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25 ATF Agents write letter outlining scandals
The contents of their letter are pretty stunning. A few samples:
"The Bureaus second most powerful manager Deputy Director Edgar Domenech, himself filed a whistleblower complaint and publicly stated that the Bureau of ATF has a propensity for reprisal and he “knew” such actions would result in career suicide."
"A Special Agent attempts to resist an investigation using unlawful wiretaps. The Special Agent openly challenges and reports it to superiors. After 20 + years of exemplary service, the next 1 ½ years results in the Special Agent and his family being transferred 5 times, suspended for 3 days, attempts made to have a psyche evaluation conducted, 2 letters of reprimand, and ultimately a termination."
"Complainants or those who would challenge unethical and/or illegal acts by Special Agents in Charge or senior managers are often threatened with collecting their next pay check in Fargo, North Dakota or Anchorage, Alaska."
"An anonymous letter was sent to the Department of Justice OIG from Las Vegas, Nevada alleging government Fraud waste and abuse. The OIG provided the letter to ATF Internal affairs for follow up investigation into the allegations contained in the anonymous letter. One of the primary objectives by ATF Internal Affairs investigators was to identify the author of the anonymous letter. During theInternal Affairs investigation, ATF identified an Agent who ATF had perceived to have been the whistleblower. This Agent became the recipient of vindictive personnel actions that ranged from a letter of reprimand to a notice of proposed removal from Federal service. Further investigation identified the true author of the letter and he/she admitted to being the author of the letter. ATF management then directed their attack on the actual whistleblower. ATF continued their attack on the perceived whistleblower and terminated him from Federal service. The Agent was later reinstated by ATF after appealing his removal to the MSPB [Merit Systems Protection Board]."
Related: Letter from House Judiciary, asking questions about the agency letting guns pass into Mexico;
Mexican officials quite upset at the news.
Chairman of House Oversight Committee has four investigators working on the matter.
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· BATFE
12 Comments | Leave a comment
Completely out of control.
Henry Kissinger said, that the reason the politics in Acadamia were so vicious was because the stakes were so low.
Clearly the work the ATF does is not consuming, the are over-staffed and have too much time on their hands to devote to malfeasance and corruption.
Clean house. Fire half, start with the managers. Roll the rest into the Peace Corps.
Prohibition ended eighty years ago. The time has arrived to close the branch of the treasury department created to enforce it. Any legitimate law enforcement functions can be rolled into the FBI. Any legitimate regulatory functions can be, well, I could care less...
Shut the ATF down. Budget shortfalls & stuff y'know?
I knew the BATF was a very sick agency when I read the official report of the Waco debacle. Not much has changed in all these years.
EVERY special interest can find a reason that coincides with their particular agenda because the ATF is so fraught with misbehavior. So, WHY hasn't Congress moved to clean house in the ATF?
The thing that strikes me most is that the BATFE has traditionally been able to close ranks to stifle outside attention. It no longer appears that that's the case. I wonder what other little nuggets of truth will appear as they attempt to clamp down further. Also, I wonder what effects the supposed Obama Executive Order's will have on internal policy & this climate will drive more agents to blow-the-whistle.
Looks like more popcorn is needed...
The ATF appears to be another of those festering boils on the arse of Uncle Sam. Get rid of it, and save money and aggravation.
Aren't these sorts of agencies characteristic of the now defunct USSR?
I have read and looked into what has been stated in a number of internet blogs, that ATF was created using nazi gun laws of 1938. With open mindedness I did my own research and tried to find everything I could to show that the US Gun Laws of 1968 were not taking word for word from the Nazi Gun Laws of 1938. I was unable to do so and had to admit that we now live under Hitler's Nazi Gun Laws of 1938. Once congress passed and the president sign the US Gun Laws of 1968 into law BATF was changed to enforce nazi laws on this country.
I agree it sounds over the top to say we are living under nazi laws but the facts and solid truth is clear, we are.
The bottom line is, we have a government agency loaded up with unchecked power that had been created to enforce nazi laws on this country. The outcome should not be shocking to anyone.
A government cannot oppress those it has not first disarmed.
Even in a bare hands vs. truncheons battle, the lesser armed go into the death pit. THAT is a law of nature.
And never forget the murder of defenseless women and children at Mount Carmel in Waco, Texas. Only a fool would believe the ATF works for the good of the American people. Any objective view would label many with the ATF as psychopathic. Did anyone ever hear a representative of ATF apologize to the families of all the murdered at WACO? A few days after the ATF crime spree I talked with the man that was the 2nd in charge at Waco. He told me the show of force was to impress upon Congress the need for additional funding for ATF operations. One hell of a way to do it. Kill a hundred or so innocent.
who watches the watchers?
All totalitarian organizations function the same -- CYA is the golden rule.
Luckily for these agents, ATF is not yet the American KGB (although ATF has no shortage of bullets).