Issa subpoenas AZ US Attorney Criminal Division Chief

[burf]

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) today announced the issuance of a subpoena to Patrick J. Cunningham, Chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona. Mr. Cunningham’s repeated refusals to testify voluntarily have forced the Committee to use compulsory process.

snip

The subpoena requires Cunningham to appear on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 for a deposition.

http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-national/breaking-issa-subpoenas-az-us-attorney-criminal-division-chief

About damn time. Cunningham seemed to have a problem appearing before the House Committee, but wasn't quite so bashful in being interviewed in a documentary shown on Current TV about guns from the US winding up in the cartels arsenals.

[SteveW]

1. This "gun walker" biz is going to keep getting dragged out...

probably up to election time. IMO, the Obama Administration doesn't want the objectives of these various plans (including those starting in Bush II's administration) to be revealed as anything more than a botched tracking/sting operation, and they will have to depend on the pro-gun-control MSM to do this. Trouble is, MSM is growing weaker by the day

[burf]

2. Cunningham and DOJ will use the "ongoing investigation" line

in any testimony. What I will be interested in seeing if the Congress requests information from the State Department sales and Foreign Military Sales that went through not only Mexico, but neighboring countries that wound up in the cartels hands. There was a lot of hooting and hollering on weapons traced back to US dealers by serial number. How about a matchup of serial numbers of arms sent to "our allies" that wound up with the bad guys. Afterall, how did the drug cartels wind up with grenades other military hardware?

[E6-B]

5. Lets examine the political environment of Fast and Furious

1) 40 days after his inauguration the President seeks to re-new the assault weapon ban
2) Eric Holder seeks letter to record multiple rifle purchases along border
3) Sarah Brady and Senator Feinstein confirm gun control 'under the radar' is being worked on by the President
4) Hillary Clinton thinks 90% of crime guns in Mexico come from the USA.
5) Meetings with Mexican President constantly bring up issue of rifles.

Someone wanted Fast and Furious to happen.

[E6-B]

3. The timing of this will kill Obama re-election.

The administration should have been open and transparent from the beginning and agressively prosecute the stupid and the negligent from the beginning. Instead it was business as usual and to cover things up.

Mark my words, your going to see Gingrich ask the President how many guns killed Mexican and US citizens in October.

[ellisonz]

7. No it won't...

[oneshooter]

9. Why? n/t

[ellisonz]

10. Because most of the voters who care about guns...

...enough to vote against Obama are already going to do so. It won't shift a thing; it's not a game changer.

Look where the NRA is putting it's PAC money:

Money to Congress: 2012 Cycle
Dems: $35,000 - 11%
Repubs: $239,288 - 89%

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/totals.php?id=D000000082&cycle=2012

Their money is on the Republicans, their membership accepts this, and something like this isn't going to change that dynamic.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-29/nra-raises-200-million-as-gun-lobby-toasters-burn-logo-on-bread.html

[burf]

11. We have been through this before

NRA-ILA endorsements and subsequent contributions are based on one thing only, the candidates position on firearms.

Remember?

[ellisonz]

12. The correlation between

...how those most concerned about firearm issues vote, who the biggest firearm lobby gives money too, and how the issue is likely to play out in the election is substantial.

BTW - one can be a strong supporter of the Second Amendment and still think the political positions of the NRA is extremism.

[PavePusher]

13. Please list their "extreme positions" of the NRA, explain the extemeness....

and your counter-proposals.

Cite to NRA quotes supporting your assertions.

[ellisonz]

14. lol

From the 2010 NRA Questionnaire:

http://www.redcounty.com/content/patricia-lighner-releases-nra-questionnaire-survey-answers-reveal-strong-views-support-2nd-a

5. As many as 4,400 gun shows are held across the United States each year. The vast majority of exhibitors are federally licensed firearms dealers, subject to the background check requirements created by the 1993 Brady Act for all of their transactions. Individuals who are not federally licensed dealers are not subject to such requirements, just as they would not be subject to such requirements for sales in their own homes. However, any individual who repeatedly makes firearms sales for purpose of livelihood and profit, as compared to disposing of a personal collection, is required to be a federally licensed dealer. Anti-gun officials and organizations advocate a vast bureaucratic regime to restrict gun shows, and even ultimately to drive them out of existence.

A. I support current laws and oppose further regulation. Gun sales by private citizens who are not engaged in an ongoing firearms business should not be subject to federal background check requirements, whether the sales take place at a gun show or elsewhere.

--------

9. The Firearms Owners' Protection Act of 198, along with the 1993 Brady Act, prohibit the use of records gathered by the course of firearms sales or background checks to create a national registration system for firearms, firearms owners, or firearms transactions. Under the Clinton Administration, the FBI nonetheless maintained records of lawful purchasers for up to six months. The Bush administration amended the regulations to require destruction of these records within 24 hours -- not a complete solution, but a step in the right direction. Anti-gun activists want to mandate a minimum of 90 days' record retention of lawful purchasers in clear violation of the intent of Congress.

A. I agree with the NRA that no records should be maintained on any lawful gun buyer

----------

11. Firearms registration is a system in which a government agency maintains accessible records of specific firearms owned by individual citizens. Current federal law prohibits the creation of a federal firearms registration system (other than the existing registration requirements for machine guns and short-barreled rifles and shotguns). The NRA opposes firearms registration -- which has led to gun bans and confiscation in the United States (California and New York City) and in other countries (including Australia, Britain and Canada) -- as an unconstitutional and unnecessary measure that will be ignored by criminals.

A. I agree with the NRA and oppose firearms registration

------------

12. Anti-gun advocates favor legislation limiting the number of firearms a law-abiding individual may buy in an arbitrary time period (such as so-called "one-gun-a-month" laws), based on the claim that such limits reduce illicit firearms trafficking into states or cities with more restrictive gun control laws. The NRA believes that these laws constitute rationing of rights and have no effect on criminal behavior, since those who illegally engage in smuggling firearms to criminals do not abide by these or any other gun control laws.

A. I agree with the NRA and oppose "one-gun-a-month" and similar restrictions on gun purchases.

-------------

15. Growing numbers of shooters have become interested in rifles that fire certain .50-caliber cartridges. The .50-caliber Browning cartridge is used in highly technical long-range target shooting competitions; other .50-caliber cartridge designs have existed for well over a century and have been used throughout that time for hunting large game. Anti-gun activists and legislators claim these rifles are likely to be used by terrorists. In reality, no .50-caliber BMG rifle is known to have been fired in any terrorist act or homicide in the United States. The rifles that fire this powerful cartridge are too large and heavy for criminals to readily carry or conceal -- many weigh 30 pounds or more. As with any firearm, a national background check is conducted for all sales by dealers. Nonetheless, anti-gun activists want to impose severe new restrictions on these guns.

A. I agree with the NRA and oppose new restrictions on ownership of .50-caliber rifles by law-abiding Americans.

--------------

22. Federal law requires gun manufacturers, importers and dealers to respond promptly to BATFE requests for assistance in tracing firearms in the course of bona fide criminal investigations. BATFE's longstanding practice has been to hold such trace requests as confidential law enforcement information, but in the past decade anti-gun groups and municipalities have sought this information for use in lawsuits against the gun industry. Since 2002, Congress has passed NRA-supported appropriations amendments that prevent disclosure of firearms trace data for non-law enforcement purposes. The national Fraternal Order of Police and other law enforcement organizations support these protections.

A. I agree with the NRA and support legislation to limit the use of firearms trace data to law enforcement purposes.

---------------

24. Millions of acres federally-owned land provide public hunting opportunities across the nation. Without this, many hunters would be forced to give up hunting, lessening the $30 billion annual contribution that sportsmen make to our economy. Changing land use patterns, urban growth and land management decisions sometimes lose federal lands to hunting. Recognizing that these closures are sometimes inevitable, legislation has been introduced (H.R. 3046 in the 111th Congress) to establish a policy of No Net Loss of public hunting opportunities, under which any closure would be compensated for by opening new public hunting opportunities elsewhere on the same amount of acreage.

A. I agree with the NRA and would support this legislation.

To me, these are extreme positions that are not in the interest of public safety, justice, or environmental responsibility. I'm not going to get bogged down in a debate on this. I've made my thoughts clear, cited from an official NRA publication, and provided my general objection. Good Night.

[PavePusher]

19. I find none of those positions "extreme".

Nor have you explained why they are or should be so considered. You have yet to make anything clear.

I will give you credit for quoting them, perhaps tomorrow you'll finish the subject.

[ileus]

30. Good news is this isn't the first time you're wrong on the 2A

[Hoyt]

31. Exactly. In fact, I think a lot here will vote against him or rejoice in his defeat.

All because of their love affair with guns.

[ellisonz]

33. The amount of denialism...

...about this right-wing ideology on guns is just amazing. I think single-issue voting in general is foolish.

[Hoyt]

36. I can understand some single issues good people think are that important - but not friggin guns.

Anyone who would vote against their other beliefs because of the gun issue, really have a serious problem in my opinion.

[E6-B]

15. Ring Ring Ring. The President called.

The President called. He asked you to please STFU, he wants to get re-elected. He doesn't want to get 'Al Gore-ed' in the next election.

[ellisonz]

16. If you really think that's what cost Gore the election...

...I don't know what to say other than: Ralph Fucking Nader.

Also, I will not STFU.

[gejohnston]

17. Nader did not make that big of a dent

and certainly had no effect in places like Tennessee, Gore's home state. Gore still won Florida after the votes were counted.
Clinton is correct, you are not.

[ellisonz]

18. Florida was decided by like 437 votes...

...Nader got 93,000 (without checking exactly). I agree Gore won the election anyway, but without Nader we wouldn't have gotten Bush. F$#% Ralph Nader. F@#$ Pat Buchanan. F#$% Ron Paul. F@#% the Libertarian Party. F$@% the Green Party. F#$% the Apologists. F#@# Sandra Day O'Conner. F@#$ Antonin Scalia. F%#@ Charlton Heston. F@#$ Ayn Rand. F#@$ the NRA, and F#$@ John McCain.

[gejohnston]

20. but

without the gun issue, Gore would have most likely won his home state and a few others. That would have made Florida moot.

[ellisonz]

21. Probably not actually...

Tennessee is pretty red. My argument is clear. Your argument is not.

[gejohnston]

22. It is more purple

clarity has nothing to do with accuracy. Mine is not clear to you only because it requires deeper and nuanced thought.

[ellisonz]

23. Hah...

Well Newsmax agrees with you: http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2000/12/29/94926.shtml - I'm fine disagreeing with Newsmax.

Liebermann was a bad choice. But what killed Gore was Nader - not gun control.

[gejohnston]

26. Since I don't read Newsmax

it is nice they get one thing right.
Liebermann was a bad idea, but I doubt Nader made that big of difference and would be off set by the Libertarian pulling votes away from Bush.

The article basically says that Gore blew off TN and agrees with me that the state is basically purple.

[ellisonz]

34. Gore blew off TN because he couldn't win it no matter what...

...guns were only part of the equation.

"but I doubt Nader made that big of difference and would be off set by the Libertarian pulling votes away from Bush."

George W. Bush Republican Texas 50,456,002 47.87% 271
Al Gore Democratic Tennessee 50,999,897 48.38% 266
Ralph Nader Green Connecticut 2,882,955 2.74%
Pat Buchanan Reform Virginia 448,895 0.43%

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2000#Results

[E6-B]

25. Let's ask Bill Clinton what he thinks about the election...

'Bill Clinton admitted in his memoirs that the gun issue cost Al Gore the White House in 2000 "

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=18194

[ellisonz]

27. No actual quote from Clinton...

...and the author is:

Mr. Keane is senior vice president and general counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc., the firearm industry's trade association. He oversees the industry government relations program and serves as the industry's chief spokesperson for legal and legislative issues.

So without going and reading Bill Clinton's memoir I couldn't tell you if he was full of shit or not.

Boy you seem to know those righty sources well...

[gejohnston]

28. I read Clinton's memoir

yes he did.
Not all libertarians are right wing. Are you a regular reader of Newsmax?

[ellisonz]

32. On the basics...

...the effect is the same - individualism above all else.

Heck no, I googled looking for an article making your case - coincidentally they were all from right-wing publications.

[gejohnston]

35. interesting

because the MSM were the only ones putting it on Nader ten years ago. The US is individualistic by nature.
Clinton took TN and AR in 1992 & 1996. Guns was not the only reason, but blowing off your home state is never a good idea. The conservative areas of Vermont that votes Republican for POTUS also votes for self described socialist Bernie Sanders.
I am more to the left of Obama on most things, I would still be able to take Wyoming.

[ellisonz]

37. Al Gore had been VP for 8 years. I think that's a fact you neglect. n/t

"I am more to the left of Obama on most things, I would still be able to take Wyoming."

Not after the NRA spent tens of millions of dollars distorting your position and slandering you.

[gejohnston]

38. I have not neglected it

not really relevant
Why would the NRA spend millions of dollars slandering me? I agree with them on their one issue. Do they attack Brian Schweitzer? No. He is definitely to the left of Obama on health care and environmental issues. Big oil and health insurance industry maybe, but not the NRA. They endorsed Howard Dean, kind of support Bernie Sanders.

[ellisonz]

39. Gore hadn't really been a resident of Tennessee for quite awhile.

They'd attack you just to stop Democrats from winning...

I think if Dean had been the nominee in 2004 they would have probably gone after him no matter what - we'll never know.

[gejohnston]

40. Outside of wayne boy and teddy

the NRA only cares about guns. The real problem would be API and health insurance industry.

[Simo 1939_1940]

41. And let's not forget that if Ann Richards hadn't infuriated a good part

of her constituency by telling them that "they didn't need to vote" on concealed carry, and vetoed the measure twice, shrub may have never made it to the Texas governor's mansion.

[SteveW]

29. Gore didn't even carry his home state. nt

[Paladin]

24. Nice Bit Of Spittle-Flecked Wishful Thinking On Your Part. (n/t)

[Lurks Often]

4. Update

I couldn't find it at a non-right source, but it looks like Patrick J. Cunningham has stated, through his lawyer, that he will be taking the 5th Amendment during his testimony.

[burf]

6. Either the 5th or as I said before,

the old ongoing investigation line.

Yes, it is a bit difficult finding a link for investigative reports from anywhere other than pro gun sites or CBS reporter Sharyl Attikson. But she has been pretty quite lately since her altercation with some folks over at DOJ a while back. I wonder if she has suffered the same treatment McClatchy News reporters recieved during the Iraq war.

Heck, we don't need to know nothing about gun runnin'. There are a lot more important stories out there about some blond missing in Aruba, or what are the Kardashians doing today?