As Dave Hardy notes, the WaPo has finally gotten around to acknowledging Fast and Furious as an actual scandal, but naturally their star anti-gun reporter Sari Horwitz, can’t do it without a healthy dose of deception and apologism:
Agents along the border had long been frustrated by what one ATF supervisor later called “toothless†laws that made it difficult to attack gun-trafficking networks. Straw buyers — people with no criminal record who purchase guns for criminals or illegal immigrants who can’t legally buy them — are subject to little more than paperwork violations. Even people convicted of buying AK-47s meant for the cartels typically just get probation for lying on a federal form attesting that they were buying the guns for themselves. With such a light penalty, it is hard to persuade those caught to turn informant against their bosses. And federal prosecutors rarely want to bring such charges because they do not consider the effort worth their time, according to ATF supervisors.
In what world is a ten year mandatory prison sentence and a quarter of a million dollar fine “toothless?” That’s up there with armed robbery. It took me three minutes to look that up and double check my facts just to be sure. I’m not at all convinced it would be that hard for Ms. Horwitz. I can only assume the reason she’s reporting untruths is because the truth doesn’t fit the narrative, which is the need for more laws.
And this is unfortunate, because the rest of it this lengthy article otherwise pretty good.
Guess they should update dontlie.org to warn ‘buy a gun for someone who can’t, buy yourself little more than paperwork violations’
And to think, 20 years ago her misleading story would go pretty much unchallenged; unless the WaPo opted to print the corrections written in by the readers or the NRA. They no longer have control on dissemination of information. Today her story is being poked full of holes by citizen journalist, or as one local newspaper man said “idiots with laptops”.
Maybe she should look at why federal prosecutors and judges are light on gun crimes, often reducing charges or letting people walk with a slap on the wrist. Project exile was a success in Richmond back in the 90’s. Why was it ever stopped?
Those laws on the books are only “toothless” as far as the State and Federal Attorney’s General choose to make them so.
120 months. If your guy is Category 0-1 (I’ve only had that once), you can usually get it down to Zone B (half in BoP, half on Home Detention).
As one of the comments on the story pointed out, this seems timed to obfuscate the details of the scandal prior to tomorrow’s hearings. However, I get the impression Issa feels he’s been f&cked with enough to let anymore b.s. from Holder’s office slide. Get your popcorn & grab a seat.
“Even people convicted of buying AK-47s meant for the cartels…”
I first read it as that they were buying AKs the government meant to give to the cartels.
The laws don’t lack teeth, The U. S. Attorney’s just lack the spine to prosecute anything that isn’t a lead pipe lock against a politician.
No front page news = no court case.
Anybody who still has doubts about whether this “plan” came out of the AG’s office should read the joint report prepared by Issa & Grassley preparatory to this morning’s hearings:
http://www.politico.com/static/PPM192_atf_report.html
See page 36:
“According to ATF leadership, not only was everything “under control,†but everyone in ATF and DOJ were well aware of the investigation in Phoenix…”
This refers to early 2010. Holder has perjured himself.
“Sari Horwitz joined The Post’s investigations unit in 2006 after 23 years at paper…”
So, there’s really no excuse for her writing like an ignorant, cub reporter. Maybe she’s ready to retire.