There have been some great examples of mainstream reporting on Fast and Furious, but for the most part the MSM has brushed it off as a puffed-up controversy kept alive by Republicans who enjoy antagonizing Eric Holder. Now that President Obama has started acting as if the White House has something to hide, it seems very possible that the long-held conservative suspicions are right — this isn’t a manufactured political issue, but one that could go into much deeper, shadier territory than initially thought.
If Obama was truly concerned about the investigation becoming a political distraction — as the White House maintains — then why would he insert himself into the controversy and throw fuel on the fire?
House Speaker John Boehner is apparently wondering the same thing:
“Until now, everyone believed that the decisions regarding ‘Fast and Furious’ were confined to the Department of Justice,” Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said in a statement.
“The White House decision to invoke executive privilege implies that White House officials were either involved in the ‘Fast and Furious’ operation or the cover-up that followed. The Administration has always insisted that wasn’t the case. Were they lying, or are they now bending the law to hide the truth?” Buck said.
Administration officials dispute the implication, pointing to several cases under Republican administrations where executive privilege was invoked on behalf of agencies.
If Obama’s White House is trying to shield its participation in Fast and Furious or a subsequent cover up, that runs counter to a Watergate-era Supreme Court ruling, which holds that executive privilege can’t be used to obscure wrongdoing. Todd Gaziano writes at the Heritage Foundation:
First, the Supreme Court in United States v. Nixon (1974) held that executive privilege cannot be invoked at all if the purpose is to shield wrongdoing. The courts held that Nixon’s purported invocation of executive privilege was illegitimate, in part, for that reason. There is reason to suspect that this might be the case in the Fast and Furious cover-up and stonewalling effort. Congress needs to get to the bottom of that question to prevent an illegal invocation of executive privilege and further abuses of power. That will require an index of the withheld documents and an explanation of why each of them is covered by executive privilege—and more.
Will the media accept the White House’s defense that it’s simply trying to stop a political witch hunt? Or will Obama’s surprise decision to invoke executive privilege be the catalyst that finally springs this story into the mainstream?
Jackanapes Obama is reminding me more and more of yet another crook who pulled "executive privilege".
I wonder if there is any truth to the rumor that the intent was to have lots of US-sold guns showing up on the streets of Mexico as an incentive for tougher US gun laws and the ATF involvement only came out by accident.
"Will the media accept the White House’s defense that it’s simply trying to stop a political witch hunt?" I think we all know the answer to that one. What disturbs me the most (besides, of course, two agents and perhaps many innocent Mexican being killed with these guns) is the complete partisanship on matters that should not be so partisan. Our government and the media are completely dysfunctional. Apart from a few that congressman with integrity and honesty, most, including many members of the media, will adopt any narrative and fully support it no matter how implausible as compared to the other sides' narrative or common sense. Everything seems to work this way. Nobody wants to get to the truth. Pelosi's response to all this is that she could have had Karl Rove arrested at any time. WTF! How can people like this run our governemnt. I don't think it is bias, but I certainly see this primarily on the Liberal side although there are certainly Conservatives who stoop to this level at times. Regardless, it is the present state of things and I doubt it will ever change. I am totally disgusted and have lost all faith. sorry
I think it's wonderful that there are legal decisions Republicans can cite that will link Obama's actions with Nixon's!! I wonder if asking for an index will generate anything (probably in about a thousand days). They can't impeach him until the public supports it — but they can go to court.
well, that's like saying Executive Privilege can't be invoked to conceal the ax murder of your maid.. well, true enough, but you have to come up with the evidence to prove your case against the privilege that's suppressing the evidence in the first place. Nixon's cover was well and truly blown. In this case, don't assume malefic cunning over clueless incompetence in the initial instance.
Good Morning, n nDuh … are you serious? There is no way the 'lame-steam' media will follow up aggressively on this. It will embarrass Holder and Mr Wonderful. It is just grandstanding by those evil racist republicans. Did you see last nights news coverage on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN? Did you see Andrea Mitchell and Romney's Wawa issue? Nothing to see here guys — let's move on to more serious issues like Michelle O's vegetable garden and Mr Wonderful's golf scores.
brushing fast & Furious off as a puffed-up controversy IS good reporting.