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Justice Department: GOP Fast & Furious report is 'distorted'

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    Congressman Darrell Issa responds to DOJ's dismissal

  • Duration 6:35
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Good from Hezbollah today after a dismissive -- Justice Department reaction to -- scathing report about operation fast and furious.

That's the gun running -- that resulted in some 2000 weapons being put in the hands of some very dangerous Mexican drug cartels by our own government.

Five high ranking members of the ATF are singled out as responsible.

For that operation in a report just issued by some house members.

Not one of these men has been fired.

They've all been reassigned.

And the Justice Department is now calling the substance.

Of this congressional report distorted and debunked.

Joining me now the man who led this congressional investigation Republican congressman Darrell -- -- who is chairman of the house committee on oversight.

And government reform so mr.

chairman -- -- this is the first of three reports in which -- try to get to the bottom of what happened here and who was behind it the first report focuses.

On what happened at the ATF and who there was responsible you identify five guys.

Then you're gonna focus on the Department of Justice later reports the -- -- -- of the Department of Justice mr.

chairman comes out says as follows.

Predictably this Republican report reiterates many of the distortions and now debunked conspiracy theories that represented device that has been advancing for a year and a half.

And says.

The one thing and she says that including the fiction.

That these flawed tactics where the brain child of this administration as opposed to the reality.

That this pattern dates back to 2006 and the prior administration.

Your thoughts.

Well first of all it's not surprising that the attorney first attorney general ever to be held in contempt.

Would spin everything and anything is somehow in accurate without providing one fact as to any inaccuracy.

Noses over 200 pages -- a report -- over a thousand pages of -- -- including exclusive material we were very careful.

Additionally.

What we did is undeniable we've shown that where it was an ATF and we've included.

These previous tactics -- -- and others promoted.

We've also talked about the differences and the fact that they were failed program shut down during the previous administration.

And brought back with the full knowledge by this administration and that's what they object to they'd like to make it all bush did it.

Which in this case in the case -- fast and -- couldn't be further from the truth.

Our next report when we get into the specifics of Lanny brewer and others who had an active role in reviving a close program one that had -- in fact.

Considered a failure -- and shut down during the bush administration and then putting it on steroids leading to the death of Brian Terry.

And ultimately to the cover up by attorney general -- Older you talking your report about how this was what what is known as -- -- -- death operation at Department of Justice.

Can you explain what that means and why that is significant.

When it comes to what you believe the department justice new.

Or should have known with respect -- this gun running operation.

-- that's the most important thing for people understand the the Justice Department doesn't mind -- blaming ATF they've been throwing him under the bus.

But in fact -- combined task force for drug drug task force.

Are all about the Justice Department along with the Homeland Security putting together a team that's supposed to work together coordinate.

And nothing could have been further from the truth information was not shared there was stove piping.

Clearly DEA and others have culpability in our report goes into some of those problems.

Problems that show yes ATF has problems and we have some people we'd like to see fired.

But we also see problems all the way up to the top of justice and candidly.

The stove piping also goes over to homeland security and the fact that there were people from that cabinet position.

Who were on -- -- death.

But when something goes wrong pretend like they were just along for the ride that's part of with the American people want us to do on the reform side they don't just want an investigation.

They want real reform.

They keep saying the department -- trying to say that you know they didn't know anything about the controversial tactics that this is a witch hunts that this is an ATF operation that yes they signed off on some.

Wiretap applications but they didn't know about the controversial.

Aspects of the program.

Does the in the I want tell our viewers at this boasts a death is basically designation you get -- DOJ which means it's a big deal at DOJ stands for.

Organized crime drug enforcement task force strikes force off op operation and that means.

-- making a big deal out of this could -- be an -- -- operation at DOJ.

And DOJ not know about the intricate details.

Of the operation.

-- that's exactly the point is they can't have it both ways they can't say that they knew about fast and are about wide receiver.

And it was flawed and then then in fact stirred up fast and furious and then claim they did know about it.

They couldn't claim all of these things that we see sequentially particularly on videos to -- Where US attorney Dennis Burke who has resigned in disgrace.

And his superiors.

Were being read in and they're saying what we were ready and we were given this information but we didn't actually get told any thing.

Well that's a problem what's the point of having briefings that didn't go into the details of these and then try to have plausible than -- ability.

I've I want you would be the sorry I wanted to ask you one question for I run after run and that is obvious spot guy's viewpoint you who -- responsible for this that at ATF.

No it's this weird there's still on the other federal taxpayer got a diamond that now ahead guy -- Nelson.

He's working for do you read our the taxpayers still paying -- we -- -- why.

They are -- still paying all these folks we are concerned.

That there has been no real repercussions and more importantly there's been no change in how it works.

Kenneth Nelson as the acting director clearly was in over his head.

And is an example of what happens when you have acting director after it after acting director.

Off for six years that's part of the problem President Obama did not put up somebody else other than Kenneth Nelson he simply left him -- as an acting director of former US attorney.

His replacement is a former US attorney what we don't have for the 18100 men and women of ATF is a permanent.

Professional that we can rely on to know what's going on -- -- felt relatively large law enforcement organization.

18100 people spread around the world is a lot of people they need a real leader and right now there isn't one.

Now the DOJ says that wait for its own inspector general to come out with.

His final report that that is something that is in process we don't know when we will get that we look forward to it but we will we will see.

Chairman I -- thank you sir thank.

You.

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