Top DOJ Attorney Accused of Lying to U.S. Senate

Rep. Darryl Issa continues to investigate corruption within the Obama Administration
www.Examiner.Com by Jim Kouri  -  November 11, 2011

"With the Attorney General Eric Holder investigating or suing state governments, investigating school districts and prosecuting U.S. businesses, how can we trust him to run honest and trustworthy law enforcement agencies, like the FBI, DEA and others, when we see and hear about activities such as the Black Panther cover-up and Operation Fast and Furious that resemble the activities of a banana republic despot?" asked a former law enforcement commander.

The House Oversight Committee's Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) on Wednesday urged Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs Ronald Weich to turn over DOJ documents and other information related to what now appears to be a false statement made to the U.S. Senate.  Weich allegedly made the false statement to Congress regarding the "gun walking" that took place in the reckless firearms smuggling surveillance operation known as Operation Fast and Furious.  According to agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) “walking guns" is defined as agents or government officials intentionally allowing known criminals to leave the area of observation during a controlled law enforcement operation with weapons.  On February 4, 2011, Weich stated the following in letter to Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) who had asked about allegations that officials had intentionally allowed guns to walk in Operation Fast and Furious:  “ATF makes every effort to interdict weapons that have been purchased illegally and prevent their transportation to Mexico.”  Evidence gathered during the course of the congressional investigation into Operation Fast and Furious has shown that this statement is untrue – the ATF, in allowing guns to walk, did not make every effort to interdict them and prevent their transfer to Mexico.   Evidence gathered in the investigation has also shown that senior Justice Department officials knew at the time Weich made his statement in February that it was untrue.  “Mr. Weich, as you are well aware, it is a crime to knowingly make false statements to Congress,” Chairman Issa writes in his letter to Weich.   “As DOJ’s principal liaison to Congress, we rely on you to be straight with the facts.  You have not been, and so your credibility on this issue has been seriously eroded.  Whether it is the case that you were fed a lie and faithfully repeated it in a letter to Congress, or whether it is the case that you took the initiative to lie to Congress yourself, you are responsible for the contents of letters that bear your signature,” stated Issa.  In his letter, Chairman Issa demanded a complete list of individuals who helped prepare the February 4, 2011, letter to Senator Grassley as well as all documents relating to the preparation of that letter referring or relating to the development of DOJ’s response to Senator Grassley’s January 27, 2011 request for information.
CLICK HERE TO SEE RELATED STORY, "Testilying" - When Our Trusted Public Servants Lie."