Rep. Issa on inspector general's Fast and Furious report

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Let's talk more now about the inspector general's report on operation fast and furious out today house oversight and Government Reform Committee chairman Darryl -- Has led the way into the congressional probe of this program he joins us live tonight from Capitol Hill congressman thanks for being here.

Your first assessment of this report today.

It's a good report.

If there were few things they weren't able to get to and they're still looking for them including White House officials who were briefed.

But not made available to the IG.

But overall what they did was they -- outlined what went wrong -- ATF what were wrong in Phoenix.

And then went up the chain to show what went wrong all the way to the very top of justice and.

You -- the top you have Jason Weinstein.

Deputy assistant attorney general who resigned today.

But that's where it stops does not go beyond that.

This does directly tied to the death of Brian Terry the patrol agent.

Would you wanted to go further.

Well certainly the cover up goes further and -- I was with the Terry family.

In a rural area called -- the Arizona for the naming of the Brian A Terry.

Border Patrol station yesterday they want the answers and they want everyone held accountable for the initial failure.

But they also want answers on the cover up where for ten months the American people were told.

That they don't like guns walk.

Those false statements came from just as all the way to the very top including Lanny brewer and ultimately Eric Holder.

Eric Holder the attorney general released a statement as you know today in part it said this it is unfortunate that some were so quick to make baseless accusations.

Before they possess the facts about these operations accusations that turned out to be without foundation.

That have caused a great deal of unnecessary harming confusion.

I hope today's report acts as a reminder of the dangers of adopting -- fact.

Unsubstantiated.

Conclusions before an investigation.

Of the circumstances is completed your reaction to that is.

My reaction is one of the critical people in his office required to brief him hand picked by him resign today and it's still only the tip of the iceberg.

The fact is that just because you're not convicted doesn't mean you're vindicated.

Attorney general holder didn't ask the questions didn't read the memos.

And up and down the chain of the people who worked for him the political appointees responsible to him.

Failed to do their job including denying reading wiretaps that they were responsible for signing.

There's no question there needs to be real reform injustice that's something that I think in the wake of Brian Terry's murder we -- it to the family to fix it.

Just fix the system.

And in fact to hold people responsible Eric Holder didn't do his job.

Didn't care enough to even call the family and today today finally one of the people that should have been gone a year and a half ago.

Resigned but only after the ID pointed specifically to him.

But he also pointed to others and pointed to areas in which there's still more work to be done including the unsealing.

A fourteen.

How wiretaps things that the attorney general has fought us on.

The documents from post every -- it was a reason -- attorney general was held in contempt.

And the IG said these need to be made public.

So -- the IG report is finished do you expect justice to come forward with those 74000.

Documents -- you've requested there's still the issue of executive privilege.

-- what's amazing is there are many doc documents referred to were used in this report in which they make the game.

Chose to have no executive privilege and the IG was allowed to -- and what we were denied them.

That's sort of a double standard it's just wrong were happy that the IG had pretty good access.

The ideas in his report has gone through a number of areas in which he has to do more work needs more information an example is.

-- over it Department of Homeland Security secretary in college town -- refused to make available.

One of the full time employees are fast and furious that happens to fall within her jurisdiction.

As a result the IG was not able to interview this individual.

Who was aware and did know about the wiretaps.

In this report seems to indicate that there are BIG didn't find any motive behind official action.

Of trying to change gun laws do you see that.

We've never made statement in any way -- reform I know that's been -- a lot as a possible motive.

We don't know and perhaps we'll never know why such a reckless and -- tactic not only was it was done but was continued and then covered up.

At the end of the day -- it was continued it was covered up it was knowingly done and people of lied to the American people about it.

That's really reason that this won't end until those people are held responsible plus Fred I have to mention having been with the Terry family yesterday.

There are still a number of people who were in the chain of actual transport of these guns.

That killed Brian Terry did have not yet been charged so there's still people who have not been held accountable on the street criminal side.

-- -- to thank you very much for your time tonight thank you don't forget tonight.

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Rep. Issa on inspector general's Fast and Furious report

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