Difference between revisions of "Operation Fast and Furious/take them down"

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(correct title for Thomasson)
(memo found)
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==About==
 
==About==
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A [http://www.grassley.senate.gov/about/upload/2012-06-29-CEG-DEI-to-DOJ-OIG-Thomasson-whistleblower-retaliation.pdf letter] from Republicans [[Darrell Issa]] and [[Chuck Grassley]] to [[Michael Horowitz]] alleges that ATF Division Chief of the Firearms Operations Unit [[Scot Thomasson]] said "We need to get whatever dirt we can on these guys [the whistleblowers] and take them down".
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A [[../Issa memo|memorandum]] from [[Darrell Issa]] on {{date|2012-05-03}} states that:
  
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This letter cites as evidence a document released on May 3 entitled "Memorandum from Chairman Darrell Issa to Members of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform", but so far we have not been able to locate this document online.
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<blockquote>
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One confidential witness told Congress that
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he overheard Scot Thomasson, chief ATF
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spokesman, say early on to get
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whatever dirt we can on these guys [the whistleblowers] and take them down.
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</blockquote>
  
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Attempting to do research via the [[Committee on Oversight and Government Reform]]'s "Operation Fast and Furious" [http://issues.oversight.house.gov/fastandfurious/ investigation area] encounters the following obstacles:
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This would seem to indicate that the testimony took place in a hearing to which there were other witnesses, and possibly under oath -- but since the testimony was "confidential" and no date is given, tracking it down may be quite difficult.
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==Notes==
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Earlier attempts to locate this document via the [[Committee on Oversight and Government Reform]]'s "Operation Fast and Furious" [http://issues.oversight.house.gov/fastandfurious/ investigation area] encountered the following obstacles:
 
* There is no on-site search function.
 
* There is no on-site search function.
 
* About half of the menu links go to 404 pages. ("KEY PLAYERS & PLACES", "INVESTIGATION", and "VIDEO & COMMENTARY")
 
* About half of the menu links go to 404 pages. ("KEY PLAYERS & PLACES", "INVESTIGATION", and "VIDEO & COMMENTARY")
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* Using Google to search the COGR site for "[https://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&q=site:issues.oversight.house.gov+%22Thomasson%22&oq=site:issues.oversight.house.gov+%22Thomasson%22&gs_l=hp.3...28127.29676.1.30788.9.9.0.0.0.7.840.5223.4-2j6j1.9.0...0.0...1c.1.15.psy-ab.SZeb3tNz0kg&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47244034,d.dmg&fp=aa4f0d93bffcfb2&biw=1363&bih=661 Thomasson]" also returns no results.
 
* Using Google to search the COGR site for "[https://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&q=site:issues.oversight.house.gov+%22Thomasson%22&oq=site:issues.oversight.house.gov+%22Thomasson%22&gs_l=hp.3...28127.29676.1.30788.9.9.0.0.0.7.840.5223.4-2j6j1.9.0...0.0...1c.1.15.psy-ab.SZeb3tNz0kg&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47244034,d.dmg&fp=aa4f0d93bffcfb2&biw=1363&bih=661 Thomasson]" also returns no results.
  
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This essentially leaves us taking Issa's and Grassley's word that Thomasson said this -- based only on an unavailable memorandum apparently authored by Issa. Unless that memorandum in turn has actual evidence to support the quote, we would then be left to take Issa's word -- and since Issa is a known liar with a criminal history, this seems a dubious proposition at best.
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It is curious that the COGR would not make this document more easily available.
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This allegation has nonetheless been widely repeated as credible, and not exclusively by right-wing sites.
 
This allegation has nonetheless been widely repeated as credible, and not exclusively by right-wing sites.

Revision as of 21:42, 2 June 2013

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