Research

Attorney General Holder Repeatedly Claimed That The Justice Department Had No Knowledge Of “Gun Walking” In “Fast And Furious”

On May 3, 2011, Attorney General Eric Holder Testified To Congress That He Only Became Aware Of “Fast And Furious” “Over The Last Few Weeks” In Spring 2011. (Sharyl Attkisson, “ATF Fast And Furious: New Documents Show Attorney General Eric Holder Was Briefed In July 2010,” CBS News, 10/03/11)

Attorney General Holder Testified That Justice Officials Didn’t Know About “Gun Walking” During Correspondence With Congressional Investigators. “Mr. Grassley and other Republicans also demanded to know more about who had drafted and reviewed a February letter the department sent him saying that ‘A.T.F. makes every effort to interdict weapons that have been purchased illegally and prevent their transport into Mexico.’ Mr. Holder said that the drafters of the letter did not know at the time about the tactics used in Wide Receiver and Fast and Furious.” (Charlie Savage, “Holder Urges Lawmakers To Support Efforts To Stop Gun Trafficking,” The New York Times, 11/8/11)

Yet New Emails Show That Top Justice Officials Were Well-Informed About The Operation And Tactics

New Documents Show Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer “Suggested Letting Some Illicit ‘Straw’ Weapons Buyers In The U.S. To Transport Their Guns Across The Border.” “Newly released Justice Department emails sent to Capitol Hill for a congressional inquiry into a gun-smuggling operation indicate that the head of the department's criminal division suggested letting some illicit ‘straw’ weapons buyers in the U.S. transport their guns across the border into Mexico where they could be arrested.” (“Justice Dept. Releases Documents In Fast And Furious Probe,” The Associated Press, 1/28/12)

• Breuer Suggested The Use Of “Gun Walking” To “Send A Strong Message To Arms Traffickers.” “According to the emails turned over to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on Friday night, the Justice official, Lanny Breuer, made the suggestion to Mexican officials because it ‘may send a strong message to arms traffickers.’” (“Justice Dept. Releases Documents In Fast And Furious Probe,” The Associated Press, 1/28/12)

Emails From February 2011 Also Show That A Top Aide To Attorney General Holder Knew “Fast And Furious” Weapons Were Found At The Murder Of Border Agent Brian Terry.  “Also among the documents are Justice Department emails involving a former top aide to Attorney General Eric Holder. The emails show that then-deputy chief of staff Monty Wilkinson was notified by then-U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke the day after Terry was slain that guns found at the murder scene were connected to an investigation that Burke and Wilkinson had planned to discuss. The emails did not identify the investigation, but it was Operation Fast and Furious.” (“Justice Dept. Releases Documents In Fast And Furious Probe,” The Associated Press, 1/28/12)

• Holder Aide On Agent Terry Murder: “I've Alerted The AG, The Acting Deputy Attorney General.”  “The email messages show the former top federal prosecutor in Arizona, Dennis Burke, notifying an aide to Holder via email on Dec. 15, 2010 that agent Brian Terry had been wounded and died. ‘Tragic,’ responds the aide, Monty Wilkinson. ‘I've alerted the AG, the acting Deputy Attorney General...’ Only a few minutes later, Wilkinson emailed again, saying, ‘Please provide any additional details as they become available to you.’ Burke then delivered another piece of bad news: ‘The guns found in the desert near the murder [sic] ... officer connect back to the investigation we were going to talk about — they were AK-47s purchased at a Phoenix gun store.’” (Carrie Johnson, “Emails Show How ‘Fast And Furious’ Ambush News Unfolded At Justice Dept.,” NPR’s “The Two-Way” Blog, 1/27/12)
• The New Emails Show U.S. Attorney And Holder’s Deputy Chief Of Staff Had “Planned To Discuss” “Fast And Furious.” “Also among the documents are Justice Department emails involving a former top aide to Attorney General Eric Holder. The emails show that then-deputy chief of staff Monty Wilkinson was notified by then-U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke the day after Terry was slain that guns found at the murder scene were connected to an investigation that Burke and Wilkinson had planned to discuss. The emails did not identify the investigation, but it was Operation Fast and Furious.” (“Justice Dept. Releases Documents In Fast And Furious Probe,” The Associated Press, 1/28/12)