Will the ‘Fast and Furious’ Scandal Be Obama’s Watergate?

Why a gunrunning scandal codenamed “Fast and Furious,” a program run secretly by the U.S. government that sent thousands of firearms over an international border and directly into the hands of criminals, hasn’t been pursued by an army of reporters all trying to be the next Bob Woodward or Carl Bernstein is a story in itself.
But the state of modern journalism aside, this scandal is so inflammatory few realize that official records show the current director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), B. Todd Jones — yes the individual the Obama administration brought in to replace ATF Director Kenneth Melson Aug. 30 in an effort to deflect congressional criticism — also has questions to answer about his involvement in this gunrunning scandal.

As the Obama administration continues to be less than forthcoming, we’re left to speculate as to potential political motives behind this baffling and obviously dangerous operation. Unfortunately, we’re unlikely to hear an explanation for the scandal until more political pressure is applied on the White House and Justice Department. Congressman Issa is rightly calling for a special investigator. But, in the meantime, national Republicans need to speak out loudly and often until the situation is resolved. American law enforcement agents have died and there’s not been a single mention of the scandal at a GOP debate. If Fast and Furious were to become a campaign issue, the president might be forced to respond.