Discovery of a January 2011 e-mail exchange between then Acting ATF Director Ken Melson and the Bureau’s chief council Steve Rubenstein has put the kibosh on Obama administration elites’ latest “we didn’t know about it” defense concerning the regime’s involvement in Operation Fast and Furious.
On December 22, 2010, a contributor identifying himself as “1desertrat” posted the following to the “CLEANUP ATF” website:
Word is that curious George Gillett the Phoenix ASAC stepped on it again. Allegedly he has approved more than 500 AR-15 type rifles from Tucson and Phoenix cases to be “walked” to Mexico. Appears that ATF may be one of the largest suppliers of assault rifles to the Mexican cartels! One of these rifles is rumored to have been linked to the recent killing of a Border Patrol Officer in Nogales, AZ. Can anyone confirm this information? [1]
Well, Director Melson read this “CLEANUP ATF” post and didn’t appreciate the fact that ATF business had been so willfully shared with the general public. Especially, this business. So, he contacted ATF Chief Council Steve Rubenstein for advice. And the e-mail reply he received from Rubenstein is a beauty. Rubenstein wrote:
The disclosure of this information has a potential deleterious effect on ATF’s undercover operations. In that regard, suspects may alter their behavior if they know that law enforcement is allowing certain firearms to “walk” into Mexico. (my bold text) In addition, public knowledge of this type of operation potentially places informants and undercover agents in jeopardy.
If “1desertrat” is an ATF employee, then he/she is subject to our Orders and Standards of Conduct….[2]
(See below for copy of email)
Rubentsein goes on to quote the ATF Code of Conduct for employees, making it clear to Melson that the individual responsible for the post could be dealt with rather severely if indeed an ATF agent.
And Melson’s response: “Thanks Steve. I’m going to forward this to IA.” That is, Internal Affairs, which had by this time earned the reputation of being little more than a tool for the intimidation of agents who did not adequately adhere to ATF policy, regardless of how corrupt or nefarious.[3]
The question is, where was Ken Melson’s outrage? Where are the endless questions about the “gunwalking” charge? Where is the anger about not having been informed of the operation? It has been Melson’s defense and testimony to congress for the past year that no one told him of Operation Fast and Furious. He didn’t know about guns being “walked” into Mexico. And of course it stands to reason that if he, the ATF Director didn’t know, no one above his pay grade could have known either, letting Eric Holder and Barack Obama off the hook.
But Melson doesn’t act like an innocent dupe who had been kept deliberately in the dark. He seems interested only in what steps can be taken to silence and punish “1desertrat” should his identity as an ATF employee become known.
But dupe or not, treated like an outsider by ATF old-timers or not, kept in the dark about gunwalking to Mexico or not, Ken Melson had been introduced to the Fast and Furious, gunwalking scheme no later than December 2010. His yearlong performance before congressional investigators as “innocent bystander” will no longer fly.
And neither will the fact that he supposedly kept the deliberate, highly illegal smuggling of guns into Mexico quietly to himself, sparing his superiors in the Department of Justice any of the gory details. As an attorney, Ken Melson knew the consequences, both of such a crime and its cover up. One can wager, if only to protect his own hide, he made sure his Department of Justice and executive branch bosses knew it as well.
- The Email:
To contact your Congressional representative, use this link:
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
To read more use these links:
(1) http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2010/12/border-patrol-agent-killed-with-atf.html
(2) http://www.scribd.com/doc/65868759/Melson-Email
(3) http://cleanupatf.org/discussion/2009/04/atf-internal-affairs-ia.html
Related posts:
This article originally appeared on CoachIsRight.com and is reprinted with permission.
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Careful! Melson was one of the original ‘whistle-blowers’. They’re going to contrive anything and everything to get this off Obama’s back, but there has been documentation between the west wing of the white house already exposed…They’re going to twist and turn things so none of the angels get tainted…you know, Barack and Holder.
As I see it, Melson became more of a “stoolie” than whistle blower. Whistle blowers, like John Dodson, exposed corruption and despicable or criminal doings because it was the right thing to do. And they acted in spite of the dangerous or difficult situations in which their testimony placed them. Melson spoke to Grassley representatives on July 4th of last year mainly, I believe, to distance himself from Operation F&F. It was not a selfless mission by any means and was not undertaken because it was “right”, but because it was necessary for self-preservation.
You’re absolutely right that the DOJ and White House have and will continue to pass the buck and blame ANYBODY they can think of for the existence of F&F. (Mainly underlings away from DC and DOJ headquarters.) And Melson will be one of those key fall guys. But I believe it is too late to get away with nailing him alone. He won’t go down without taking Holder and others with him. And that would be just FINE with me.
Whistler blower, or not, the guy is corrupt now. Just when is the Congress going to start impeaching Holder and Odumber?
As long as the twisting and turning happens in the breeze after they put the noose around their own necks, I don’t particularly care how much of it they do.
Milliions of citizens in Arizona know the truth! We know that Obama, Holder, Napolitano, Clintons, Bushes and the CIA along with ATF are ALL responsible for the GUN and DRUG running that has been going under the “Fast and Furious” game. These NWO, Tri-lateral, goons have have this going on for years and their who operation has been discusting and has cause hundreds of death that have been reported but it is more probable in the thousands in Mexico as well as the USA. This was all planned long ago and started in the Bush Administration with the Blessings of the Dark Cabal! The purpose is to bring down the USA to a Third World Country, while making illegal money by passing guns and drugs…..and also take away the freedoms of Americans with gun control………….. Hillary has been involved since the start and so has Bill!
What we can do is fight back! Fight BACK with the Truth! Fight Back the evil of all of these involved! Do not let them get away with TREASON! They are all guilty of TREASON! Obama is an evil deceiving animal and has proven to be part of the Muslim Brotherhoold by his ACTIONS! He has three of them in The White House advising! He is scum! We need him arrested and put behind bars along with all of his cronies inside and out outside of the white House! Please read the White Hat Reports…. Please read Benjarmin Fulford Reports, Alex Jones reports, Drudge Reports……….. we CAN get the SCUM from our government by joining minds and hearts and fighting BACK, DO IT NOW in all ways possible. We have but this one last chance to get it right this time! Spread the word that Romney is apart of this group…..he has been involved with the Bushes for years and they promised him the White House this election. He has been apart of Trillions being stollen and put into over seas accounts along with the Bushes!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBiHDClQnUA&fe…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6HTTspwIUk&fe…
What is happening has been planned! We can stop them…………. YES WE CAN!
Re:
“To contact your Congressional representative, use this link: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml”
Clicking on that link yields: “403 Forbidden”
Interesting.
Please try the link again. Just clicked and it brought me right to the Congressional contact page. Perhaps there is an intermittent problem with the server?
We fixed the link. It should work correctly now. Thanks for pointing this out.
Gee, how I wish we had a few members of congress that understood: the rule of law, the Constitution, treason, fraud, liars, obstructionists, criminal activity, and the danger of a government filled with the aforementioned types. Oh, I forgot, I just described the majority of congress as well, except that I forgot to include COWARDS. I am sick of reading about how chicken hearted these “public servants” are. It’s time to replace every one of them….NOW!
I really do like what all you readers are saying, I love this United States, it is /was/ the best country in the world. Now let me say this, it won’t make your day, but please spend the time to listen to what this man has found. It will answer a lot of questions. Go too——
Amazing Discoveries—–click on title 934,– The Beamable Sustainable Prince. It is well worth the 2 1/2 hours this man needs to tell the complete History. It is by Author and professor Dr. Walter J Veith. ..
Pass this on to friends, everyone should know just how our country is run, and how crocked our country was, is, and will be run in the future. Thankyou
One step closer to the top.
You won’t find a single government bureaucratic autobot who would not get approval from above with 500 assault rifles involved. The vast majority would even save evidence of higher-up complicity so they would have the “just following orders” defense if they needed it. Only those whose life is tied up entirely in clandestine activities (ie. not a bureaucrat) would even consider avoiding evidence of higher-ups’ involvement. Everybody wants to have a bargaining chip – an ace in the hole, so to speak – when the chips hit the fan!!! They want to be able to have a ticket to pardon.
NEEDS REPOST.CANT FROM MY PHONE. ALSO,SEARCH “Holder, OK,95″, at this Site. PLEASE REPOST!!!
It’s going to take a paper trail, or an e-trail, to get to the truth in this debacle. Congress should operate on the assumption that anyone in the Obama administration that is even tangentially involved in “Fast & Furious” will be a hostile witness on Capitol Hill. The main players have demonstrated their capacity, and will, to lie about their actions regarding both the operation and the cover-up.
My concern is that Congress isn’t moving with all due haste to bring this incident to light. The House, especially, should be doing more than marking time and waiting for the administration’s cooperation, which will never be entirely forthcoming, anyway. The GOP-led House ought to be making this an election year issue. Their failure to do so makes me think that, if the situation were reversed, a Republican president would behave in much the same manner as Obama and his minions. It has been my experience that when one party accepts stalling and obfuscation tactics in the face of a scandal it’s because their own hands are dirty, too.
Is this thought worthy of entertaining…that this is why OJUDAS and his BOY holder don’t get impeached because all 535 members of CONgress through their complacencey have become as gulity as those two ass hats ? There has G O T to be a reason why impeacment proceedings didn’t start 2..3 years ago. Somebody somewhere knows too much about the members of CONgress and that’s why they’re mum about everything. What else could it be ? OJUDAS is a giant size pussy and BOY holder is just about as rough and tough as a church mouse. All he knows how to do is hide behind somebody else. He ain’t even man enough to withstand the heat and pressure of his position. All of Washington is a circus and OJUDAS and his BOY are just cheap 10 cent side shows !
For you and others who believe House Republicans are not moving quickly and forcefully enough on F&F, you’re absolutely right! Boehner has been the stumbling block, preventing Darrell Issa from filing charges against Eric Holder for either contempt OR perjury. And remember, after Obama pulled that cute and thoroughly unconstitutional appointment last week during the “non-recess, recess”, Boehner’s response was”maybe the court will settle the issue.” Now THAT is the mark of a true WUSS! We have an outright criminal in the White House who knows he can get by with MURDER because the most powerful “man” in the House is a limp-wristed, spineless ZERO!!
The Republican Party, particularly the leadership of the House, has repeatedly let their constituency down these past couple of years. They have proven themselves to be willing foils to the machinations of the Democratic Party and the mainstream media, along with providing evidence of their own ineffectiveness without prompting. Passing legislation without reading it is an egregious breach of trust with those who chose them as representatives of their interests. Rolling over when the administration has used obviously extra-constitutional methods to achieve their ends is another failure to represent, and to hold the executive branch accountable to the governing instrument of the U.S., the Constitution.. Most confounding is their inability to discern modern history, instead allowing the leftist media to frame it in such a way as to sap the GOP of any initiative to do what is right.
The proposed shutdown of Washington over the budget (or lack of one) in 2011 is a perfect example of the latter. The media made a big show of the purported failure of the 1995 shutdown led by Republicans. They continually pointed out the disastrous (for the GOP) results of the 1996 elections as evidence that the shutdown was wildly unpopular. All Boehner, or any other Republican in a position of leadership, had to do was look back 15 years into the past to put the lie to the claims of the MSM. The truth is that while the Republicans had a net loss of 8 seats in the House, Republicans picked up a net gain of 2 seats in the Senate and retained control of both houses of Congress. This was despite the overwhelming election of a Democrat as president that same year. Thus, the “disaster” that befell the Republicans in 1996 that the media constantly harped on when the threat of another government shutdown loomed was pure fiction. Yet NO member of the GOP seemed to recall the true circumstances of 1996 and when the time came for someone to blink on tough budget decisions it was the Republicans. And since appropriations originate from the House, Boehner in particular was the culprit. The fact is that Americans DID NOT turn on the GOP for the shutdown, and in fact a majority supported it. What few losses that hit the Republicans in 1996 was completely understandable and not unexpected, given the popularity of the Democratic president, Bill Clinton.
Our Republican leaders have failed their constituents so many times that the prevailing theory now is that the GOP is just the other side of the Democratic coin. They do nothing that would set them apart as an alternate voice for the direction our government is going. They may be unwilling passengers on the journey toward financial ruin for the U.S., but passengers they are nonetheless.
It’s my hope that the Tea Party movement continues to gather momentum and eventually replace the Republican Party as the true alternate to what now acts as our government. They deserve the chance that the GOP establishment has abdicated.
Contacting our individual rep’s will not work. I contact my rep (Va. Congressman Wittman) and (Rep Boehner) you know the House speaker, about every thing that this guest writer said plus more a few days ago, and yet not one call nor email back, so I am now convinced that their are only a few Republicans Rep’s that maybe concern, other than that the rest as far as I am concerned are cowards. There are other way’s to take care of this mess and that is to protest the white house every single day until the election. We can raise up an army so big that we could work in shifts until he falls into submission. I believe he is guilty and Eric Holder is guilty.
My Congressman (Lynn Westmoreland- R, GA) has not responded to a single piece of correspondence I’ve sent his way. Not one. If he thinks I’ve forgotten he is horribly mistaken. I am now putting together a group of people who will write letters to the local newspapers calling for Westmoreland to be primaried. I realize that incumbents are re-elected an inordinate amount of the time, but I’ve made it my personal mission to get this man’s attention. My crummy Senators are on the hit list, too. Georgia deserves better than two no-name Senators, especially when they vote with Obama on controversial legislation that the citizens of Georgia don’t support.
If the question ever arises that there were many in CONgress that didn’t know about all of these shenanigans, here’s the anticdote. How is it that the rank and file American with only a PC can read this information, and we’re at the bottom of the food chain so to speak. If you tell me that members of CONgress didn’t know of this stuff then something major is wrong here the likes of which when it blows up will take most of Washington with it. Ignorance is no excuse. These people in CONgress are supposed to have the best, first information available. If they don’t I suggest they guage their unemployment lines and pick a good time because I intend to remove everybody and anybody in CONgress that is an incumbent. I, and you as Americans , have the right and the obligation to right the wrongs that have been done to us. Even the Bible says that “if the thief be caught he must return 7 times that which he stole.” If we can inplement that concept we’re ALL gonna be rich. So lets gets busy removing the fat from the lean meat and clean out CONgress. We’re all just before getting hungry anyway !
For all the timeless problems we have, there is no solution but one; at least by the electoral process: Vote out every incumbent candidate regardless of party at the grassroots level and then continuing on up the political food and influence pedalling chain. You cannot correct the problem from the top down because of the long term corruption. however, if you erode the powers BASE, those at the top of the house that corruption built become top heavy and the house of cards falls of it’s own weight. Voila.! It works and the system is in use in a civics program mandatory in parts of California and elsewhere on the West Coast although an East Coast Retired Colonel from the Army implemented it while living in Washington State. It is in use in 3000 high schools; we should research it over the next year and try to implement it nationally ; an education for the VOTERS of this country and also train election fraud monitors for the election you know thye current Bozos will attempt to STEAL as they di8d the last. The Program is called You, the People. and is for sale, I believe, on Amazon.com. Check it out!~ The rotational specifics for moderator of the forums is a dynamic that causes even the young to rise to the challenge and for us at this point in time, is just what the Doctor ordered if we would retain our constitution and thus, our civil liberties and quality of life as well as the future of our progeny; in SPITE of the parasites now infesting Washington: ALL OF THEM!
It seems to me that Congress is truly unaware of the level of contempt that American voters reserve for them. They see the polls, I’m sure, but I don’t believe they understand just how close people are to wanting to blow the whole system up and start all over again. They certainly don’t understand the concept of public service, at least not how American citizens define it. Serving in Congress should not be an occupation in and of itself. As a retiree I have the time and inclination to educate my fellow citizens of the gift that the democratic process offers them, and the responsibility that comes with that gift. I may be tilting against windmills, but I am doing all I can (through social networks and traditional media) to make Americans understand that the ballot box is a powerful tool, and that their votes DO count. Overcoming that inertia is not easy when seemingly every candidate that promises change falls into the familiar Congressional vices of corruption and greed. What amazes me is that we, as voters, insist on a lily-white background prior to electing our Congressmen, but once they take office we no longer require that same upstanding behavior.
Wish we could Eric! Please get your friends to do so. The American public DESPERATELY needs to hear this story!
Did Eric Holder Cover Up FBI’s Role In ’95 OKC Bomb Plot?
http://americanfreepress.net/?p=2086
This is a must read! It says volumes about what is going on now.
To “I_am_just_saying,”
That’s a great find! And right here on Western Journalism and Coach is Right these two pieces were posted:
http://www.coachisright.com/why-eric-holder-cover… and
http://www.coachisright.com/eric-holder-had-plent…
Obama chose Eric Holder for A.G. because his contempt for the right, the United States, the American public and whites in particular were quite well known AND documented. Never mind his criminal tendencies! As you point out, it was Holder who Clinton chose to cover up the Trentadue murder. And although only US Attorney for DC at the time of the Ok. City bombing, I am still convinced Holder played a part in facilitating the activities of McVeigh and FBI/ATF/CIA officers and informants.
Thanks for putting what I said on. If you don’t want to hear from me the cut me off your records.
“Ken Melson had been introduced to the Fast and Furious, gunwalking scheme no later than December 2010. His yearlong performance before congressional investigators as “innocent bystander” will no longer fly.”
Wouldn’t that make more sense if it said December of 2009, instead of 2010?
Playrighter,
You might be right. We know for CERTAIN he was informed of gunwalking by 12/10. But his being in on the Operation in 2009 wouldn’t surprise me at all. Obama hired Melson quite deliberately, of course, and provided Melson with a very special opportunity to pursue his TRUE interest with White House clout and assistance! Click on the link below to read how Melson and Obama were connected at the hip, Melson’s services perhaps even having been bought by Obama and Melson owing Obama in a pretty big way. It makes for some interesting possibilities in covering up.
http://www.coachisright.com/when-the-%E2%80%9Cfal…
The following are the Federal Government’s Code of Ethics. They have not been revoked, therefore still stand. All these other “Departments” and “Agencies” can’t make up their own rules that supersede these.
Code of Ethics for Government Service
House Document 103, 86th Congress, 1st Session – Passed by the Congress of the United States on July 11, 1958.
ANY PERSON IN GOVERNMENT SERVICE SHOULD:
I. Put loyalty to the highest moral principles above loyalty to persons, party, or Government department.
II. Uphold the Constitution, laws, and legal regulations of the United States and of all governments therein and never be a party to their evasion.
III. Give a full day’s labor for a full day’s pay; giving to the performance of his duties his earnest effort and best thought.
IV. Seek to find and employ more efficient and economical ways of getting tasks accomplished.
V. Never discriminate unfairly by the dispensing of special favors or privileges to anyone, whether for remuneration or not; and never accept, for himself or his family, favors or benefits under circumstances which might be construed by reasonable persons as influencing the performance of his governmental duties.
VI. Make no private promises of any kind binding upon the duties of office, since the Government employee has no private word which can be binding on public duty.
VII. Engage in no business with the Government, either directly or indirectly, which is inconsistent with the conscientious performance of his governmental duties.
VIII. Never use any information coming to him confidentially in the performance of governmental duties as a means for making private profit.
IX. Expose corruption wherever discovered.
X. Uphold these principles, ever conscious that public office is a public trust.
Too bad no one follows the letter of the law any more and those of us who do get the whistleblower treatment. We are intentionally screwed over as harshly as possible to silence all others from stepping forward.
Dear fastdodge,
This is a great post. But I believe you made a slight error in transcribing number IX of the Code. Seems it should read: ENGAGE IN rather than EXPOSE. That would help to explain a lot.
Seems like they treat the Code of Ethics with the same degree of respect they show the Constitution.
If you work around, with and for the Federal Government as long as I have you will realize that many of them have no ethics, integrity, conscience, etc. These amoral high minded people think nothing of stealing office supplies from work for their kids to use as school supplies. They lie, cheat and steal their way to the top. Many, in positions of authority, have fake degrees or other fake credentials. The funny part is how many of these types have top secret clearances.
Here’s the really funny part, the only way to get rid of the truly incompetent people in your organization is to promote them out of their current position. Jobs in government have GS ratings. You don’t have a GS-13 getting paid to do a GS-11 function. Since you can’t fire them you promote them out. So guess who’s at the top of all the government agencies? You laughing yet? I’m not since I have seen this happen too many times. Oh and the really competent ones don’t get promoted since they won’t have anyone around to do the real work. Rule number one is “do not make yourself indispensable”.
This is based on 35+ years of being around the “Fed”.