03-04-11

by permission from: Stephen P. Wenger
comments in () by the same 

http://www.spw-duf.info 

CBS Pursues Gunwalker Investigation: Federal agent John Dodson says what he was asked to do was beyond belief. He was intentionally letting guns go to Mexico? "Yes ma'am," Dodson told CBS News. "The agency was." An Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms senior agent assigned to the Phoenix office in 2010, Dodson's job is to stop gun trafficking across the border. Instead, he says he was ordered to sit by and watch it happen. Investigators call the tactic letting guns "walk." In this case, walking into the hands of criminals who would use them in Mexico and the United States. Dodson's bosses say that never happened. Now, he's risking his job to go public. "I'm boots on the ground in Phoenix, telling you we've been doing it every day since I've been here," he said. "Here I am. Tell me I didn't do the things that I did. Tell me you didn't order me to do the things I did. Tell me it didn't happen. Now you have a name on it. You have a face to put with it. Here I am. Someone now, tell me it didn't happen." Agent Dodson and other sources say the gun walking strategy was approved all the way up to the Justice Department. The idea was to see where the guns ended up, build a big case and take down a cartel. And it was all kept secret from Mexico. ATF named the case "Fast and Furious." Surveillance video obtained by CBS News shows suspected drug cartel suppliers carrying boxes of weapons to their cars at a Phoenix gun shop. The long boxes shown in the video being loaded in were AK-47-type assault rifles. So it turns out ATF not only allowed it - they videotaped it…

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/03/03/eveningnews/main20039031.shtml

Someone Else Takes Note: Hoping to score a major prosecution of Mexican drug lords, federal prosecutors and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives permitted hundreds of guns to be purchased and retained by suspected straw buyers with the expectation they might cross the border and even be used in crimes while the case was being built, according to documents and interviews. The decision – part of a Phoenix-based operation code named "Fast and Furious" – was met by strong objections from some front-line agents who feared they were allowing weapons like AK-47s to "walk" into the hands of drug lords and gun runners, internal agency memos show. Indeed, scores of the weapons came back quickly traced to criminal activity. One of those front-line agents who objected, John Dodson, 39, told the Center for Public Integrity that these guns "are going to be turning up in crimes on both sides of the border for decades." Dodson said in an interview that "with the number of guns we let walk, we'll never know how many people were killed, raped, robbed … there is nothing we can do to round up those guns. They are gone." Dodson has taken his misgivings to the Senate Judiciary Committee as a whistleblower after his concerns were dismissed by his supervisors and initially ignored by the Justice Department's inspector general…

http://www.publicintegrity.org/articles/entry/2976/

But, According to the L.A. Times…: A federal operation that allowed weapons from the U.S. to pass into the hands of suspected gun smugglers so they could be traced to the higher echelons of Mexican drug cartels has lost track of hundreds of firearms, many of which have been linked to crimes, including the fatal shooting of a Border Patrol agent in December… But several veteran agents were outraged at the shift, saying that there is a big difference between tracking drugs and tracking guns. They saw the change as a violation of a sacred ATF policy: Make the big case or don't make the big case, but don't let the guns go… (So it would appear that F Troop merely "lost track" of the "walked" guns in their effort to "make the big case.")

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-guns-mexico-20110304,0,7581670,full.story

I Not Only Believe in It, I've Actually Seen It: At a joint presss conference with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Thusday, President Barack Obama responded to a Mexican reporter who asked him if he had the power to veto the right of Americans to keep and bear arms by saying he believed in the Second Amendment… Obama responded: "Well, the Second Amendment in this country is part of our Constitution, and the president of the United States is bound by our Constitution. So I believe in the Second Amendment. It does provide for Americans the right to bear arms for their protection, for their safety, for hunting, for a wide range of uses. That does not mean that we cannot constrain gun-runners from shipping guns into Mexico. And so we believe that we can shape an enforcement strategy that slows the flow of guns into Mexico, while at the same time preserving our Constitution." …Obama did not address the U.S. government sting operation known as "Project Gunrunner," in which the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives deliberately moved weapons to suspected gun smugglers in Texas, so the ATF could trace their route to the Mexican drug cartels… (This article also mentions the issue of US agents being disarmed by Mexican law. I'm worried about some quid pro quo on that issue.)

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-appearing-mexican-president-backs

Where's Tom Sawyer when You Need the Whitewash?: Attorney General Eric Holder has asked the Justice Department inspector general to take another look at the efforts of U.S. agents who hunt gun traffickers along the U.S. border with Mexico. Some on Capitol Hill have suggested the current strategy endangers law enforcement officers. The ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, says he has been told by some personnel at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that the agency has allowed assault rifles to be sold to suspected straw purchasers for an illegal trafficking ring. Grassley questions whether agents adequately tracked the weapons after that…

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/justice-inspector-general-look-anti-gun

Now that CBS News has delivered its second definitive report on the scope of "Project Gunwalker" and Senator Grassley has expressed his determination to not allow the Department of Justice to stonewall his investigations, the damage control at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have begun in earnest.  From one of the behind-the-scenes confidential sources advising Mike Vanderboegh of Sipsey Street Irregulars and this correspondent, someone who has been instrumental in bringing this story to light from long before major media became involved: "This just hit minutes ago.  Panic and chaos are taking place at ATF headquarters in advance of the anticipated media releases today and tomorrow.  Below is a message just sent from the subordinate of Jim McDermond from the ATF Office of Public and Governmental Affairs.  An emergency request is being issued to all ATF Public Information Officers to find ATF stories with a positive spin to counter-influence was is expected today.  Very insulting and very much the character of ATF management.  Please respond to me that you received this.  I think it will be critical to your stories and for Senator Grassley to further see demonstrated ATF's continued desire to spin and cover up." …

http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/atf-begins-spin-wake-of-devastating-press-reports
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From GOA: … Congress has held many hearings looking into this rogue agency; it has tried to cut its budget and otherwise rein in the ATF. In fact, as far back as 1982, a Senate subcommittee noted that ATF "has trampled upon the second amendment by chilling exercise of the right to keep and bear arms by law-abiding citizens." But so far, congressional concern over the agency has not resulted in any substantive action. To the contrary, over the years the agency has continued to grow in its budget, personnel, and mission… GOA's petition asks Congress to exercise its constitutional authority get the ATF out of the firearms regulating business. This is an agency that should not exist, and one that is repugnant to the ideas of liberty the Founding Fathers sought to implement.
Of course, it won't be easy. But if enough Americans make their voices heard we can do away with this unconstitutional agency. So please, click here to sign the petition today, and then help spread the word.

http://gunowners.org/a03022011.htm
http://capwiz.com/gunowners/issues/alert/?alertid=32404501
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Jeff Knox on NRA Board Election: …There is little chance of any injection of new blood in this year's election. The candidate list is a bit larger than usual, but it includes 26 incumbent directors, including the current 76th director, vying for the 25 seats. The Nominating Committee nominated all 25 of the current 3-year directors plus an additional 6 candidates. There were 6 more candidates nominated exclusively by petition of the members. Historically we can expect that at least 23 of the 25 incumbents will win reelection. Since the NRA uses a cumulative total election – the 25 highest total vote getters win – the real race is always between candidates at the bottom of the list. The fact that the committee nominated actor Erik Estrada and members tapped actor and retired Marine Corps NCO R. Lee "Gunny" Ermey, does add some spice to the campaign. Another interesting tidbit is the Nominating Committee's refusal to nominate the current 76th director and perennial candidate, Steve Schreiner – again. Schreiner has run repeatedly for several years. Each time the Nominating Committee has snubbed him, and he has fallen short of the cut. As the next highest vote recipient, however, he has at least twice finished out a term after a death or resignation from the Board, as he is doing currently after the death of long-time Board member Donn DiBiasio… The Firearms Coalition usually endorses a handful of candidates and always advocates voting for only those candidates and no more, but this year the organization is only offering one endorsement: Linda Walker of Ohio. While all of the other candidates seem very qualified, there is only a slight chance of getting maybe one new person on the Board this year, and Linda Walker is the one we think would be best. We encourage NRA voters to mark their ballots for Linda Walker and only Linda Walker, because every other name you mark reduces the chances of Linda Walker being elected. Linda will need at least 65,000 bullet votes to have a chance at a seat. With only about 7 percent of eligible NRA voters actually casting ballots in any given election, it should be relatively easy to find an extra few thousand votes, but when faced with such overwhelming apathy, finding those votes is much easier said than done…

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=269741
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NRA Credits Palin for Rise in Female Membership: Sarah Palin knows how to field dress a moose, but she also knows how to get women to pick up a gun. A National Rifle Association spokeswoman credits the former Alaska governor with the 20 percent jump in female membership. Calling it the "Palin Effect," the NRA's Diane Danielson said the NRA is now "teaching 10,000 new women a year and making more girls want to take up shooting." And gun companies are taking notice of a new demographic in their sights. "Firearm manufacturers are gearing their products towards women. They're scaling down stocks, and shortening trigger pull lengths for our shorter fingers,' Danielson told The Daily Mail. (The issue, Ms. Danielson, is not finger length. "Length of pull" is mostly an issue of arm length, which determines the proper distance between the butt of the stock and the face of the trigger.)

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/50667.html
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Otis McDonald Speaks Today: Otis McDonald, the cornerstone plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court Second Amendment Case McDonald v. City of Chicago, will appear Friday in Chicago, IL at a special event featuring the rolling "Guns Save Lives" billboard sponsored by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Mr. McDonald will appear at a press conference at 3 p.m. at the Jewels Store parking lot at 87th Street and Lafayette on the west side of the expressway. Joining him will be Valinda Rowe, spokesperson for IllinoisCarry.com; Mike Weisman, vice president of the Illinois State Rifle Association; Gerald Vernon and Shawn Gowder of the Chicago gun Owners' Association, and Dr. Paula Bratich with the Second Amendment Sisters. From there, the rolling billboard will proceed south to 95th and Lafayette (Rapid Transit stop) and from there it travels west on 95th Street to the Wal Mart parking lot one block west of Western Avenue…

http://www.ccrkba.org/?p=2548
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A Rabbi Responds to Bloomie: … Mr. Bloomberg, our Jewish tradition tells us that righteous self-defense is not only permissible but an obligation: "If a murderer comes for you, strike him down first." (Talmud Sanhedrin 72a) In your own New York City, hand guns are illegal for all practical purposes, yet the murderers, drug dealers, gangs, and other criminal predators in your City manage to acquire them nonetheless. How do you expect civilians to defend themselves against those who would harm them if we cannot use the most practical tool at our disposal – the handgun? You tell us to "Dial 911"? And then wait ten minutes or more for police rescue? (See "Dial 911 and Die") It deeply troubles me that I – along with millions of others who live and work in your city – are on your "disarmed" list. Mr. Mayor, this is not only immoral, it goes against the fundamental precepts of Judaism that you and I both honor. The Torah teaches: "Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor." (Leviticus 19:16), which Rashi explains means that one who is able to help another escape harm and fails to do so is held culpable in the Heavenly Court for the harm he failed to prevent. You, Mr. Mayor, by disarming your citizens, place them in harm's way every day…

http://jpfo.org/rabbi/rabbi-bloomberg-letter.htm
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This House Is Gun-Free: … The anti-gun lobby has sought to impose what it calls "sensible restrictions" on gun ownership ever since Otis McDonald, a 76-year-old Army veteran who lives in a high crime area of Chicago, won his case before the U.S. Supreme Court saying the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution he fought to protect gives him the right to bear arms. These restrictions vary from training and education requirements to waiting periods to limiting the number of purchases. Some are indeed sensible, but most are simply designed to discourage prospective gun owners with too many hoops to jump through. Gun-rights opponents in Illinois apparently have hit on a new tactic – shame and embarrass gun owners by publicly naming them in much the same manner some communities print the names of johns who patronize hookers in the local paper. In the liberal mind, patronizing a lady of the evening and protecting your family with a firearm are illicit activities that should be discouraged…

http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/564926/201103031851/Attention-This-House-Is-Gun-Free.htm
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Interesting Ruling: Federal prosecutors in Washington failed to timely turn over exculpatory information to the lawyers representing a man in a shooting case, a divided appeals court said today in throwing out the conviction and sending the case back for a new trial in D.C. Superior Court. The D.C. Court of Appeals, voting 2-1, said prosecutors "effectively suppressed" favorable information, violating their obligation to disclose exculpatory information to the defense lawyers representing a man named Tyree Miller. At issue in the case: testimony that the shooter held the gun in his left hand. Miller is right-handed… (While this, technically, could be exculpatory, depending on the distance, I could envision a right-handed person who may not be skilled in shooting left-handed shifting a gun to his left hand during a close-range confrontation.)

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2011/03/voiding-assault-conviction-appeals-court-splits-on-whether-to-investigate-prosecutors.html
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Once Again, the Sky Is Falling in Arizona: The Arizona Senate has passed a measure that would allow guns in public establishments and events unless the facility is secured with metal detectors and armed guards. Republicans supported Senate Bill 1201, and Democrats opposed it. The bill now goes to the House for consideration. Debate was emotional. Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Tucson, cried as she spoke. "Has this body no shame, no compassion, no respect?" said Lopez, a good friend of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. "Six people died, and 13 were injured in Tucson ... and we are further loosening gun control in this state. Couldn't this body have the decency to wait until next year?" Sen. Steve Gallardo, D-Phoenix, said his opposition to the bill has nothing to do with the right to bear arms. He said the bill would allow guns to be carried into Arizona Cardinals, Diamondbacks and Phoenix Suns games… (If Mr. Gallardo is so concerned about drunkenness at sporting events, would it not make more sense to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol in those venues? After all, what's to guarantee that everyone who has a few beers during the game is accompanied by a designated driver?)

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/03/03/20110303arizona-gun-rights-bill-senate-passes.html
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…In Georgia: A year after Georgia lawmakers passed a sweeping gun rights expansion that allowed permit-holders to carry guns into some bars and more parking lots, the Legislature is considering new changes that would allow them to carry their weapons into churches and make it easier for them to renew their licenses. A proposal unveiled Thursday would allow licensed gun owners to carry their weapons into churches, synagogues and other houses of worship with the approval of the congregation. It would also allow them to keep their weapons in locked boxes within school parking lots and safety zones. Another provision would require probate judges to send notices to gun owners at least 90 days before a firearm license expires. The proposal also would no longer require those seeking to renew their license to undergo another criminal background check, although the measure's backers said they expect to delete that language after it came under fire…

http://wsbradio.com/localnews/2011/03/new-bill-permits-guns-at-churc.html
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…In Idaho: Idaho lawmakers gave initial approval Thursday to a bill that would curtail the power of administrators to restrict where students, faculty, staff members and visitors can carry concealed firearms on Idaho's public university and community college campuses. Rep. Erik Simpson, R-Idaho Falls, says his bill is about making campus safer, and the version approved by the House State Affairs Committee would allow people to carry concealed firearms everywhere on campus except in undergraduate residence halls.
Idaho code allows the carrying of concealed firearms in places like the state capital, but not on Idaho campuses… Simpson argues his bill would increase safety at the state's four public universities and community colleges. He said letting students, faculty or others carry concealed guns heightens the chances they could help prevent a violent crime…

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/article/20110304/UPDATE/110303044/New-bill-would-allow-concealed-guns-ID-campuses?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|News|s
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…In Kentucky: Legislation expanding the legal definition of where handguns may be stored in vehicles in Kentucky has cleared a Senate committee. Currently, Kentuckians without concealed carry permits may keep a firearm in their vehicle, but only if it's stored in the glove box. Representative Will Coursey's bill expands the definition to include consoles, enclosed compartments and storage areas originally installed by the vehicle's manufacturer. "That's where I like to keep mine, in the side pocket of the door," says Senator Robin Webb of Grayson "So, I'll be fine doing that now. No question. Well, thank you Rep. Coursey for bringing this. That's the intention of this legislation," says Coursey. "It just allows the law abiding citizen that wishes to exercise his Second Amendment rights to adhere to the laws of the commonwealth," he says. The bill, which already has House approval, is expected to meet little resistance on the Senate floor. (Unfortunately, "storing" firearms in vehicles does not provide great access in an emergency and facilitates their theft.)

http://www.wfpl.org/2011/03/03/concealed-carry-expansion-bill-clears-senate-committee/
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…In North Carolina: There could be more guns in parks, restaurants and workplaces under two bills state legislators are considering. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is something lawmakers have just begun to consider. One bill would make it legal for people with concealed handgun permits to bring their weapons into restaurants and parks. The other would allow gun owners to lock their weapons in their cars while they're at work. And a bill filed Thursday by Youngsville Republican Rep. Glen Bradley would exempt from all federal regulation any firearm, accessory and ammunition made and kept in North Carolina…

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/03/04/2109036/bills-would-allow-guns-in-parks.html
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Oops, Wrong House: Police said a 53-year-old woman shot her ex-boyfriend after he broke into her house and started beating her. Donald Bryant, 40, approached the woman in the 2300 block of West 19th Avenue while she was starting her car, according to a police report. Bryant said he wanted to talk with her about getting back together, the report said. She ran into the house and he chased her inside and pushed in the door while she yelled for her sister to call 911, Lt. Sam Roberts said. Bryant "began punching her with his fist and began to grab and choke her," Roberts said. The struggle continued into the bathroom, where the two fell into a tub. The victim pulled out a gun and shot Bryant in the stomach, police said. He yelled "ouch, ouch" and ran away, Roberts said. Bryant was arrested for residential entry and battery after being transported to Methodist Hospital Northlake Campus in Gary [IN]. The woman was not arrested for shooting Bryant. She had bruising on her face, neck and body, Roberts said. (Note the limited value of shooting someone in "the stomach.")

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary/article_facbf182-17fd-5f55-8efc-ef613e6264ab.html
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Canada Drops Gun charges in Self-Defense Case: In a move that acknowledges the difficulty of prosecuting people who feel forced to act in self-defence, Crown attorneys have dropped two gun charges against an Ontario man who shot at masked intruders firebombing his home, saying they had no "reasonable prospect of conviction." The rules around self-defence in Canada are "complex," prosecutors said, and courts have "repeatedly" established that victims can't be expected to thoughtfully examine all consequences of using deadly force while under attack. "Because each case is unique, with widely diverse and sometimes contradictory evidence, no broad policy statement is intended with respect to the use of firearms in the defence of one's home," the Crown brief says…

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/charges+dropped+against+Ontario+self+defender/4380391/story.html
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Winchester Ranger .223 Recall: Olin Corporation, through its Winchester Division, is recalling six (6) lots of its RANGER® 223 Remington 64 Grain Power-Point® (PP) centerfire rifle ammunition (Symbol Number RA223R2). Lot Numbers (last four characters): DK01, DK11, DK21, DK31, DK41, and DK51. Through extensive evaluation Winchester has determined the above lots of RANGER® Law Enforcement ammunition may contain incorrect propellant. Incorrect propellant in this ammunition may cause firearm damage, rendering the firearm inoperable, and subject the shooter or bystanders to a risk of serious personal injury when fired…

http://www.winchester.com/library/news/Pages/News-ProductWarningandRecall.aspx
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Tangentially Related: One of the investigators with our group likes to eat, but he doesn't like to cook. He's a delivery or takeout type of guy. He was recounting a story when on a particularly cold day in Phoenix (45 degrees) he thought it best to order in. When he called for the Chinese food delivery, he offered to give the delivery driver the pin number for the gate, so that the driver could enter without calling. The delivery driver stated, in
a polite but dismissive tone, that he didn't need to call, as he had the universal code
for the fire department, and that he could go in and out of any complex as he needed… Then, in a moment of both desperation and curiosity - I remembered the gate card key in the backpack, placed it in the slot, and viola [sic]! The gate opened. This was cool. I continue to use the gate key with great fanfare, especially with impressionable kids in the car, since this is exactly what an investigator should have - a magic gate key. It works in
most every residential community gate I have tried… Note to security people: remove default settings, create a new master code, and to one in particular thank you for the card. I will use it for good and not evil.

http://aegisjournal.com/ejournal/ej201102.pdf
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