Wednesday, October 09, 2013



ATF Receives Letter from ACLU After Censorship of Fast and Furious Whistleblower

The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms has received a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union after censoring ATF Special Agent and Operation Fast and Furious whistleblower John Dodson. Dodson is expected to publish The Unarmed Truth: My Fight to Blow the Whistle and Expose Fast and Furious in January 2014, but has been told his manuscript doesn’t meet ATF’s “outside employment guidelines.”

“The backstory of how Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed by guns under ATF surveillance ignited national debates over gun policy, border security, whistleblower protections, and the techniques deployed in Operation Fast and Furious. Agent Terry's death and the law enforcement techniques it helped to expose attracted attention from the press, Congress, and the Justice Department Inspector General's office.

But now that one of the agents involved in the operation wishes to add his version to the public record on Fast and Furious, he has been forbidden from doing so by the very agency that sparked this national policy debate. We believe that both the procedures used to support ATF's publication denial, as well as the prohibition on Agent Dodson's manuscript itself, run afoul of constitutional protections for public employees,” a letter from ACLU Attorneys Lee Rowland and Mike German to ATF Deputy Director Thomas Brandon states.

Although the book is set for publication, is already on Amazon and has backing from Chairman of the House Oversight Committee Darrell and Issa and Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee Chuck Grassley, Dodson has been told by ATF supervisors “there will be consequences” if he moves forward.

The intimidation and retaliation against Dodson up to this point from the Department of Justice and ATF for exposing Operation Fast and Furious has been fierce and calculated. Dodson has been screamed at by supervisors in front of other agents for speaking out, reassigned and even had his weapons taken away while on duty without cause.

Dodson was punished for “jumping his chain of command” by telling the truth about an operation that has left hundreds of people dead.

After being put under internal investigation by ATF, Dodson was cleared of any wrongdoing earlier this year.

The ACLU is urging ATF to approve Dodson's request for outside employment and to rewrite its outside employment policies in compliance with the First Amendment.

Source

9 comments:

Stefan v said...

He'd better look for outside employment alright.....outside any jurisdiction under the thumb of Obama's regime. A name change and some special private security measures with several large capacity magazines ready to hand would also be in order.

Anonymous said...

You're quite right Stefan. The very last thing Obama's Marxist administration wants is for the truth to come out about Fast & Furious, especially since it has several major (impeachable) scandals going on. It is one of the major reasons Obama and his Leftist supporters (have created) this huge battle with the congress and the so-called "govt. shutdown". It's nothing more than a diversion to keep the weak, gullible, and mindless American people distracted.

Anonymous said...

I love how the liberals are circling the wagons on this around the ATF.

If this were the Bush administration, this guy would be a hero!

Anonymous said...

I am not sure I wpuld say the ACLU is "liberal," but I see the point to some extent.

What is really interesting is that the ATF has no legal basis to prevent the publication of the book. Such a restriction would almost automatically overturned. Instead, what the ATF is saying that the author did not get approval to work outside the agency, and therefore if he takes money for publishing the book, he is in huge trouble.

The ATF isn't coming directly at his free speech, they are coming at it from the side. However, that side attack is illegal under whistleblower laws.

That means that the ATF will be using tax funds to pay for lawyers to argue the author should be subject to illegal repercussions from the ATF.

Can't we furlough those clowns?

Anonymous said...

If this were the Bush administration, there would be 50% unemployment.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 5: 36 said...
"I am not sure I wpuld say the ACLU is "liberal,"

Would you then say that perhaps you have been over-indulging in too much Kool-Aid?

Stefan v said...

Lol, blame Bush. Next post is 97% certain to play the race card. Wtg, Anon 5:07. Please don't try to walk & chew gum, it would be embarassing.

Anonymous said...

1:55, facts are contrary to your ignorance. During Bush presidency his unemployment numbers beat Owebama's each year.

Anonymous said...

So I hope Stefan doesn't bet too often!