Who is investigating fast and furious

It's of a piece with the general idea pushed by among gun-rights supporter like NRA president Wayne LaPierre that the fact that the President Obama hasn't yet done anything to limit gun rights only serves as evidence that he plans to limit gun rights. He's lulling gun owners into a false sense of security, you see. All pretty crazy, right? And yet, as Maddow made clear, the"Reichstag Fire of the Second Amendment" theory has been taken up by Republican lawmakers including Sen.

Charles Grassley and Issa himself, and has informed the committee's investigation. Why is this blowing up now? But it refuses to turn over documents that relate to internal communication after February 4, Why that date? How can the administration withhold them? More generally, Democratic lawmakers agree that the whole thing—not just Fast and Furious, but Project Gunrunner in its entirety—was a major screw-up that needs to be probed.

But they say the focus on Holder is misplaced, and shows that the investigation is a politically motivated effort to embarrass the administration. Nancy Pelosi argued further Thursday that the effort is payback for Holder's bid to block state voter ID laws pushed by Republicans. I thought President Obama was all about open government. Is asserting this executive privilege common?

More common than you might think. After the report is released, Melson retires , and a deputy assistant attorney general resigns. October 29, - The second part of a three-part joint Congressional report is released. December 12, - The DOJ announces that a gun trafficker, Jaime Avila has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for his role in buying weapons that were found at the site of Terry's shooting death.

January - Although not present at the shootout that resulted in Terry's murder, Rito Osorio-Arellanes is sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. February 10, - Manuel Osorio-Arellanes is sentenced to 30 years in prison for first-degree murder, in connection with Terry's death. November 3, - Under court order, the Justice Department turns over nearly 65, pages of Fast and Furious-related documents.

The documents were previously withheld under the Obama administration's claim of executive privilege. They later receive life sentences. October 19, - Rosario Rafael Burboa-Alvarez is sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to first degree murder in Terry's death. April 12, - Heraclio Osorio-Arellanes, a fugitive cartel member wanted in connection with Terry's death, is arrested in Mexico.

He is later found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges and is sentenced to life in prison.

June 7, - The third part of the Congressional report is published. October - Jesus Rosario Favela-Astorga, the last of seven suspects wanted in connection with Terry's death, is arrested in Mexico. May 8, - The House and the Justice Department announce to a federal appeals court that they reached a settlement in the Operation Fast and Furious court case on April 10, In the deal, both sides state that they are abandoning their appeals and lawsuit despite disagreeing with the prior court's orders.

January 31, - Favela-Astorga is extradited to the US. Breuer raised questions about Wide Receiver at the time but said he had no knowledge of Fast and Furious until it was already under way. He acknowledged that he should have done more to ensure that the earlier "gun walking" operation was not repeated. The report is also strongly critical of the head of the ATF, Kenneth Melson, who resigned last year over the investigation and moved to another justice department post.

He retired on Wednesday, as the report was released. Justice department Fast and Furious investigation clears Eric Holder. Attorney general found to have no prior knowledge of the operation, but two other senior officials leave amid criticisms. Eric Holder has been cleared of wrongdoing, but the department of justice has recommended Lanny Breuer, left, be disciplined.

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