Tuesday, August 16, 2011

ATF promotes supervisors in controversial gun operation



Los Angeles Times



The three, who have been criticized for pushing on with the border weapons sting even as it came apart, receive new management jobs in Washington.



Operation Fast and Furious

“I share responsibility for mistakes that were made,” said ATF supervisor William G. McMahon about Operation Fast and Furious. (U.S. Congress / August 14, 2011)

The ATF has promoted three key supervisors of a controversial sting operation that allowed firearms to be illegally trafficked across the U.S. border into Mexico.



All three have been heavily criticized for pushing the program forward even as it became apparent that it was out of control. At least 2,000 guns were lost and many turned up at crime scenes in Mexico and two at the killing of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Arizona.



The three supervisors have been given new management positions at the agency's headquarters in Washington. They are William G. McMahon, who was the ATF's deputy director of operations in the West, where the illegal trafficking program was focused, and William D. Newell and David Voth, both field supervisors who oversaw the program out of the agency's Phoenix office.



Documents: Fast and Furious paper trail



McMahon and Newell have acknowledged making serious mistakes in the program, which was dubbed Operation Fast and Furious...[Full Article]