Key ATF Official In Fast and Furious Scandal Drawing Government Pay For Not Working While Employed On Wall Street

Deputy Assistant ATF Director William McMahon, who was determined in a congressional report to bear a great deal of responsibility for the Fast and Furious gunwalking scandal, has been rewarded with six months pay – and full retirement – while working for a Wall Street investment firm. In an arrangement that directly violates ATF policy, he has been placed on six months paid leave in spite of the fact that he is currently working full time for J.P. Morgan. Even more significant is the fact that this arrangement enables McMahon to qualify for full retirement benefits, which he would not be qualified for without the additional six months of “employment”.

All of this has taken place only days before the DOJ Inspector General will issue its’ report on Fast and Furious, a report widely expected to also name McMahon as a principle in the chain of responsibility for the ill fated operation.

Why in the world would the administration reward someone responsible for an operation that is at least partially responsible for the death of two Federal Agents? The obvious answer is that this man knows something the administration does not want the public to know.

Perhaps most significant, is that fact that this story broke not from Fox News or they Daily Caller, but in the Washington Post! This issue may be more likely to gain traction because, unlike other aspects of the story, one need not understand anything about guns or gun laws to grasp how wrong and corrupt this is. This may be the clearest indication yet that there is much more to this story than is currently on the record.

I expect we will hear a lot more about this in the next few months.

Update: A great deal has come to light in the short time since the above was written.

First, it has been confirmed that J.P. Morgan is both a major contributor to President Obama's campaign and the provider of credit cards to the ATF.  Given the nature of  McMahon's "arrangement" this is no surprise.

Second, Rep. Issa has revealed that his committee will likely refer McMahon for criminal prosecution for lying under oath before congress (a felony).

Third, we have learned that McMahon's new job is located in the Philippines.

So, let's review: A major figure in the worst scandal to hit the Obama administration is being paid a six figure salary by the taxpayers for doing nothing, while at the same time working for a major ATF vendor and Obama contributor at a job located outside the country.  This arrangement was made just a few weeks before the DOJ's Inspector General's report will be released and shortly before a congressional committee will refer him for felony prosecution.  Said arrangement will enable him to start drawing his Federal retirement in six months and will make it much more difficult to obtain his testimony or prosecute him for lying to congress.

See the August News Links for sources of the above information.