Thursday, June 21, 2012

Minority Speaker Nancy Pelosi would remember better than I.

But, from what I recall, there were no investigations or significant oversight of any kind of the Bush Administration with the exception of The Valerie Plame outing. That investigation was begun in 2003 with an investigation by the FBI. The case wasn't sent to indictment until 2005 after the re-election of Bush/Cheney. The trial was in 2007. 


As I recall there was poor oversight during six years under Bush until Democrats took the majority in the House in 2006.


So, basically, Darrell Issa, elected to the House in 2000 never questioned the gun walking programs under the Bush White House. 


The US Justice Department is having success in arresting, trying and sentencing straw purchasers. Just a point of interest. These arrests and prosecution were under existing laws. There were no new laws asked for to prosecute these people.



Posted: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 2:00 pm

McALLEN – Taisa Garcia, 21, and Marco Antonio Villalobos, 20, (click here) both of San Juan, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in straw purchasing firearms, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced Tuesday.

Chief United States District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa sentenced to Garcia and Villalobos to 33 and 46 months of imprisonment, respectively, each to be followed by a two-year-term of supervised release. They both pleaded guilty June 5, 2011, to making a false statement in the acquisition of a firearm from a federally licensed firearms dealer, commonly referred to as straw purchasing, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 924(a)(1)(A).

According to court documents, Villalobos offered to pay Garcia to find straw purchasers. In February 2010, Garcia then asked a cooperating source to purchase two firearms in exchange for payment. That person met with Garcia and Villalobos, was provided U.S. currency and directed to purchase two firearms from a federally licensed firearms dealer. The source then delivered the firearms to a location in San Juan, Texas, and to Garcia....

The law involved is 1968 Gun Control Act provisions on straw purchasing (Title 18 United States Code, Section 924(a)(1)(A)),

For Immediate Release
March 1, 2012
Kenneth Magidson, United States Attorney
Contact: Angela Dodge, Public Affairs Officer
(713) 567-9388

10 SENTENCED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN STRAW PURCHASE AND EXPORT RING (click here)

McALLEN, Texas – Ten people have been sentenced today for their roles in making false statement on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) forms 4473 in the acquisition of firearms from federal firearms licensees (FFL) and exporting those firearms to Mexico, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa handed down sentences today for Jose Alberto Rios, 43, Daisy Yesenia Santos, 24, Roxana Perez, 31, and Jose Alberto Trevino, 27, all of Roma, Texas; Josefina Guzman, 36, a Mexican national illegally residing in the United States; Juan Antonio Avalos, 25, Siboney Hinojosa Navarro, 34, and Jose Angel Celedon, 27, all of Rio Grande City, Texas; and Jeniffer Lopez, 30, of Garciasville, Texas.
Rios, Guzman, Avalos, Trevino, Perez and Celedon will serve 51, 30, 33, 36, 25 and 24 months, respectively, while Santos, Navarro and Lopez will all serve five months in prison. The prison terms will each be followed by either a two or three-year-term of supervised release. Santos and Hinojosa will also have to serve an additional five months of home confinement after they are released from prison. Navarro Eluid Saenz, 25, of Roma, Texas, was sentenced to three years probation with six months of home confinement as he played the smallest of the roles and purchased only two firearms.
The defendants each pleaded guilty to making, or aiding and abetting the making of, false statements in the acquisition of firearms from FFLs, commonly referred to as straw purchasing....
So, Darrell Issa is lying about gun laws. The gun laws on the books are being used to prosecute criminals. If Darrel Issa and Republican Speaker Boner are going to lie for political fodder regarding this topic, it discredits their intent and sincerity to the outcome.


AG Holder cannot disclose information regarding ongoing investigations and prosecutions. It is classified and involves an area of the country, ie: McAllen, Texas, entrenched in potential violence. It isn't prudent to put people's lives in danger.


There is a US Border Patrol page at the Officer Down Memorial (click here)


"When a police officer is killed, it's not an agency that loses an officer, it's an entire nation." -Chris Cosgriff, ODMP Founder