New Fast and Furious report shows effort to manage media, zero effort to track missing firearms

There was no three-day countdown clock ticking away the seconds until its release, but House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz and Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley on Wednesday released a new, 250-page report (PDF) into Operation Fast and Furious.

At a little publicized hearing today on Fast & Furious, Dems and Repubs say Trump Dept of Justice still withholding docs. @jasoninthehouse pic.twitter.com/c3goIhVAbG

— Sharyl Attkisson?️‍♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) June 7, 2017

Have they given any reason why??

— ? ????? ???????? ? (@KristineAz) June 7, 2017

Said they are reviewing prior administration's policy on not providing the docs

— Sharyl Attkisson?️‍♂️ (@SharylAttkisson) June 7, 2017

Looks like obstruction. May have been a lot more issues with those guns

— bren more (@morr_bren) June 7, 2017

Brian A Terry deserves justice.
I hope you keep on this story until the truth comes out.

— St Obama of Asissy (@Saint_Obama) June 7, 2017

Citing documents and communications won through federal litigation, the report accuses the Department of Justice of stonewalling “both Congress and the family of slain Border Patrol agent Brian Terry.”

Committee Releases Fast & Furious Report: Obstruction of Congress by the Department of Justice via @gopoversight https://t.co/oFYdzv8Iwj

— Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) June 7, 2017

Chaffetz posted video of the opening of Wednesday’s session:

Chairman Opener – Fast and Furious, Six Years Later https://t.co/6LRdMxb1sg

— Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) June 7, 2017

The committee’s website lists a number of key takeaways from the report, which confirm what many suspected: the Justice Department and Attorney General Eric Holder were concerned more with managing the media’s reporting on the scandal and insulating the administration than on providing answers to the family of slain Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.

The Obama DOJ viewed fallen #police hero Brian Terry's family "a PR nuisance." Beyond disgusting.

— Betsy Brantner Smith (@sgtbetsysmith) June 7, 2017

For example, the report cites an email from Holder in response to a piece in the Washington Post headlined, “U.S. anti-gunrunning effort turns fatally wrong.” Holder’s response: “Hit back HARD.”

The summary also notes the apparent absence of any effort to track down the thousands of firearms lost in the operation:

… documents show Attorney General Holder managed key aspects of the Department’s responses to Congress and to media inquiries rather than focusing on managing DOJ’s law enforcement components. There are no documents to demonstrate the Attorney General ever devised a strategy to track down the more than 2,000 firearms lost along the Southwest border. Nor are there any documents to demonstrate the Attorney General coordinated assistance for the Terry family. Instead, documents show Attorney General Holder absorbed in only the political implications of the various milestone events throughout 2011.

The media, most of Congress, and most of the public moved on from Fast and Furious a while ago, which is a shame.

No surprise here for anyone paying attention when all came down. Uncle worked for ATF. FIRED & issued gag orders to agents on the know.

— Brenda-UTAH ? {?}?Justice ⏰Past?Due‼️ (@bsgirl2u) June 7, 2017

Brian Terry died and Congress ignores according to report. Talk about obstruction of justice being ignored. #politics

— Bob Oliver (@arbyoliver) June 7, 2017

https://twitter.com/edwardlife/status/872512886945591296