A new watchdog report revealed this week that U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has conducted dozens of unauthorized undercover investigations into illicit cigarette sales, misused $162 million in profits, and lost track of at least 420 million cigarettes.
The investigation covered operations and records between 2006 and 2011. The most disturbing allegation is the use of “churning investigations,” operations used to pay for ATF expenses.
Also detailed in the report is that ATF officials allowed a tobacco distributor (who was a confidential informant) to keep $4.9 million in profits from cigarette sales to criminal suspects. Those missing 420 million cigarettes were worth $127 million.
Yet, there is no reference to criminal investigations or a single act of discipline. Indeed, the assumption appears to be that any such missing money or property had to be innocent. This all could very well be innocent but the amount of misused money or missing cigarettes is staggering. ATF spokeswoman Ginger Colbrun however insisted “only 447,218 cartons that were not reconciled because of insufficient documentation.” Only 447,218 cartons? Is that the standard for the ATF, keep missing property below half a million items? That short of sounds like “well, its close enough for jazz . . . or the ATF.”
spam😉OS,
Thanks and … exactly!
pete,
wordpressBlouise,
It was in the spam filter. Not sure why Akismet thought it was spam, since the comment has little characteristics of most of the spam snagged.
it does seem that wordpress gets more carnivorous on government overreach related threads.
oh, for cryin’ out loud … wp ate another post … this makes no sense and I’m getting pissed and suspicious.
What I find hilarious is the NRA’s decision to remain “neutral” during this confirmation battle. What a load of crap. They knew they would lose … Sandy Hook sealed the deal. The NRA is now being addressed as the organization that is “the provider of weapons for criminals and the insane”.
The worm has turned. (Shakespeare)
Jones simply has to jump out front and yell, “Follow me!”
There are only 73 federal agencies with arrest powers and whose personnel carry sidearms. Let’s make it an even 100.
Reminds me of Rummy giving a news-op on 910 … the day before 911 …
He said “we can’t find 2.3 trillion dollars”, which is symptomatic:
(Etiology of Social Dementia – 8). Gotta luv the institutionalization of madness.
Blouise, He does indeed.
Davidbluefish: “lottakatz, I had the same thought reading Blouises’ comment.”
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Yeah, The Republican’s (and way too many Democrats) don’t really want to reduce the size of government to the point it could be drowned in a washtub, they want it broken and small enough to contract out.
lotta,
Jones has a monumental task in front of him.
Lottakatz:
Must be a cultural thing that I’m out of sync with. 😉
I agree with Fred above. Too many “agencies” looking after crime and getting corrupted.
GBK: “I’ve always been mystified why we have an agency that deals with alcohol, tobacco, and firearms all at the same time.”
LOL, it’s a natural, I’ve been places where a half-drunk guy with cigarette hanging out of his mouth and a rifle or 3 in his truck’s rack is the norm after 6:00pm. Really, ATF may be the most coherent government tasking any agency ever had. 😉
Gene H. 1, September 26, 2013 at 11:45 am
My thought also
Can’t do anything with the ATF, until the NRA’s big foot is taken off the neck of Congress.
You’re absolutely right about the USPS.
The government of a civilized country provides mail service. It’s a legit role for government.
That’s why Congress is killing it.
The only roles of government are to feed defense contractors, and to…oh, I guess there’s no second role, sorry.
I’ve always been mystified why we have an agency that deals with alcohol, tobacco, and firearms all at the same time.
It’s akin to an agency that would be charged with matches, gasoline, and insurance.
ATF sounds like a Warren Zevon song that was never written.
lottakatz, I had the same thought reading Blouises’ comment.
The privatizers of government are pounding away at the Postal Service.
Blouise and Bob: ‘WordPress ate my comment….’
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Silly blawgers, WordPress is a NRA front. Srsly. 😉
ATF has problems that actually may not be able to be fixed at this point and I’m in agreement with you regarding the method of its destruction. If anyone doubts that an agency can be killed by strangulation just look at the postal service, same thing is happening with the USPS and only Congress can save it because Congress is killing it. The only question about the ATF is what to do with it now.