New Revelations about Fast & Furious: Retaliation Against Whistleblowers
As the Daily Caller reports, two days ago Darrel Issa and Charles Grassley sent a letter to the inspector general of the Justice Department. The letter noted some disturbing behavior by a senior ATF official.
Specifically, as Issa and Grassley charge, shortly after Fast and Furious revelations became public, Scot Thomasson, the chief of the Public Affairs division of ATF stated, "We need to get whatever dirt we can on these guys [the whistleblowers] and take them down." The letter also alleges that Thomasson said, "All these whistleblowers have axes to grind. ATF needs to [expletive] these guys."
Even more remarkable, as the letter notes, ATF senior officials have placed two of the main whistleblowers under the supervision of Thomasson. Issa and Grassley have asked the inspector general to investigate why this has happened.
- Comment (8)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (3)
Comments:
Jun '10
Re: New Revelations about Fast & Furious: Retaliation Against Whistleblowers
It's not a stretch to believe that the same bureaucratic hacks who brazenly lie to us, over and over, would do even worse behind closed doors.
May '10
Re: New Revelations about Fast & Furious: Retaliation Against Whistleblowers
Honestly, what would you expect? This crowd is so brazenly corrupt that nothing they do, no matter how heinous, is even newsworthy as farq as I can see.
Edited on July 1, 2012 at 8:29pmOct '10
Re: New Revelations about Fast & Furious: Retaliation Against Whistleblowers
It's been fascinating to watch Darrell Issa's strategy unfold.
What's gone largely unnoticed about the invocation of Executive privilege is that it cuts two ways. It actually prevents Holder from releasing any counter documents while Issa, with Congressional immunity on the floor of the House, can read almost anything he likes into the record, apparently including otherwise protected affidavits.
Nov '10
Re: New Revelations about Fast & Furious: Retaliation Against Whistleblowers
What you report is the instinctive reaction of any hierarchical, bureaucratic organization: the wagons close to protect the organization and those in authority in it against anyone, especially against anyone on the inside, who threatens it. And, this reaction occurs regardless of the nature of the organization or whoever is at the head of it (President, Pope, Queen. CEO, Commanding General).
I have seen it over and over. And, it is one of the great dangers of allowing such organizations to play too great a role in the life of any polity, church, Army, company, or nation.
Step on a cottonmouth's tail and his head inevitably whips around to strike you; the same with a bureaucracy.
Apr '11
Re: New Revelations about Fast & Furious: Retaliation Against Whistleblowers
This really goes to the almost completely unrecognized danger in our society of the monopoly government has on control, regulation and bureaucracy. This latest hypocrisy now shows how they on one hand encourage, cherish and reward whistleblowers in business, such as through the Dodd Frank act, but are more than happy to bring the hammer down on whistleblowers when they are within government agencies. Honestly, as someone whose company is coping with the cost of complying with that insanely cumbersome, over-reaching and ineptly-written bit of legislation know Dodd Frank, it makes me sick.
Nov '11
Re: New Revelations about Fast & Furious: Retaliation Against Whistleblowers
Prof. Groseclose, I think a careful analysis of how different news organizations have chosen to report on the Fast and Furious scandal (or to ignore it, as the case may be) could be a wonderful case study illustrating perfectly your theory about the bias in American media.
Nov '11
Re: New Revelations about Fast & Furious: Retaliation Against Whistleblowers
Also, you might be amused by this short blurb about your friend Eric Alterman.
Jun '12
Re: New Revelations about Fast & Furious: Retaliation Against Whistleblowers
You can take a politician out of Chicago, but you can't take the Chicago out of the politician.