ATF criticized for failing to respond to committee subpoena

The chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on Wednesday criticized the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for failing to produce any documents in response to a March 31 subpoena seeking information on its handling of gun trafficking operations into Mexico. In a letter to ATF Acting Director Kenneth E. Melson, Rep. Darrell Issa, California Republican, said the committee had sought documents showing whether the agency made “reckless and inappropriate decisions” as part of its Project Gunrunner operation that “may have contributed to the deaths of both U.S. and Mexican citizens.” Mr. Issa dismissed Justice Department concerns that the documents were part of a pending criminal investigation and, as a result, could not be released, saying they were pertinent to a congressional inquiry. Citing Supreme Court precedents and previous Congressional investigations, he said: “We are not conducting a concurrent investigation with the Department of Justice, but rather an independent investigation of the Department of Justice — specifically, of allegations that the reckless and inappropriate decisions of department officials have created a serious public safety hazard.” He said the subpoena was issued after ATF and Justice Department officials “failed to cooperate in good faith with the committee’s investigation.”...more