Archived Comments: 06/2009

ATF-Trocity June 28, 2009 9:06 AM I read the Office of Special Counsel documents. This type of conduct starts at the top and trickles down. How can a federal law enforcement agency cover up their errors and lie to us about it? ATF failed to address their mistakes and then held no one was held accountable is an example of why Americans don’t trust their own government. The mistakes should have been fixed and those involved should have been disciplined. If ATF were a private corporation the CEO would be fired or prosecuted, the company would be bankrupt, workers would be laid off and they would be looking for a government bailout. blueprint4integrity June 26, 2009 1:07 PM Everything changes and nothing stays the same. I began my career in the 80s. The average agent was at least 15 years my senior; most of them ensured my training was first rate down to perfecting solid criminal case reports, "the blue cover." And remember this phrase...how many blue covers do you have in...lol!!! I loved it when the old guys sat around with coffee mugs and those awful cigarettes talking about the good old days. I was just a young pup, listening intently and absorbing their vast knowledge. And remember this, "big cases big problems, little cases little problems and no cases no problems." I had GREAT supervisors who knew how to supervise both agents and support staff. You see, they worked long term investigations, multi-agency investigations, undercover, and was familiar with I.A....lol...!!!, before taking on a supervisory position. They respected support staff and even if the staffer was not the best at his/her job, they gave them perks anyway just like they did the agents. Sure, their were some incidents requiring I.A. but a lot of times the SAC ironed the problems out by calling you in and saying, "what's this I hear." I never believed that ATF management would remain the same but I did believe that management would only be better and move the agency forward in meeting it's goals, and ensuring a fair and equal playing field for all of its employees. Is it really the Dept of Justice June 26, 2009 12:55 AM Stuck in the Snakepit. I got a good one. A certain Los Angeles Group Supervisor takes issue with the travel voucher prepared by one of his agents. The Group Supervisor has about a minute of street experience so he knows everything there is to know about all things ATF. Does he counsel the agent and confront the error, speak to the ASAC or SAC, consult legal counsel or report the allegation to Internal Affairs? He wrote a blue cover on his own agent and turned it in to the U.S. Attorneys Office for prosecution!!!!! Now that is morale inspiring leadership. How many people were trying to get into that group. Can you count to zero? Next the same guy arrives back out west with a fresh new promotion to ASAC, He promptly tries to submarine two of the best, most productive and well-liked agents in the division using another pumped up phony beef about ATF business he does not understand. The ASAC's case against his guys is so weak and filled with holes that the accused agents barely bother to defend themselves and are still quickly vindicated. They should be laughing themselves all the way to the ATF Retribution and Reprisal Savings and Loan for a withdrawl from the wrongly accused account. The ASAC soon afterward performs his biggest and baddest blunder to destoy an agent yet. Stay tuned. It is going to be discussed with intimate and factual detail on this site in the very near future. So far being the DD's roomie has saved him from himself but bunking with the boss is not going fix his last mistake. Paying attention June 26, 2009 12:30 AM The Office of the Special Counsel is a friend to ATF Agents. Read on: Follow the link http://www.osc.gov/FY%202009%20A.html and then scroll down and find OSC case file number DI-07-0367. These are public documents that anyone can access. The first document on the list is OSC’s letter to President Obama regarding the Agent Dobyns situation. This letter also went to the Chairman of the Senate and House subcommittees on the Judiciary and to the Ranking Member of each committee. OSC tells the President: “ATF needlessly and inappropriately delayed its response to and investigation of threats against Dobyns.” “Notably absent from the report, however, is any statement from ATF regarding action taken to address ATF’s failure to adequately investigate the threats made against Agent Dobyns.” “If ATF is to fully address this issue, threats against Agents must be pursued aggressively and officials at all levels must cooperate in any investigation. The protection of ATF’s own agents is critical to the success of ATF’s mission to protect the nation from violent crime and enforce federal criminal laws…” (As you read these please remember, ATF had the chance to properly investigate each of these allegations themselves at the encouragement of Senator McCain. Instead they covered-up their mismanagement with a corrupt internal affairs investigation and then knowingly lied to Senator McCain about the facts.) The next document is OSC’s formal analysis of Dobyns’s whistleblower complaints. This analysis (in conjunction with the OIG investigative report) validates that ATF Senior Executives lied to investigators and, Senior Executives attempted to blame subordinates for their own failures to personally provide any follow-up to a critical threats made against one of their agents. Focus on the last page of the report under the heading, "Comments and Conclusions". A telling statement is documented and one that www.cleanupatf.org has been claiming all along, yet no one, until now, has wanted to hear it: “I note with concern the absence of any corrective measures proposed (by ATF) to address the failure to conduct timely and thorough investigations into the death threats made against Dobyns. ATF does not appear to have held anyone accountable in this regard.” That’s right. NO ONE was held accountable! Better yet, the same people were left in place to mismanage the arson at Dobyns’s home and the attempt to murder his family OSC also comments: “The support and protection of its own agents is critical to both the morale of ATF Agents and to the success of the agency’s public safety mission. If ATF does not protect its agents, they, in turn, cannot protect the public.” The next document in the series is the Office of the Inspector General report. This has been displayed on this site previously. The last document is Dobyns’s response to the OSC/OIG reports and conclusions which was also sent to President Obama. As you look these documents over remember that ATF’s Internal Affairs office investigated the same allegations and an Assistant Director wrote to Senator McCain: “… there was no evidence of (ATF management) misconduct, or violations of law, rule, policy or ethical guideline…” “… the Deputy Director found that there was insufficient basis to support Mr. Dobyns’ allegations…” Is this OK? Where are you Melson? Where are you Holder? Everyone sees it. Why can’t you? atfmadea June 25, 2009 1:42 PM Your comment is awaiting Webmaster approval. ATF Internal affairs flew 3-4 invesitgators to San Franciscoand is currently conducting investigation into alleged misuse of metro passes by San Francisco’s clerical staff, a year old compliance inspectors motor vehicle accident and an anonymous complaint. We all know that the clerical staff are not the highest paid employees of ATF. The issue I have with this is the blatant DISPARITY. For approximately five years, efforts have been made to get I.A. and the OIG to investigate a high ranking SES official, currently assigned to HQ, for parking his personal vehicles to include a Corvette in government paid parking spaces TO AVOID ADDITION PERSONAL EXPENSE. Also, this same official failed to get a city of Chicago sticker required by law and Illinois license plates required by law and this was his second violation. It would seem that this would be a much more serious violation than aclerical persons alleged bus pass abuse. I know that the allegations regarding this official have not been investigated because NONE of the witnesses have been interviewed. USMCIRAQ June 24, 2009 11:22 PM WEBMASTER COMMENT: This was posted on another website directed to special Agent Jay Dobyns from a group of United States Marines who understand honor and integrity better than most in the country or even in the world. Their message is clear: ATF management lacks the necessary traits and characteristics to be considered men and women of honor. The irony of this post is that the average age of a United States Marine serving in Iraq in combat conditions is approximately 23 years old. ATF Managers listen to the word and heed the wisdom of true Americans. Birdmaster, the WP story is blowin' my mind. So, from us, some motivation back to you. "Ooh-rah" comes from the places in our hearts that only Marines understand. It is conceived in sweat and nurtured with drill. It is raw determination and gut-wrenching courage in the face of adversity. It is a concern for fellow Marines embodied by selfless acts of heroism. It cannot be administrated. It doesn't come from an office or a desk or a necktie. It comes from men with their boots on the battlefield and mud on their faces. It is not about weighing the odds of personal effect before implementing. It cannot be manufactured and it can not be bought. You have 'right' inside you and wrong is never an option. It is placing others before yourself and saying "$#&@ it" to the consequences. "Ooh-rah" is Marine. From me and the boys, "Ooh-rah!!!" Peace and love to you and your family from your friends in Iraq. Insulted June 24, 2009 8:54 AM After the subject of this comment left on sick leave and bragged about doing so to avoid OIG and ATF Internal Affairs questions which would surely have resulted in his being demoted or terminated, the having to shut down his website due to the slanderous information contained within it, ATF now turns to him to grab another headline. Here is a good one hot off the presses. A national cable network is producing a story on the murder of a federal judge and the subsequent investigation. The producers come to ATF for an expert. Of all people, who does ATF place in front of the camera to represent the agency? An ousted ex-ASAC who left the job early to avoid accountability for the malicious substance and overwhelming number of EEOC complaints. After he left he publicly attacked ATF using an 'annonomous' internet blog. In itself this is insulting to all the agents this guy destroyed in the Atlanta, Phoenix and Denver field divisions but, it gets better. The selection was made by an ATF Public Affiars office manager, himself ousted from an ASAC job for very questionable conduct, who just so happens to be the best friend of the ATF "expert". Turns out that the ex-ASAC being interviewed mentored the ex-ASAC in PGA. Now it all makes sense. I will bet the program is going to be excellent. Unfortunately I will change the channel when it comes on because by using the retired ASAC as "the face of ATF" PGA has insulted every agent this guy destroyed or attempted to destroy and further placed the credibility of ATF and story iteslf in question in exchange for a payback your buddy favor. I guess the ex-ASAC's feel like an "Orphan No More". Walk the walk or remain silent June 23, 2009 12:15 PM Walk the walk or remain silent with some dignity: I read Inside ATF 'Attorney General Eric Holder Participates in 2009 ATF Memorial Observance', Ronnie Carters retirement announcement to the Dallas Field Division and the Washington Post article 'Undercover No More, Jay Dobyns Revs Up For A Different Fight' all on the same day. Larry Ford and Ronnie Carter both make it a point to mention family and how important that is. Kenneth Melson makes statements like, "law enforcement officers are the bedrock of our criminal justice system:, and "By ATF Special Agents placing themselves between the citizens of our communities and those who seek to do them harm, we give the American public the gift of freedom" and, "At this memorial observation and every day, let us renew our dedication to each other." I was at that ceremony and Eric Holder spoke of the importance of "protecting those who protect us." What you say and what you do are proving to be two very different things here gentlemen. Saying doesn't count and meaning it. Meaning it doesn't count if you take no action. Family, honor, code, protection, dedication to one another? Read the Washington Post article again. These guys are embarassing themselves and us if they think we are stupid enough to believe what comes out of their mouths is sincere. They talk-the-talk but they do not walk-the-walk. Jay Dobyns June 23, 2009 9:45 AM Webmaster Note: Jay, CleanupATF.org is made up of career Agents who live for and have lived for the privalage of being ATF Agents. However, when power goes unchecked and leadership has deteriorated to a level that can only be defined as corrupt, we have the same obligation to confront it as we would violent felons. Thank you for your contributions to the Agency, the craft of Undercover work and our attempts to raise ATF to what it once was. Webmaster, this is Jay Dobyns. I am not going to hide behind a coded screen name. I will confirm if necessary. The fact that my employment dispute, public documents and news stories have been featured on this website has (I believe) given me the right to make an open comment. First and foremost – I LOVE ATF. I always have and I always will. When I think of ATF Agents I ask myself this question: How many people get out of bed in the morning, have that first cup of coffee, brush their teeth, get dressed and accept that by going to work, they could be killed, shot, stabbed or beaten? ATF Street Agents do. And, they do it with smiles on their faces. They leave their homes and families and walk out the door everyday to seek opportunities to stand toe to toe, eye to eye, with the most violent predators in our communities. When most people in our society run away from violence, ATF Agents run toward it. That is what makes us different and special. ATF agents pray that the criminals they encounter will have violent histories, prison sentences, a pistol with an obliterated serial number tucked in their waistband, a sawed-off shotgun under the driver’s seat, and a trunk full of machine-guns or homemade bombs or drugs (or all of the above). Preferably a few of their like-minded friends are along for the ride. Seriously! Who else wants to face off with a group of like that other than an ATF Agent? We are not crazy. We are simply servants of the good and innocent people in our neighborhoods who want to go through life without being preyed upon. As an ATF Street Agent, if you don’t have the stomach for that lifestyle then today is a good day to find another job. Make no mistake, this is what we do. We handle America’s business of fighting violent crime and it is not always pleasant. My dispute with ATF asks only that when the violence we encounter comes back to us – and more importantly to our families and on our homes – we are treated with respect by the agency we so willingly serve. I thank the webmaster, this website and those responsible for it for your support. All my best wishes, hopes, and prayers for every ATF Agent - my brothers and sisters - who view this site and read this message, whether you agree with the position that I have taken regarding my agency dispute or not. Much love, Jay Dobyns America is Watching June 22, 2009 11:08 PM THE FOLLOWING WERE POSTED BY CIVILIANS WHO CAN SEE WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE ATF, AND THEY OBVIOUSLY DONT LIKE IT. THESE QUOTES, (TO INCLUDE MRS. BILLY QUEEN) SUGGEST THAT IN FACT THOSE WE SERVE ARE WATCHING. THESE ARE BLOGS RELATED TO THE SUNDAY WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE: Ricardo3 wrote: The moral of the story is don't accept a dangerous job on behalf of the government, and then expect the goverment to protect you and your family 24/7 the rest of your life. From the government's point of view, it's cheaper to cut you loose when you are no longer useful to them. And it causes less headaches for the higher-ups; one less problem on their desks. If you complain, they'll just bury you in red tape. 6/21/2009 6:24:56 PM losthorizon10 wrote: I read his book- it's a great read. Dobyn's plight is not unlike that of the undercover government agent in "Under and Alone" either. It seems that senior federal law enforcement officials just aren't comfortable with the men who show true courage and sacrifice. Maybe they feel intimidated or shamed by their own lack? Instead, they play the game of "climbing the ladder" and kissing the behinds of their superiors, and put the job of crime-fighting a distant second? It looks like the ATF failed to protect this hero... and his family. Shame on them. I hope Mr. Dobyns receives a nice fat settlement from these cowards who were too lazy to protect one of their best. 6/21/2009 1:46:06 PM mosthind wrote: Hard to comment without raving on. Suffice to say, he won't win in the end. The bureaucracy, the head office apple-polishers and political appointees are too many and too constant. It's the price of working the streets vice working in the office. Kinda like professional sports guys...one day you're the toast of the town....next day, you're a wal-mart greeter. lunasatic wrote: Look at what the rest of us are getting for trusting the government. Why would we expect any different from our policing agencies? The classic definition of insanity is repeating the same actions and expecting different results. We keep electing the officials that are already paid for by the lobbyists, and allowing them to appoint their best buddies to whatever office they chose, and we expect to be dealt with openly and honestly? What does that say about us? gkam wrote: Why would he trust bureaucrats, . . especially in the money-and-drug-infested DEA? The pressures there force one into being either a crook or a coward. NoEthicsattheATF wrote: PS: I just read this story again. Who are these people that we allow to run our police agencies? Maybe they should get out of their offices and see what real world of being a policeman is like or have someone threatend to rape their wife and then be ignored. What have we come to? And, before all you e-bikers and e-thugs, start posting your e-threats and derogatory comments using your annonomous tough guy screen names, save it. You haters are a vocal minority. America is behind these law enforcement officers and WE DO CARE about what happens to them even when it appears their employers do not. hdkween wrote: No one has any idea what these men and women who brave undercover work go through. The work, at times, has its perks but far and away, the trade off isn't fair. They lose. They do it for reasons more magnanimous than most of us can fathom. Jay's work was good. Jay is good. A decent, honorble human being. My husband, Billy Queen, is honorable, brave and decent. His case worked out. Jay's did not. Travesty #2. Number 1 being the sacrifices that continue to be made long after the cases conclude. M. Allysson Queen