Letter to The Honorable Joe Donnelly - 06/25/2012

June 25, 2012

The Honorable Joe Donnelly

United States House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Congressman Donnelly,

As you know, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee recently passed a resolution holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress over his role in the Fast and Furious scandal.

Under Fast and Furious, lawful firearms dealers were pressured by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to sell guns to known criminals.  The firearms were then allowed to “walk” into the hands of Mexican drug gang members, and have subsequently turned up at the crime scenes of two murdered U.S. agents in addition to hundreds of murdered Mexicans.

The Congress has requested information through dozens of written requests and subpoenas for information that would reveal who authorized this operation and how it was able to remain effective for possibly more than two years.

Holder, the highest ranking law-enforcement official in the country, has repeatedly thumbed his nose at the law – and the U.S. Congress.  He has done very little to cooperate with congressional investigators, he is withholding information and communications regarding the operation, and he has apparently lied to Congress, which is a criminal offense.

Making matters worse, Operation Fast and Furious seems to have been implemented to bolster the argument for more U.S. gun control.  The President of the United States, the Attorney General and the Secretary of State have all called for radical new gun control laws in the United States in response to violence along the border.  At the same time, despite being in leadership positions, all three claim they were ignorant that Fast and Furious was supplying thousands of weapons to dangerous drug cartels.

This is an issue of utmost importance to Second Amendment supporters in Indiana and throughout the country.  The right to keep and bear arms is under attack by this administration and they are using a bungled, and deadly, operation to achieve those ends.

Gun Owners of America urges the House of Representatives to vote in favor of the contempt citation passed by the Oversight Committee.

We also ask, because you have thus far refused to do so, that you commit publicly to voting for the contempt citation when it comes to the House floor.  Gun Owners of America will consider this vote in its upcoming congressional rating.

Sincerely,

Tim Macy
Vice Chairman