PS: I'm no expert on OPM rules so I could be off base here. Maybe they came back to enhance their pay or retirements. Unacceptable! If that is the case then no-way, no-how are we not going to see it and no-way that we don't call out DOJ and the White House for allowing it.So with the ATF yo-yo of returning Melson and Hoover to the Acting Director and Acting Deputy I'll say this - The moves better have been made for substantive reasons. They better have been replaced to take care of bad business in anticipation of Traver's arrival and NOT just to repair their damaged resume's. If they are going to be henchmen, then OK. If they are coming back to just sit there and continue their betrayal of ATF Agents everywhere for the purpose of leaving those jobs with their titles in tact then we'll all see that quick. The clock is ticking real fast for them. 3500 people from the field are watching to see what this is all about.
Traver Watch
#201 Guest_Jumper_*
Posted 06 December 2010 - 06:26 PM
#202 Guest_Jumper_*
Posted 06 December 2010 - 06:17 PM
#203
Posted 04 December 2010 - 03:58 PM
#204
Posted 03 December 2010 - 01:07 PM
#205
Posted 02 December 2010 - 09:16 PM
I'm not sure how many people are awarded the title "Honorary ATF Agent." Rep. Jim Lightfoot was, and he lists it as among his accomplishments.
Iceman tells it straight --- and I'll be a bit more specific, in one instance of which I have direct knowledge. The Congress was bent on withholding $10 million from ATF's budget. That might not sound like a lot of bucks in today's environment, but not getting it would have meant laying off ATF employees; a significant number of them.
Rep. Lightfoot stuck $10 million for ATF into an agricultural appropriations bill, and saved the jobs (if not careers) of however many ATF employees that $10 million would buy.
I believe Rep. Lightfoot wrote what he did about ATF out of concern for its survival, and because of his profound belief in the core ATF mission. As he points out, ATF has been without a permanent Director for some 6 years now. Not having a permanent Director is flat out irresponsible, especially for an agency with a mission like ATF's mission.
It is unclear whether the top executives at ATF, or their counterparts at the Department of Justice, realize the role Rep. Lightfoot played in supporting ATF and saving some untold numbers of jobs and careers. He was clearly moved by the instances of abuse at ATF that he cited; enough so to take the time to write the letter he wrote. His wise counsel is worth heeding.
Thanks goes out to Rep. Lightfoot for caring.
#206
Posted 29 November 2010 - 09:21 PM
The 1811 job has changed so radically from 20 years ago. When I entered government service with ATF, I recall reviewing the cases that were in the file cabinet to see what types of cases were being worked and get familiar with what I would need to do and what would be expected of me. The results of my review were that the Agents at that time were doing a lot of what we term today as "road kill" or adoptions. There were also a lot of declinations from the US Attorneys Office (that has not changed). My point is that all of the leaders of today, no matter how much they claim that they were workers or did this or that, are out of touch with conducting an investigation. They can read reports and regurgitate what happened or what the time lines were or ask dumb questions but that is it. They do not go into the case management system or if they do it is very rarely. This is not a criticism. These are the facts.
We used to recommend any cigarette and alcohol cases to the local state liquor and tobacco board. These days these types of alcohol and tobacco cases are being investigated and resulting in millions of dollars in seizures and forfeiture for ATF.
My overall point is that just because you are a good investigator does not make you a good leader, manager or supervisor, as so many of us assume or infer in some of the postings. I am excited that an 1811 will be the Director of ATF. I am hopeful that he will take this agency in the right direction. I am not expecting any miracles. I want to remain hopeful and have faith that in the end, Mr. Traver will do the right thing but I am definitely not expecting any miracles. I want to believe that Mr. Traver will stop the abuse, retaliation and reprisal of ATF employees. Yes it is still happening, no matter what Mr. Melson says. I want to believe that Mr. Traver has a vision for where he wants to take this agency and not recycle the same old ideas. I want to believe that Mr. Traver will be inclusive and not exclusive, which has been the ATF traditional way of doing business.
If Mr. Traver is more of the same, he will be the subject of many postings on this site soon.
P L E A S E…… no disrespect, but you HAVE been retired a long time. A shmuck with an 1811 title is still a shmuck! Let us not forget that he did not get the job by merit, but political connections. As a learned student of the Chicago machine, he will most likely bestow favors upon those who will hold the party line and serve his personal agenda and interests the best…all else is secondary to achieving that goal. Nothing more than another corrupt politician with a badge and gun.
#207
Posted 29 November 2010 - 05:01 PM
Iceman tells it straight --- and I'll be a bit more specific, in one instance of which I have direct knowledge. The Congress was bent on withholding $10 million from ATF's budget. That might not sound like a lot of bucks in today's environment, but not getting it would have meant laying off ATF employees; a significant number of them.
Rep. Lightfoot stuck $10 million for ATF into an agricultural appropriations bill, and saved the jobs (if not careers) of however many ATF employees that $10 million would buy.
I believe Rep. Lightfoot wrote what he did about ATF out of concern for its survival, and because of his profound belief in the core ATF mission. As he points out, ATF has been without a permanent Director for some 6 years now. Not having a permanent Director is flat out irresponsible, especially for an agency with a mission like ATF's mission.
It is unclear whether the top executives at ATF, or their counterparts at the Department of Justice, realize the role Rep. Lightfoot played in supporting ATF and saving some untold numbers of jobs and careers. He was clearly moved by the instances of abuse at ATF that he cited; enough so to take the time to write the letter he wrote. His wise counsel is worth heeding.
Mr. Melson AND/OR Mr. Traver,
It is on one of your watches now. For those of us who were around during and after Waco, it was a hard and scary time in this agency. If not for the near "heroic" actions of then Congressman James Lightfoot and Senator Dennis Deconcini, this agency WAS going to be abolished or merged. They have a huge hand in saving, rebuilding and funding this great agency. Below are JUST "excerpts" of a letter sent to ALL freshman Congressman and select committee Chairs on November 20, 2010. I urge you to read it in its entirety. Its extremely disturbing but totally in keeping with the intent of this website. CLEANUPATF. I think its time members of Congress step up and grabs the reins since nobody in our senior management is going to do it.
James R Lightfoot
MEMBER OF CONGRESS (Ret)
1985-1997
November 20, 2010
Dear Freshman Member of Congress:
Obviously, congratulations are in order on your recent winning election. Enjoy the moment, as the heavy lifting is about to begin.
You are faced with two terrific challenges;
1. Don’t let Washington change you.
2. Meet the high expectations of the people that elected you.
Pick one or two agencies for the “Mr. Clean” treatment. Go after them in high profile. You will be surprised how many other agencies will start to clean up their acts.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) would be s good place to start. It is one of the smaller agencies, therefore completing the audits and investigations will take less time. It is an agency that has drifted for nearly six years without a permanent Director.
ATF was recently featured on CNN regarding an agent who blew the whistle on an illegal wiretap and was rewarded with exile to an office with nothing to do for two years.
One of their Special Agents in Charge (SAC) was found by a local reporter to be driving a brand new Cadillac with all the bells and whistles plus a police package. His punishment was to move him to DC Headquarters with a promotion.
Check the millions of dollars paid out in settlements to employees as well as the huge backlog of employee complaints being ignored. Compare this to other larger agencies and you will be shocked at the level of abuse and waste.
#208
Posted 28 November 2010 - 06:07 PM
Attached Files
#209
Posted 20 November 2010 - 06:18 AM
For Clean Up ATF!
#210
Posted 19 November 2010 - 08:34 PM
I say we have to give the man a chance. By all accounts from what I am hearing is that he is a fair and hardworking man. He is one of us and comes from the ranks. He is not some attorney who thinks they know LE having never done it. From what I know about Martin he expects his people to work. I am good with that. If you are not working then move over for someone who wants the job. Complaining that he was doing TIII's and recovered no guns. At least he / they are doing them? Have or are you doing them? Road kills have become the norm for even our most "Senior" ranks. Any case is like fishing, sometimes you get the big one and sometimes you get skunked. In my opinion they were / are at least fishing. There are many who will sit and complain about having to go fishing and then complain because others are not fishing.
The radical NRA has already said that his name should be removed. They love the fact that we have been neutered for so long.
Let us hope for the best and hold him accountable for what he does and does not. Not what you already think he is going to do!
Have to respectively disagree re the comment about the"radical NRA" neutering ATF. Calling the NRA radical is absurd IMO. They are just defending the American public's Second Amendment rights.Many in ATF believe in the Second Amendment and support the right of law abiding citizens to own firearms.
All my years in ATF never saw the NRA neuter the ATF. I saw plenty of ASAC's and SAC's AD's etc. neuter the agents in their attempts to do investigations and to arrest the worst of the worst in an attempt to do the right thing and defend the American public from very dangerous criminals. I did see plenty in upper management neuter and destroy the agency because of their egos and extremely poor decisions and embarrassing personal behavior. Need to start with our agency first before blaming the NRA
I was one of those agents who tried to big investigations targeting dangerous drug/ firearms organizations. It was a real fight with my ASAC's and SAC's to keep my investigations going. Every week trying to shut my investigations down. Too much money. I had only spent $5000 and already had 18 defendants wrapped up in the case. U S Attorney's office pushing me for more buys etc to keep case going in order to get more sw's and arrest warrants. Try and get support from the Intell group was a waste of time and we all know why. That is why Sr agents are burned out fighting management just trying to do their jobs. See Vince and Jay as an example. Many now do do "roadkill" cases because of no support from upper management. Sr. agents receive no support because those in upper and even middle management have never done any investigations.
Hopefully A Traver will change this culture in ATF otherwise ATF is doomed to fail and be absorbed by another more efficient agency. Best of luck to the new leader
#211
Posted 19 November 2010 - 01:21 PM
#212
Posted 19 November 2010 - 08:45 AM
#213
Posted 17 November 2010 - 01:43 PM
For Clean Up ATF!
#214 Guest_Epic Failure_*
Posted 16 November 2010 - 11:52 PM
#215
Posted 16 November 2010 - 08:35 PM
I think we owe Traver a chance and not be quick to pre-judge. We all ponder what we would do different if we were to replace our boss. Traver is a well educated man and I have to believe that he has seen the decline of this agency over the last few years. Lets give him the benefit of the doubt that he is well intentioned, will seek good counsel, learn from past mistakes and focus on mission. It is about time we have a cop at the helm, the lawyers have proved inadequate and incapable of decision making.
#216
Posted 16 November 2010 - 07:49 PM
#217
Posted 16 November 2010 - 05:48 PM
I think we'll find out pretty quick if he is the real deal. If the White House put him in the Director's chair just to keep a seat warm and fend off the critics, we'll see that immediately. If he comes in and makes moves and decisions and improvements then he'll do everything that Melson couldn't or wouldn't and likely be embraced. I am a little amazed that they left Traver all this baggage that his predessors created but time will tell if he can man up and get things working again. I will say this, if he doesn't move quick then he'll be in trouble. The men and women of ATF need results now. If he drags his feet he is going to be viewed as another Truscott-Sullivan-Melson DOJ lap dog. Good luck Traver, bring us back please.
#218
Posted 16 November 2010 - 05:27 PM
I think we'll find out pretty quick if he is the real deal. If the White House put him in the Director's chair just to keep a seat warm and fend off the critics, we'll see that immediately. If he comes in and makes moves and decisions and improvements then he'll do everything that Melson couldn't or wouldn't and likely be embraced. I am a little amazed that they left Traver all this baggage that his predessors created but time will tell if he can man up and get things working again. I will say this, if he doesn't move quick then he'll be in trouble. The men and women of ATF need results now. If he drags his feet he is going to be viewed as another Truscott-Sullivan-Melson DOJ lap dog. Good luck Traver, bring us back please.
#219 Guest_Simple Man_*
Posted 16 November 2010 - 04:11 PM
I think we'll find out pretty quick if he is the real deal. If the White House put him in the Director's chair just to keep a seat warm and fend off the critics, we'll see that immediately. If he comes in and makes moves and decisions and improvements then he'll do everything that Melson couldn't or wouldn't and likely be embraced. I am a little amazed that they left Traver all this baggage that his predessors created but time will tell if he can man up and get things working again. I will say this, if he doesn't move quick then he'll be in trouble. The men and women of ATF need results now. If he drags his feet he is going to be viewed as another Truscott-Sullivan-Melson DOJ lap dog. Good luck Traver, bring us back please.I would encourage all of us to give Traver our support. He deserves the benefit of the doubt. He has a massive mess to clean up but lets hold out hope that he can do it. He deserves a chance to succeed. There is not much patience left out there so no doubt he does needs to go to work quick.
#220 Guest_Jumper_*
Posted 16 November 2010 - 03:45 PM
#221
Posted 16 November 2010 - 08:42 AM
#222 Guest_truegrit_*
Posted 16 November 2010 - 06:51 AM
#223
Posted 30 October 2010 - 07:35 PM
#224
Posted 30 October 2010 - 10:13 AM
#225
Posted 30 October 2010 - 09:37 AM
#226
Posted 13 October 2010 - 03:45 PM
#227
Posted 13 October 2010 - 02:59 PM
#228
Posted 12 October 2010 - 09:50 PM
For Clean Up ATF!
#229 Guest_madea_*
Posted 11 October 2010 - 05:47 PM
#230
Posted 10 October 2010 - 10:56 PM
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