While the Big Three Networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) spent Wednesday focusing on a Senate hearing they were hoping would implicate President Trump in obstruction of justice, they ignored a House Oversight Committee report that showed President Obama’s administration did just that. “An absolutely blistering report tonight out saying the Obama administration in general and former Attorney General Eric Holder in particular repeatedly lied to the family of a slain Border Patrol officer about the weapons used in his death, and stonewalled efforts to get at the truth,” announced Fox News’ Bret Baier on Special Report.
Baier handed the segment off to Correspondent William LaJeunesse, who reported that “Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry died in December 2010, killed by guns tied to an Obama administration plan that armed Mexicans. A scandal officials tried to hide by wrongly claiming executive privilege.”
“The [Justice] Department’s belated admission that those 64,000 pages were not privileged, puts the gold seal of authenticity on the House's bipartisan vote to hold the attorney general in contempt,” testified Senator Chuck Grassley at a hearing of the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday.
According to the committee’s report, the evidence of the federal government’s knowledge of the botched program was damning. “Emails contained in the House Oversight Committee’s report shows top officials knew the ATF sent guns to Mexico even before Terry’s death,” LaJeunesse explain. There was even correspondence between high-ranking officials blowing off the danger they put people in. As was mentioned in the report:
“It's a tricky case given the number of guns that have walked,” said a deputy attorney general. A colleague replied: “It's not going to be any big surprise that a bunch of U.S. guns are being used in Mexico, so I’m not sure how much grief we get for guns walking.” Months later, two of those guns were used against agent Terry, a fact denied to Congress and Terry’s family.
“My only goal was to make sure he was laid to rest with honors. That honor has been insulted by cover-ups and deception by the very people he served,” condemned Josephine Terry, Brain Terry’s mother, at the Wednesday hearing. “Only one possible motivation remains for all those involved who have covered up Fast and Furious. That is to conceal their own shame and disgrace.”
LaJuenesse also noted how “the report claims the administration try to stop the investigation by discrediting whistleblower John Dodson.” “I was lied about and disparaged, publicly attacked, ridiculed, libeled, I've been transferred 11 times, denied promotion, ostracized, barred from government workplaces, and banned from public buildings,” Dodson told the House panel.
Ignoring breaking developments in the Operation Fast and Furious scandal is nothing new for the Big Three Networks. Back in mid-April of this year, they skipped over the news that Mexican and U.S. officials had arrested Brian Terry’s murderer. “The suspected shooter in the 2010 murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry has been arrested…” announced CNN’s Jake Tapper at the time, “38-year-old Heraclio Osorio-Arellanes was taken into custody in Mexico Wednesday, it was part of a joint operation between the two countries.”
Transcript below:
FNC
Special Report
June 7, 2017
6:18:37 PM EasternBRET BAIER: An absolutely blistering report tonight out saying the Obama administration in general and former Attorney General Eric Holder in particular repeatedly lied to the family of a slain Border Patrol officer about the weapons used in his death, and stonewalled efforts to get at the truth. Correspondent William La Jeunesse tonight on Operation Fast and Furious.
[Cuts to video]
JOSEPHINE TERRY: My only goal was to make sure he was laid to rest with honors. That honor has been insulted by cover-ups and deception by the very people he served.
WILLIAM LAJEUNESSE: Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry died in December 2010, killed by guns tied to an Obama administration plan that armed Mexicans. A scandal officials tried to hide by wrongly claiming executive privilege.
CHUCK GRASSLEY: The [Justice] Department’s belated admission that those 64,000 pages were not privileged, puts the gold seal of authenticity on the House's bipartisan vote to hold the attorney general in contempt.
LAJEUNESSE: Emails contained in the House Oversight Committee’s report shows top officials knew the ATF sent guns to Mexico even before Terry’s death. “It's a tricky case given the number of guns that have walked,” said a deputy attorney general. A colleague replied: “It's not going to be any big surprise that a bunch of U.S. guns are being used in Mexico, so I’m not sure how much grief we get for guns walking.” Months later, two of those guns were used against agent Terry, a fact denied to Congress and Terry’s family.
TERRY: Only one possible motivation remains for all those involved who have covered up Fast and Furious. That is to conceal their own shame and disgrace.
LAJEUNESSE: Even the Border Patrol which sent Terry’s team into the desert, didn’t know about the operation.
ROBERT HEYER: I believe that if Brian Terry and his team had known this information, chances are Brian would be alive today.
LAJEUNESSE: The report claims the administration try to stop the investigation by discrediting whistleblower Don Dotson.
JOHN DODSON: I was lied about and disparaged, publicly attacked, ridiculed, libeled, I've been transferred 11 times, denied promotion, ostracized, barred from government workplaces, and banned from public buildings.
[Cuts back to live]
LAJEUNESSE: Lawmakers noted no one from the ATF or Justice Department was fired or seriously disciplined for the cover up.
