http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.comFY-11-22
Contact: ATF Public Affairs Division
(202) 648-8500
ATF Responds to Inaccurate News Reports Regarding "Fast and Furious" Personnel
WASHINGTON – The following statement is from Scott Thomasson, Chief, Public Affairs Division, Office of Public and Governmental Affairs, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF):
"Recent media reports have inaccurately characterized personnel changes involving ATF agents associated with the Fast and Furious operation as promotions. Special Agents David Voth and William Newell and Deputy Assistant Director William McMahon were laterally transferred from operational positions and moved into administrative roles, they were not promoted. They did not receive salary or grade increases nor did they assume positions with greater responsibility."
"On May 13, 2011, McMahon was reassigned to a position within the Office of Professional Responsibility and Security Operations, back filling a position that had been vacant for more than one year. His transfer was one of six transfers announced that day involving various other positions."
"On August 1, 2011, Newell, who had been selected as Country Attaché to Mexico City, was reassigned to the Office of Management to assist with the OIG investigation and congressional inquiry."
"Furthermore, Voth was reassigned to a headquarters position, a lateral move to a program area."
"These transfers/reassignments have never been described as promotions in any of the documents announcing them."
"Voth was reassigned to a headquarters position, a lateral move to a program area." Uh, huh.
And remember this about Voth?
If "Operation Fast and Furious" was merely a botched attempt at law enforcement, why was a supervisor of the operation, David Voth, "jovial, if not, not giddy but just delighted about" marked guns showing up at crime scenes in Mexico, as career Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent John Dodson told Rep. Darrell Issa's House Oversight Committee? -- New York Post editorial, "The gang that couldn't sting straight," New York Post editorial, 22 June 2011.
Well, here's another famous David Voth quote for you, Rep. Issa:
"I'm not going anywhere!" -- David Voth, bragging to co-workers on the sixth floor of Phoenix Field Division Headquarters recently.
Sipsey Street Irregulars has learned that David Voth never was reassigned as the above ATF press release said in August. In fact, he's still in Phoenix, according my sources, still running Group VII and still, at least nominally running "Fast and Furious." In addition, William Newell is still in Phoenix as well.
One source tells this writer:
William Newell and David Voth are still in Phoenix, AZ working on the F&F cover-up. Voth is reporting the the sixth floor ATF office in Phoenix and working with Hope McAllister, Tonya English and Marge Zicha. Voth has been heard boasting that he was not going anywhere soon, because he need to complete his time in Phoenix in order to be promoted to the position of ASAC (Assistant Special Agent in Charge). In addition, it has been related to me that Mr. Voth is close to the new Director and as been seen in close door meetings with the new director on several occasions."
The source continues:
ATF's shuffle of managers is nothing more that a smoke screen and the fact that Newell, Voth, McAllister, Engilsh and Zicha are still working on F&F from within the Phoenix office shows contempt for the whole congressional investigation.
Another confirms:
Voth is still running the Fast and Furious case in Phoenix. The rest of the group was disbanded and sent to other groups. Most of them were not willing participants in that train wreck of a case.
But. But. What about this report from CBS in May? --
Another move involves Agent David Voth, who directly supervised the Phoenix ATF "Group VII," that executed Fast and Furious. Sources say he's also been assigned to the U.S. Attorney's office along with Agent Hope McAllister. Sources say McAllister was the agent in charge of Fast and Furious. Replacing Voth as head of Group VII is Steve Barborini from Miami.
Barborini, a well-respected agent, did go out to Phoenix, the sources say but not forever:
Yes, He was there for about 6 months, but did not work on anything related to that case. He also thought it was bad to the core. Steve is a good guy, and he left to retire. He's an absolute gentleman. If he were there when that case started . . . he'd have been standing up with his hand raised before the committee. Believe me.
As soon as Barborini retired, Voth was put back in charge, He never left Phoenix. Sources say that when Voth was "re-assigned" to the Branch Chief job at HQ, "his first concern was that it not knock him off of the career ladder. Unreal isn't it? The guy completely fell asleep at the wheel and wants to promote higher up the ranks."
Voth has been heard by many bragging about his "stroke" with the new ATF Acting Director, B. Todd Jones, and boasting that "I'm not going anywhere!" until he's made enough time in the job to qualify for further promotion.
As for Newell, sources say, he has been seem recently, also on the 6th floor of Phoenix ATF Field Division headquarters. One source reported that Newell, unlike Voth, who is reported to be as "happy as a pig in shit," has apparently suffered these past months.
He "looks like a fucking ghost," said one source. Said another, "He's lost weight, lost hair, and looks like he irons his clothes with a ball-peen hammer. He looks bad. The stress is clearly getting to him. I didn't think he could lose weight, and look more gaunt. He already was the ATF version of Ichabod Crane."
Perhaps, but he is still sitting in his nice house in Phoenix most days, doing nothing on the taxpayer's dime. And one thing is clear, said a source close to the investigation in DC, "B. Todd Jones is part of the cover-up if he's letting his toady Voth work the system like this after all the smoke and mirrors about transfers." He added, "How in the hell can Voth think that he's got anything to look forward to career-wise other than federal prison is beyond me. Does he smoke crack?"
All the sources agreed that the Senior Executive Service and the Chief Counsels Office of the ATF, the real twin powers in the corrupt agency for many years now, are not afraid of Congressman Issa or Senator Grassley.
Even as they reward the Gunwalker conspirators and victimize the whistleblowers, they apparently are as corrupt and contemptuous as they ever were.
"The committee," said one source, "doesn't scare them."
