The Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight

[Don]

I guess I could have called this "Operation Fast and Furious: Northern Exposure Edition."

Apparently some members of Congress are (rightfully) calling for an investigation (*cough* whitewash *cough*) after a report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The ATF ran a storefront operation intended to bust felons for drug and gun offenses, but the newspaper reported Wednesday that no major drug dealers or gang members were taken down. Also, the store was robbed of $35,000 in merchandise, an agent's machine gun was stolen and a document listing undercover agents was left behind.

But wait, there's more!

The operation resulted in charges against about 30 people, mostly for low-level counts of drug sales and gun possession. But agents had the wrong person in at least three cases, including one in which they charged a man for selling drugs to them even though he was in prison at the time as a result of a previous ATF case.

The name of the operation? Fearless Distributing, sure to convince crooks of all types that these folks aren't taking any crap from anybody.

...and then there's this:

The 10-month sting operation involved buying guns and drugs from felons, sometimes at such a premium that defendants bought guns from gun shops and sold them to the agents for a quick profit.

Man, there's just nothing at all like spending Other People's Money^TM, is there? Even when it makes you look like a rube or a sting operation because you're paying so much the man on the street can tell you're an idiot. No wonder they didn't catch anybody worth catching. This is why business experience is important if you're going to actually pretend to run a business.

And of course, there's the denial of information and the righteous justification:

ATF spokesman Special Agent Robert Schmidt declined to say how much the sting operation cost.

"Our No. 1 responsibility is denying criminal access to firearms and that is what we are trying to do," Schmidt said. "It is our duty to purchase these firearms to protect the American public and citizens of Milwaukee."

Do you feel safer yet?

The story even has an erotic finale. The little guy gets screwed in the end.

The building landlord, David Salkin, also said he's still owed about $15,000 because of utility bills, holes in the walls, broken doors and damage from an overflowing toilet.

The man's got a lotta balls, challenging an agency that could go all Ruby Ridge on his ass in a heartbeat. I've gotta give him credit for that.

Does anybody think this event will have a serious impact on the way the ATF conducts operations, or that there will be adequate punishments handed down? Anybody? Bueller?

At least gun owners can rest easy, since this is the clown car that will probably be in charge of enforcing any new gun laws. Innocent civilians with addresses, phone numbers or physical descriptions similar to real criminals, however, should probably be more concerned.

Who do you vote for to get the ATF disbanded, anyway? Or at least to assure there's some accountability in government? Or to perhaps rethink giving this agency even more power?

[Chrissy]

Originally Posted by Don

Even when it makes you look like a rube or a sting operation because you're paying so much the man on the street can tell you're an idiot. No wonder they didn't catch anybody worth catching.

derail

This is what it was like back in the day in my town when cops used to try to bust people for drugs. These preppy white boys would come drving through the hood and say, "I want to buy some crack."

And we were all like, seriously?

/derail

[missesdash]

Geez, time for an overhaul.

[LOG]

Originally Posted by Don

Who do you vote for to get the ATF disbanded, anyway? Or at least to assure there's some accountability in government? Or to perhaps rethink giving this agency even more power?

If the ATF were given proper powers to police guns and had a permanent director back who knew what they were doing, then maybe they wouldn't waste their time like this.