Operation Fast and Furious, one of the most controversial law enforcement operations in U.S. history, was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This operation was part of a broader effort to curb arms trafficking to Mexico, but it became infamous for its disastrous consequences. The operation, which took place during the Obama administration, led to the flow of thousands of guns from the U.S. into the hands of Mexican drug cartels. It resulted in severe political fallout and significant loss of life. Some time later, one of the serialized guns from this operation was actually used by Islamic terrorists in the Paris attack.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of Operation Fast and Furious, including key figures, timelines, and the consequences that followed.
Origins and Goals of Operation Fast and Furious
Operation Fast and Furious was a gun-walking program conducted by the ATF as part of Project Gunrunner, an initiative aimed at stopping the illegal trafficking of firearms into Mexico. The operation took place between 2006 and 2011 and was based out of the ATF’s Phoenix, Arizona field office.
The program was intended to track firearms purchased in the U.S. by suspected "straw purchasers"—individuals who buy weapons on behalf of others. These straw buyers were believed to be supplying the weapons to Mexican drug cartels. The goal was to allow these illegal purchases to proceed so that the ATF could trace the firearms to high-level cartel figures and ultimately dismantle the networks responsible for smuggling arms.
The logic behind the operation was to build cases against cartel leaders by allowing guns to "walk" into Mexico, where they could later be traced. However, this strategy quickly backfired when many of the firearms were lost, and instead of leading to arrests, they fueled violent crimes in both Mexico and the U.S.
Key Figures Involved
Several key officials were involved in the planning and oversight of Operation Fast and Furious, including:
Kenneth Melson: Acting Director of the ATF during the operation, Melson played a significant role in overseeing the agency’s activities. After the operation became public, he faced intense scrutiny for the ATF’s handling of the program.
- William Newell: Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Phoenix Field Division, Newell was one of the primary architects of Operation Fast and Furious. He later testified before Congress about the operation’s goals and failures.
- Eric Holder: U.S. Attorney General under President Barack Obama, Holder became the highest-ranking official implicated in the scandal, though there was no evidence that he was aware of the operation's details before it went public. His involvement led to significant political fallout and calls for his resignation.
- Lanny Breuer: Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Breuer was also implicated in the scandal. Emails surfaced showing that he had knowledge of the operation's tactics but did not take sufficient action to stop it.
Timeline of Key
2006-2009: Project Gunrunner
Fast and Furious emerged from Project Gunrunner, which began in 2006 as part of a broader effort to combat arms trafficking from the U.S. into Mexico. The ATF estimated that over 90% of guns used in violent crimes in Mexico came from the U.S., and the initiative aimed to target and dismantle the networks facilitating this cross-border trade. However, early efforts under Project Gunrunner failed to produce significant results, leading to more aggressive tactics under Operation Fast and Furious.
In late 2009, the ATF’s Phoenix Field Division launched Operation Fast and Furious as part of Project Gunrunner. The operation specifically targeted suspected straw purchasers who were buying large quantities of firearms, ostensibly for Mexican cartels.
The ATF allowed these purchases to go forward in hopes of tracking the guns to cartel members. Over the course of the operation, approximately 2,000 firearms were sold to straw buyers, many of which were AK-47-style assault rifles. The ATF used wiretaps, surveillance, and informants to monitor the sales but did not interdict the weapons immediately.
2010: Concerns and Internal Criticism
By mid-2010, ATF agents began expressing concerns about the operation. Many agents within the ATF were alarmed that firearms were being allowed to cross the border into Mexico without adequate tracking measures in place. The fear was that these weapons would be used in violent crimes or fall into the wrong hands. Despite these concerns, the operation continued, and the guns began to disappear.
December 2010: Death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry
The operation came to a tragic and highly publicized end when Brian Terry, a U.S. Border Patrol agent, was shot and killed on December 14, 2010, during a firefight near the Arizona-Mexico border. Two of the weapons found at the scene of Terry’s murder were traced back to Operation Fast and Furious. This revelation sparked outrage and eventually led to public scrutiny of the ATF’s operation.
Terry’s death was a turning point. It led whistleblowers within the ATF to come forward, revealing the full extent of the gun-walking tactics employed in Fast and Furious.
Fallout and Investigations
2011: Congressional Hearings
In response to the public outcry, the U.S. Congress launched an investigation into Operation Fast and Furious in early 2011. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, led by Chairman Darrell Issa, began holding hearings to determine who was responsible for authorizing the program. The hearings revealed that many of the guns sold during the operation had been lost, and over 1,400 firearms remained unaccounted for. Some of these guns were later linked to violent crimes in both Mexico, France and the U.S.
Several high-ranking officials, including William Newell and Kenneth Melson, testified about the operation and its failures. Emails and internal documents revealed that officials within the Department of Justice (DOJ) had knowledge of the operation’s tactics but did not intervene.
Eric Holder and the Contempt Vote
As the investigation unfolded, Attorney General Eric Holder came under increasing scrutiny. Holder testified before Congress in May 2011, claiming that he had only learned about the details of Fast and Furious in early 2011, after it had already ended. However, Republican lawmakers accused Holder of either knowing more than he admitted or failing to oversee the ATF adequately.
The controversy culminated in June 2012, when the House of Representatives voted to hold Holder in contempt of Congress for failing to turn over certain documents related to the operation. It was the first time a sitting U.S. Attorney General had been held in contempt. Although Holder continued to deny any prior knowledge of the gun-walking tactics, the vote solidified the scandal as a major political issue.
Impact on U.S.-Mexico Relations
The Mexican government was furious when it learned that the U.S. had allowed thousands of firearms to cross the border into Mexico, contributing to the violence caused by drug cartels. Several Mexican officials publicly criticized the operation, and the Mexican government demanded a full accounting of the weapons involved, which it never received.
Many of the guns from Operation Fast and Furious ended up being used in violent crimes in Mexico, where cartel violence was already rampant. The program significantly strained U.S.-Mexico relations, particularly because the Mexican government had not been informed of the operation’s existence.
Aftermath and Reforms
In the wake of the scandal, the ATF made several changes to its policies. Operation Fast and Furious was officially ended in 2011, and the ATF revised its tactics for dealing with arms trafficking, putting more emphasis on interdicting illegal purchases immediately rather than allowing guns to “walk.”
At the end of the day, not one single person went to jail or was held accountable for anything that happened within the operation. We are once again reminded there are two sets of laws when it comes to our government and the general populace.