Changes

While the [[United States Congress]] was conducting an investigation into why the [[Executive Branch]] allowed high-powered guns to be illegally "walked" to drug cartels, the [[Liberal bias|liberal Media]], [[Democrat]] politicians, and the [[White House]] attempted to cover-up the facts.<ref>Mark Hemingway. [http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-admin-seals-records-murdered-border-patrol-agent-implicated-fast-and-furious_610783.html Obama Admin Seals Records of Murdered Border Patrol Agent Implicated in Fast and Furious], ''[[The Weekly Standard]]'', November 30, 2011.</ref> The Obama administration has been reported to have intimidated witnesses into not testifying to Congress.<ref>http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/26/issa-atf-warns-witnesses-to-limit-testimony/</ref>   

While the [[United States Congress]] was conducting an investigation into why the [[Executive Branch]] allowed high-powered guns to be illegally "walked" to drug cartels, the [[Liberal bias|liberal Media]], [[Democrat]] politicians, and the [[White House]] attempted to cover-up the facts.<ref>Mark Hemingway. [http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-admin-seals-records-murdered-border-patrol-agent-implicated-fast-and-furious_610783.html Obama Admin Seals Records of Murdered Border Patrol Agent Implicated in Fast and Furious], ''[[The Weekly Standard]]'', November 30, 2011.</ref> The Obama administration has been reported to have intimidated witnesses into not testifying to Congress.<ref>http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/jul/26/issa-atf-warns-witnesses-to-limit-testimony/</ref>   

Acting on a whistleblower tip, Grassley wrote a letter to the ATF Acting Director on January 27, 2011 requesting information about the ATF-sanctioned sale of hundreds of firearms to straw purchasers. The letter mentioned a number of allegations that walked guns were used in the fight that killed Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.<ref name=azre1>{{cite web |last=Wagner |first=Dennis |title=Phoenix-area gun store, ATF sting may be linked to shootout |url=http://www.azcentral.com/community/pinal/articles/2011/02/01/20110201phoenix-gun-store-atf-sting-border-shootout.html |publisher=The Arizona Republic |accessdate=}}</ref> A second letter from Grassley on January 31 accused the ATF of targeting whistleblowers.<ref name=fox020211>{{cite news |last=Lott |first=Maxim |title=Senator Calls ATF on Allegations Agency Is Allowing Guns Into Mexico |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/02/02/senator-calls-atf-allegations-agency-allowing-guns-mexico/ |publisher=Fox News |accessdate=|date=February 2, 2011}}</ref>

Acting on a [[Whistleblower Statutes|whistleblower]] tip, Grassley wrote a letter to the ATF Acting Director on January 27, 2011 requesting information about the ATF-sanctioned sale of hundreds of firearms to straw purchasers. The letter mentioned a number of allegations that walked guns were used in the fight that killed Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.<ref name=azre1>{{cite web |last=Wagner |first=Dennis |title=Phoenix-area gun store, ATF sting may be linked to shootout |url=http://www.azcentral.com/community/pinal/articles/2011/02/01/20110201phoenix-gun-store-atf-sting-border-shootout.html |publisher=The Arizona Republic |accessdate=}}</ref> A second letter from Grassley on January 31 accused the ATF of targeting whistleblowers.<ref name=fox020211>{{cite news |last=Lott |first=Maxim |title=Senator Calls ATF on Allegations Agency Is Allowing Guns Into Mexico |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/02/02/senator-calls-atf-allegations-agency-allowing-guns-mexico/ |publisher=Fox News |accessdate=|date=February 2, 2011}}</ref>

On February 4, 2011 the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the US Attorney's Office in Phoenix, and ATF Headquarters,<ref>Department of Justice Inspector General report</ref> Ronald Weich sends a response to Sen. Grassley regarding his two January letters. Weich said claims "...that (the) ATF ‘sanctioned’ or otherwise knowingly allowed the sale of assault weapons to a straw purchaser who then transported them to Mexico [are] false. ATF makes every effort to interdict weapons that have been purchased illegally and prevent their transportation to Mexico.”<ref name=bloom120211>{{cite news |last=Salant |first=Jonathan |title=Erroneous Gun Letter Based on U.S. Attorney, Documents Show |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-02/erroneous-gun-letter-based-on-u-s-attorney-documents-show.html |publisher=Bloomberg |accessdate=|date=}}</ref><ref name=weich020411>{{cite web|last=Weich |first=Ronald |title=Letter dated February 4, 2011, from U.S. Department of Justice to Senator Charles E. Grassley |url=http://www.grassley.senate.gov/about/upload/Judiciary-ATF-02-04-11-letter-from-DOJ-deny-allegations.pdf |publisher=United States Senate |accessdate=|format=PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110508031440/http://grassley.senate.gov/about/upload/Judiciary-ATF-02-04-11-letter-from-DOJ-deny-allegations.pdf |archive-date=May 8, 2011 |dead-url=yes |df=mdy }}</ref>

On February 4, 2011 the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the US Attorney's Office in Phoenix, and ATF Headquarters,<ref>Department of Justice Inspector General report</ref> Ronald Weich sends a response to Sen. Grassley regarding his two January letters. Weich said claims "...that (the) ATF ‘sanctioned’ or otherwise knowingly allowed the sale of assault weapons to a straw purchaser who then transported them to Mexico [are] false. ATF makes every effort to interdict weapons that have been purchased illegally and prevent their transportation to Mexico.”<ref name=bloom120211>{{cite news |last=Salant |first=Jonathan |title=Erroneous Gun Letter Based on U.S. Attorney, Documents Show |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-02/erroneous-gun-letter-based-on-u-s-attorney-documents-show.html |publisher=Bloomberg |accessdate=|date=}}</ref><ref name=weich020411>{{cite web|last=Weich |first=Ronald |title=Letter dated February 4, 2011, from U.S. Department of Justice to Senator Charles E. Grassley |url=http://www.grassley.senate.gov/about/upload/Judiciary-ATF-02-04-11-letter-from-DOJ-deny-allegations.pdf |publisher=United States Senate |accessdate=|format=PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110508031440/http://grassley.senate.gov/about/upload/Judiciary-ATF-02-04-11-letter-from-DOJ-deny-allegations.pdf |archive-date=May 8, 2011 |dead-url=yes |df=mdy }}</ref>