By: Jeffrey Klein, Political Buzz Examiner
Examiner.com

It would appear as though Congress is impotent when it comes to its investigation of Attorney General Eric Holder, the Justice Department in general, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) in particular, as it relates to the now infamous “Fast and Furious” gunwalking operation.

This impotence is focused primarily upon Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), who is Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, who are leading the investigation into the “Fast and Furious” operation.

Grassley and Issa opened an investigation to determine who authorized “Operation Fast and Furious,” and thereby hold those responsible accountable for a plan that helped known criminals run guns across the border in violation of U.S. and international law.

In May 2011, Issa’s committee hosted and heard testimony from the six ATF officers, who are the “whistleblowers” about Fast and Furious, which was a “gunwalking” operation hatched and fomented by their superiors all the way up the chain of command at ATF. And, ATF operates under the command of the Justice Department, which in turn is run by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder–the highest ranking law enforcement officer in the United States.

At the end of the committee hearing, after all six agents had offered up tales with bone-chilling facts, Sen. Grassley went on the Congressional record of the hearing, from the comfort of his cushy leather “Chair,” and boldly threatened the U.S. Department of Justice … “Any attempt to retaliate against them [ATF agents] for their testimony today would be unfair, unwise and unlawful.”

So, did anyone listen, or even give any regard to Sen. Grassley’s threats?

Doesn’t look like it at all.

It is very easy to understand why, however, when such blatant ignorance begins with President Obama himself; and, who obviously has some sort of “protection pact” with AG Eric Holder.

At the time it became clear that the heads of ATF were caught lying about the existence of Operation Fast and Furious, President Obama “proclaimed” (via teleprompter) that the operation was a mistake and that “[the] people who screwed up will be held accountable.”

Up to this point, the offending ATF “managers” have simply been reassigned or promoted–to Washington, D.C.–right under Eric Holder’s watchful eye…and protection.

And, what has become of the whistleblower agents?

One of them, who was an attache to Mexico, has retired.

And, of the remaining six, LaJeunesse’s sources say that they are in a kind of purgatory, because they can’t be fired, but they can be transferred–facing the problems of relocating on their own.

In reality, one has been demoted to “driving a desk”, two have been transferred from their posts in Mexico back to Arizona, two others have been transferred to Florida, and the last one was told he would be “well-treated” in South Carolina.

All have been assigned to dead end jobs.

As one brave agent stated, “The only people who have been damaged from Fast and Furious, short of the obvious victims, are the people who tried to tell truth and blew the whistle.”

Is this the end of the story?

Can anyone hold President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder accountable for these high crimes and transgressions against America?

Copyright (c) 2011 by Jeffrey Klein