- we still pain and why not why edges either let them continuing their current position.

Or -- that but what's this middle ground -- purgatory that these guys are.

There's a proper investigation hasn't been conducted yet it's -- conducted by the it by the inspector general.

And let me just say I think this is these this report is mostly old -- in a new bottle.

I used to be the staff director of this committee this process that the committee is now using is really immature -- the way.

You do these reports is if you wanna do it in a professional way as you write the report the staff -- -- the report and then they circulated to the members.

So the members have an opt -- to read on and then they vote on the reports that's the normal committee process.

Hear what they did with the staff of wrote a report it wasn't reviewed by anybody.

Iso leaked it to the newspapers hasn't provided the members and that's generally what you do when you don't have confidence and what the findings are and I totally -- disagree with his characterization.

All this report shows is that there were five officials mostly low level officials.

With the exception of the ATF had.

In and had a pretty -- prison physics in the field in the field office and fit in fear that if -- Panetta had a minor passive role.

He was -- he was -- -- appropriate reassigned appropriately.

But if this was won by low level field.

Officials -- who superiors did not exercise the proper kind of judgment and oversight and there's no evidence whatsoever that this was conducted known.

Approved at high levels of the Justice Department this is basically confirming everything that I and the Democrats have been saying for many months on this which was this was a field operation that started under the Bush Administration all these officials.

We're talking about where employed by the Bush Administration they were continued by the by the Obama administration they didn't have fuel proper oversight -- And Nelson just in this OK let's just but as of this -- Nelson was -- he's the one you talk about the acting director he's been reassigned -- that's a -- Heidi I was a little policy in the Justice Department and has just got into space it.

Aren't great album it I had day.

I mean you take -- we got -- heading up legal policy and this is absurd.

And you know -- -- due respect I mean let's be realistic here you have the acting head of the agency was aware of it in Washington DC that's about as -- you're gonna get -- we -- Acting and and I -- enough with this something was started under bush because operation wide receiver.

Under the Bush Administration which would by the way terminated was in conjunction with the Mexican government.

Here the ATF agents and at the officials within the ATF -- DOJ didn't want any information on this.

To the Mexican authorities in part because now we know.

That -- brother of an attorney general for the states and Mexico was assassinated at the hands of our own well in London to Madison on her out of event so don't -- -- -- -- -- Yeah OK last thing very quickly here is here's the problem.

There's enough evidence to reassign these people there's enough evidence to remove these -- -- going on for almost two years now Megan this is a -- game.

Through the election the problem is more information comes out and a lot of this information I disagree corporate Julian is new at least -- the American.

Really the last word to continue just answered me this when -- win.

Will be DO -- inspector general report cut out.

-- we know hopefully soon hopefully soon and then we'll take the appropriate actions at that point but the -- point that is one responded -- -- twelfth chase said.

-- said that he disagreed with guns walking weather was done in conjunction with the Mac's gonna government are not so I will continue to point out that this program of guns walking started under the Bush Administration secondly.

Nelson.

Who -- -- as head of ATF has testified repeatedly that he did not inform.

People higher than the Justice Department that this program was ongoing so yes some blame lies within emails shortly audio on -- so -- -- -- -- finish.

Let me finish now and -- do that that's the appropriate as don't resigning or firing.

Which I think will probably occur -- these lower level officials in the field office where the guys who were basically doing this without proper supervision.

I think that'll occur when you have a proper investigation by the inspector general.

This is I got hot rock can't afford it did not go through the proper -- the year what -- -- -- I think oh with an extra hour by the Department of Justice Ali fights I have -- about -- make a.

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