ticklethewire.com
President Barack Obama on Wednesday defended Atty. Gen. Eric Holder Jr. in connection with the scandal surrounding the controversial ATF program “Operation Fast and Furious.”
At a press conference, the president said that Holder “would not have ordered” the ATF program that encouraged Arizona gun dealers to sell to straw purchasers — all with the hopes of tracking the guns to the Mexican cartels, according to the Wall Street Journal. Some of those guns have showed up at crime scenes.
Holder and the president have denied knowing abou the program before it became shrouded in controversy.
Obama said an Inspector General probe into the controversy constrained his comments, but he promised to take action when it was completed, the Journal reported.
“My attorney general has made clear that he certainly would not have ordered gun-running to be able to pass through into Mexico,” Mr. Obama said. “I’ve made very clear my views that that would not be an appropriate step by the ATF, and we’ve got to find out how that happened. As soon as the investigation’s completed, I think appropriate actions will be taken.”
