Ruh Roh: Is DOJ's Explanation for Stonewall Backfiring?

This one might get filed in the 'we didn't see that coming' department. House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa has subpoenaed documents from the ATF and he has been consistently stonewalled by the DOJ. The reason given by Eric Holder for not relinquishing the requested documents is that there are ongoing investigations taking place that involve straw purchasers. It's a lame argument because, as Issa told Holder last month, 'we're not looking at straw purchasers, we're looking at you.' There appears to be another twist to this angle that may catch Holder and company flat-footed.

The Daily Caller reports that the defense attorneys for those straw purchasers may be demanding the same documents in Discovery that DOJ won't release to Issa:

Texas criminal defense lawyers are investigating the Justice Department’s Fast and Furious investigation of cross-border gun smuggling, using routine “discovery” rules that allow defendants to look for flaws in prosecutors’ evidence, statements and purpose.

“As the lawyer for Jose Sauceda–Cuevas, I’ve got to look at every possibility,” including agency misconduct, that would help him in the courtroom, said David Dudley, a Harvard-trained criminal defense lawyer based in Los Angeles.

The U.S. Attorney for the Arizona district is charging Dudley’s client with 25 counts related to gun trafficking. The charges include 10 false statement made during gun purchases, five identity theft charges, five counts for felony possession of a gun, and “five counts of Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm,” according to a May 19 press statement.

Is the DOJ stonewall going to be broken from an unprotected flank?

Something's gonna give soon.

Read it all.