Thursday, June 16, 2011

Project Gunrunner: Did Asst Attorney General Commit Perjury?

As mentioned in a previous post, the most compelling exchange in Day 2's Oversight Committee hearing into the scandal that is Project Gunrunner / Operation Fast and Furious was between Darrell Issa and Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich. At the end of Issa's initial statement / questioning of Weich, Chairman Issa demanded to know from Weich who authorized the operation that led to a countless number of deaths, including that of Border Agent Brian Terry. Weich repeatedly said he was not in a position to answer that question.

Issa then altered the question by asking Weich if he knew who DID authorize the operation. The AAG attempted to do the same thing but ultimately found himself faced with necessarily having to answer 'yes' or 'no.' He decided to say he did NOT know who authorized it. This part is key because Weich was under oath when he testified that he did not know.

The series of ATF emails released by Issa's committee certainly calls that assertion into question because they show that Weich's boss - Active ATF Director Kenneth Melson - was 'in the weeds' when it came to Fast and Furious. If Melson knew about the operation, it's more than just a little likely that Weich did because it's his job to be legal counsel for the agency.

HERE is a link to those emails. Note that a common name on them is that of George Gillett, Jr. He is the highest ranking member within ATF to come forward and is likely the source who released these emails to Issa's committee.

Sipsey Street has much more.

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