Tuesday, April 26, 2011

The ATF Fast and Furious Scandal: An Overview and Timeline

Note: This blog's timeline will be updated several times per week in order to keep this reference current

Note: Timeline updated September 11, 2012


Introduction
(This is the place to start)


News Archives and Timeline

January - March 2011

April - May 2011

June 2011

July 2011

August 2011

September 2011

October 2011

November 2011

December 2011

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012


April 2012


May 2012 

June 2012 

July 2012

August 2012

September 2012

Fast and Furious FAQs


What questions remain to be answered?  Why is it important that the investigation continue?

 I have heard reports that DOJ has turned over all documents related to the Fast and Furious operation – that the only documents being withheld are those after the operation shut down.  Is this true?

I have heard over and over that 70-90% of crime guns recovered in Mexico come from US gun shops. Is this true?

Didn't this all start under Bush? Didn't he do the same thing? Didn't his "Wide Receiver" operation use the same tactics?

Wasn't Fast and Furious Just a Botched Sting Operation?

Hasn't Fortune Magazine Proved That No "Gun Walking" Took Place? 

I've heard that "straw purchasers" aren't really punished - that it's like a traffic ticket. Democrats are calling Federal "gun trafficking" law. What laws are on the books now? What are the penalties?



HTML Hit Counter
HTML Hit Counter

22 comments:

  1. Very good time line of events you've created. I applaud your efforts. It's a time bomb waiting to explode. The rats are scurrying around as I speak, trying to hide or find a scapegoat.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Damn NICE info and great timeline A+++

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great job. Thanks for the time line.

    ReplyDelete
  4. "HOWEVER: ONLY ABOUT ONE IN FIVE GUNS RECOVERED IN MEXICO IS SUBMITTED FOR TRACING. Even the left leaning factcheck.org recognizes that the real figure is no more than 18%, not 90%."

    I'm sorry, there's no scientific logic to your claim. If 90% of weapons submitted are traced to US sources, it's not logical to assume that none of the weapons not submitted came from different sources.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well let's see....

    The Mexican government is complaining about guns going south - so they have strong motive to submit every gun that might be from the US for tracing.

    The ATF needs to justify it's existence, and it's budget - so they want to trace as many guns as possible.

    The Administration wants to justify new gun laws, so they want to trace as many guns as possible.

    I think that equals everyone involved in the tracing process - so yes, it is logical to assume that the vast majority of untraced guns are not coming from US retail channels.

    Furthermore, many weapons recovered in Mexico have no serial numbers - every firearm made or imported into the US since 1969 must have a serial number. No serial number means not from the US.

    In any case, one has to ask the question: Why are sweeping claims about the percentage of all guns used in crimes in Mexico made based on a small, and probably skewed sample?

    ReplyDelete
  7. You're not going to let facts interfere with your conclusion, but the BATF report (that 90% of the assault rifles originated in the US) was done under the Bush administration, one year before Obama took office and appointed Holder. http://www.atf.gov/press/releases/2008/02/020708-testimony-atf-ad-hoover-sw-border.html

    ReplyDelete
  8. Let me be clear, there is no doubt that the BATF did a sting that was stupid, dangerous and unethical, and it backfired. But, as the very first news outlet reported, the BATF has been doing shit like this since the early 1980s.

    ReplyDelete
  9. So will you be adding to the timeline the fact that the report came out in Feb of 2008?

    ReplyDelete
  10. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  11. urbanabanana - Thanks for the info, I have placed it into the timeline.

    While BATFE has done many stupid things in the past, I don't believe that prior to this "operation" they ever let guns "walk". I believe the agents who testified. I also believe that if this was ATF "SOP", agents would have come forward prior to this.

    In addition, it is clear that this operation was not a "sting". There was no way to arrest anyone in Mexico. They new that there was no way to arrest the "big fish". As one agent put it, "there is not one rookie police officer who could not tell you this was not going to work."

    What was the purpose? Well, imagine that these agents kept their mouths shut. What do you have then? Answer: You have A US Federal Agent, killed by a cartel member using a gun bought legally from a US dealer and smuggled across the boarder. This could then be used by the administration to push for more gun control.

    I am not saying they knew that Agent Terry would be killed - but they knew that if they pumped weapons across the boarder something like this would happen - and they could then use it to reach their goal. As one ATF exec said, "you have to be willing to break some eggs".

    Another angle on this story is the fact that gun dealers had to be ordered to sell guns to these criminals AFTER THEY CALLED THE ATF. So much for gun dealers being the problem. These cartels need thousands of guns, to arm what are effectively armies. It cannot be done by buying a gun here and there and smuggling them across the boarder. If you buy a large number of guns, you get reported to ATF, if you buy guns in ones or twos you can't get the numbers you need - and even then the dealer may report you because you fit the profile. It's just a whole lot easier to buy guns by the truckload from Central America, or China, N. Korea, - or corrupt members of the Mexican military and police. Many of these guns do trace back to the US - but they were originally sold to foreign militaries. ATF figures DO NOT differentiate between these guns and those sold through US retail channels - but one indicator is the average age of the weapons: 14 years. This makes it clear that very few of these guns are bought in US gun shops and sent directly to Mexico. The average age is a very good indicator that most of the US guns recovered in Mexico are coming from foreign sources.

    Just my $ .02 worth.

    ReplyDelete
  12. urbanabanana,

    The date of the GAO report is not the issue. The false assertions and claims made by the current administration is the problem. Nowhere does the report say that 90% of crime guns in Mexico originate from the US. That was a lie concocted to push an agenda. Therefore your claim has no merit.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Vince, thank you for the service you're providing here. This information is HUGE. I'd never seen your blog before today, but I've bookmarked you and, believe me, I'll be checking in here from now on!

    There is a timeline that is, believe it or not, EVEN more detailed and comprehensive than the excellent one you've provided here. I strongly recommend it to you and all your readers. It will make your jaw drop -- repeatedly.

    http://www.handgunclub.com/hca/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Project-Gunrunner-timelines.pdf

    I thought nothing could shock me anymore from the Marxists who have taken over our government. I was wrong.

    We need to all be in steady prayer for Congressman Issa and Senator Grassley and their committees, who are investigating all this. I am sure they must be under intense spiritual and political assault right now. Pray that they do not delay or desist in getting to the very bottom of this -- even if that means going to the very top levels of government. May God strengthen them day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you theheartlander, I have place a link to the resource you suggested in the body of the blog entry. We all need to pray for those working to bring about justice in this matter.

    ReplyDelete
  15. The handgunclub link to the detailed timeline no longer works. You might want to revise it (if you can find the proper one) or remove it at this point.

    A shame...I was interested in looking at it.

    ReplyDelete
  16. The link to the HCA article is fixed. Be sure to check out the PDF file - there is a link at the bottom of the page.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great information on this major crime.

    I look for to reading an update saying "Obama Resigns in Disgrace...Biden Sworn in as the 45th President of the United State."

    I just threw-up in my mouth.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Please keep up this informative and important timeline Vince.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Great web blog. I usually spend hours on the net reading blogs on various subjects. And, I really would like to praise you for writing such a fabulous article.Thanks...
    regards,
    Rothco

    ReplyDelete
  20. Mr,Ward
    I want to thank you for all your time and effort on putting to gather the best time line and information on any site today.
    THIS IS REMARKABLE

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how could we communicate?
    Big Top Sandbox

    ReplyDelete