Crooks and liars endanger our people–again.
A federal agent told members of Congress on Wednesdaythat Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents in Arizonaroutinely allowed the purchase of guns they knew would wind up inthe hands of Mexican cartel members.
John Dodson told members of the House Committee on Oversight andGovernment Reform said Phoenix firearms dealers had provided theagency with the names of more than 40 people who were likely buyingguns really meant for criminals.
“From the earliest days of the operation … I had no questionthat the individuals we were watching were acting as strawpurchasers and that the weapons they purchased would soon betrafficked to Mexico and locales all along the Southwest border,where they would be used in violent crime if we did not intervene,”he testified. “However, we did nothing.”
Instead, he said, agents were told to track the weapons in hopesof finding out where they were going.
The process, known as Operation Fast and Furious, came undercongressional scrutiny after two weapons purchased by one of thosestraw buyers turned up at the scene of where Border Patrol agentBrian Terry was shot to death near Rio Rico last December.