March 24, 2012 - A developing story this afternoon says that a source at the Department of Justice has been leaking documents related to the Fast and Furious scandal. The source has provided the documents to Congressional investigators, says Fox News."The investigation of Operation Fast and Furious escalated this past week," Fox News reports, which "learned a leak at the Justice Department is providing documents to the Congressional investigators. The scope of investigation also includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which records show failed to tell ATF its own confidential informants were helping finance the illegal gun purchases."
This latest news comes on the heels of the news that Manuel Celis-Acosta, the chief suspect in the ATF’s "Fast and Furious" investigation, had been caught but released at the U.S.-Mexico border in May 2010. The Los Angeles Times reported two days ago that Celis-Acosta "was also stopped and released two months earlier while in possession of a Colt .38-caliber pistol purchased illegally under the gun-tracking operation."
"The revelation that officials twice declined to arrest their prime suspect," says the March 22 LA Times story, "shows that agents were keenly aware of Celis-Acosta’s activities yet repeatedly turned down opportunities to charge him with felony offenses and bring a quick end to the Fast and Furious probe. Instead, the investigation dragged on for months more, with the loss of about 1,700 U.S. firearms on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border."
The leaked DOJ documents, says Anthony Martin today at The Examiner, "would be a major break in the case and would fuel an escalation in the investigation into the scandal in which the Obama Administration placed U.S. guns directly into the hands of Mexican criminals in order to make a case for new gun control laws."
"Fast and Furious was launched Oct. 31, 2009, and ran until a month after a U.S. Border Patrol agent was killed in December 2010. Two Fast and Furious assault weapons were recovered after his slaying near the border," says the LA Times. "The congressional leaders said they learned of the gun arrest from a list of “Overt Acts” of gun-smuggling suspects that was compiled by an ATF official during Fast and Furious."
The ensuing investigation has produced more frustration than information, it seems.
There are some who have accused U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder of obstructing the Congressional investigation of Fast and Furious, some even calling for his resignation or impeachment. In fact, more than 100 members of Congress want Holder to resign.
Republicans are not the only ones who are critical of Holder. The Daily Caller reported yesterday that two House Democrats are now demanding that Holder’s Department of Justice "release findings from an internal investigation into Operation Fast and Furious before the upcoming November election."
Those congressmen are Reps. Nick Rahall (D-WV) and Gene Green (D-TX). The Daily Caller says that they "told The Washington Times’ Kerry Picket that they want the inspector general to release her report before the election to ensure that any officials from President Barack Obama’s administration who are responsible for Fast and Furious are held accountable."
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