Oh look! The Justice Department decides to dump 500 pages on Congress on a Friday night! If they really want to be secretive or different they’d choose to dump documents on a Tuesday night. We’re almost looking forward to Friday nights because that’s when we can expect anything about Fast and Furious from the Justice Department.
Attorney General Eric Holder is set to testify on Thursday, February 2 in front of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee so it’s no surprise there was a dump last night. I was looking through my timeline when I saw Michelle Malkin’s tweet about the documents. The link led to NPR, which shocked me they would be the ones to have it plus they included nine pages of the documents. They beat the AP! I have found unless the AP writes about Fast and Furious the majority of the Old Media won’t touch it.
I went to sleep around midnight central time and at that time the only major outlets that covered it were AP, CNN, Washington Post, FOX News, and ABC News. This morning I woke up and saw USA Today posted the AP article. The story was the main story on the front page of their national section, but has since been replaced. It’s not even on the front page anymore. I’d give them props, but it appeared before 6AM and taken down before 9AM CDT. Sorry guys, it doesn’t count when you have it up and taken down before the majority of the country wakes up. It’s also nowhere on the FOX News home page and it’s buried in the politics section. Shame on them since they’ve been consistent with Fast and Furious coverage. CNN does receive credit because it’s still on their home page.
At The Washington Post and ABC News you have to go a search for Fast and Furious in order to find their AP article. The New York Times also buried the AP article. In order to find it you have to go to the bottom of their home page and find the tiny cube for “More News From AP and Reuters.” Click on AP and it’s under AP Politics. But you have to click AP Politics and scroll to the bottom. Even if you search “Fast and Furious” it doesn’t bring up the article. I consider this as NOT covering it New York Times! I’m very disappointed The Washington Times hasn’t even mentioned it. I haven’t seen anything on CBS News either. MSNBC buried the AP article.
Here’s the thing. I know these outlets have investigative reporters. The emails gave me more questions than answers and I’m wondering why no one in the Old Media is pointing this out. I receive Google Alerts for Eric Holder and Operation Fast and Furious. This morning a blog post from Stop The ACLU popped up addressing the same questions I had. NPR brings up this part in the emails, but ignores it and doesn’t realize the importance. Right after Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry passed away Monty Wilkinson, Mr. Holder’s deputy chief of staff, emails Dennis Burke (bold my emphasis), “Tragic. I’ve alerted the AG, the Acting DAG, Lisa, etc.”
Later that night Mr. Burke emails this to Mr. Wilkinson:
As the author of this blog asks are we willing to believe Mr. Wilkinson didn’t tell this to Mr. Holder? Mr. Holder claimed he didn’t know about Fast and Furious until a few weeks before his May 3, 2011 testimony.
NPR & the AP used the last emails to help make Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer the fall guy, but did not ask further questions. These emails are about Mr. Breuer’s trip to Mexico City to meet with the Mexican Attorney General’s Office (PGR), Mexicos’s Federal Police (SSP), and the Secretary of Foreign Relations (SRE). I bet you’re not surprised when I tell you the majority of this email is blacked out, but this crucial part is left open (Ventura is Ambassador Julian Ventura):
This happened on February 4, 2011. Now let’s pretend common sense still exists, okay? I know it’s crazy, but go with me. Let’s say Mr. Wilkinson did tell Mr. Holder about Agent Terry’s death and the guns found at the scene. Wouldn’t Mr. Holder tell this to the assistant attorney general? If not in December, but before he went to Mexico City to discuss an operation like Fast & Furious?
You would think Mr. Holder knew about Operation Fast and Furious before Mr. Breuer based on the December emails between Mr. Burke and Mr. Wilkinson. I’d think Mr. Wilkinson probably worked with Mr. Breur a lot, but I also would think since Mr. Holder was his direct boss he’d go to him about Mr. Burke’s emails.
We know from previous statements and document dumps the Justice Department is trying to make Lanny Breuer their fall guy. The media is more than happy to go along with this unfortunately. They’re not analyzing and asking more questions like they should.
I’ll be keeping an eye on the media all weekend for any updates.
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