2 replies to this topic

[Snake bite]

For the past year I have anxiously been reviewing the horrific accounts of incompetence and harassment initiated by some of ATF’s management in hopes that something positive would take place to save this agency. At first I found some level of comfort that the agents and investigators in the Louisville Field Division were not alone. You see, In Louisville we are being led by a spineless loud mouth who has single handedly destroyed two ATF field divisions. Paul Vido performed at such a stellar level in San Francisco that ATF thought they would send him to the smallest field division in the agency so Vido could make the smallest number of employees miserable. Vido’s claim to fame in San Francisco was driving more employees to resign during his reign of terror than any other SAC in the country. Along the way, Vido ruined as many careers as possible and as I understand, when Vido was put on the hot seat and asked he cleared his throat and toed the company line with answers like, I do not recall, I was unaware of that and all of the other cliché’ SES answers.

Since Vido and Dondi Albritton have planted roots in Louisville KY, this dynamic duo has successfully made nearly every non-yes man (or woman) dread coming to work each day. Vido and Albritton made things so bad that they ran off Carl Vasilko because he couldn’t stand to be surrounded by such high levels of incompetence. For those of you that don’t know Vasilko, he is a stand up, honest, hard working guy and probably one of the nicest people you will ever meet. This dynamic duo then drove Brett Final into retirement, because Final was too honest and a much stronger leader than Vido or Albritton. Therefore, Final threatened the authority of mini me and the number one most under qualified ASAC in the history of ATF.

After realizing that the men and women who work for ATF throughout the country are universally fighting an epidemic of dismal leadership, incompetence and untruthfulness, I have grown more and more embarrassed to be perceived to be affiliated with the likes of Paul Vido and Dondi Albritton. The more I read about other ATF employees encounters, the more I find myself not taking comfort in knowing that other employees within ATF are dealing with the same levels of incompetence which we are here in Louisville KY. I guess my initial comfort was a misery loves company like feeling. As a matter of fact, it is out and out personally disturbing to watch a once great agency spin around the commode before going down the drain.

I know multiple employees who are anxiously awaiting DOJ to take the reins of ATF and demand the same accountability from ATF management that is demanded of the people who are actually out walking in harm’s way each and every day. Eliminate the double standard, two sets of rules and for goodness sakes, if a SAC, ASAC or DAD is not performing, replace them.

I hope that the recent surveys that were sent out are critically scrutinized and hopefully DOJ actually listens to the people who are forced to deal with the highest levels of incompetence from the ATF’s leadership each and every day.

Mr. Holder, we need help and we need help sooner rather than later.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

On April 14, 2010, I watched the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary hearing featuring speaker Attorney General Eric Holder. I gained an appreciation for the expansive issues that the Attorney General is expected to identify, handle and resolve. In many areas, the Senate Committee commended Mr. Holder for doing a good job.

However, a couple of items of interest:

? About 30 minutes into the hearing, Attorney General Eric Holder testifies that under his leadership, he made the pledge and promise to vigorously pursue four critical objectives.

One of these four critical objectives is: “reinvigorating the Department’s commitment to integrity, to transparency and to results.”

AG Holder also promised, that the most important work – the work of protecting the American People – the Justice Department would lead with strength and by example.


? About 33 minutes into the hearing, Attorney General Eric Holder testifies that the Justice Department’s review of criminal laws and federal sentencing would enable them to be smart, tough, predictable and fair.


I applaud the first item! Now, let us do it in actuality.

If criminal sentencing can be: smart, tough, predictable and fair; then why can’t employee discipline be afforded with the same care?

You can watch the hearing at the following website (the hearing begins 19 minutes into the WebCast):

http://www.senate.gov/fplayers/CommPlayer/commFlashPlayer.cfm?fn=judiciary041410&st=xxx