Recently a debacle was created with one of our Special Agents stemming from Bureaucratic Paralysis in our executive staff. It was going to be terribly destructive to the Agent, and completely unnecessary. HOWEVER, after brief contact with the Ombudsman's Office, the matter was quickly rectified. Also of note, it is said that ADFO Turk humbly reversed himself and the matter is DOA. Good job. That makes ONE IN A ROW. Keep it up. It almost feigns leadership.

I spoke on satellite radio yesterday on The Blaze.  My interview was within the context of how what happened to me relates to Fast and Furious.  The lead-in to the interview is tremendous.  My comments begin at about 21:20.

 

Use this link: 

 

http://www.theblaze....or/jay-severin/

 

And click on this file: Jay Severin - Jay Severin 2/19/14

 

I have very few regrets as an ATF Agent.  Some, but few.

 

My greatest regret is that in 2008, when Gillett was trying to frame me and Newell had his head in the sand, I did not fight harder to expose what they were doing.  I tried to expose it but was ignored and I rolled over and took it.

 

Had I been stronger and more courageous, I may have been able to prevent Fast and Furious by taking out the leadership in Phoenix.  It was all there for me.  I had them dead-to-rights as corrupt and criminal for what they were doing to me, pre-F&F.  I was weak and I was scared and because I was, I failed Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and his mother Josephine.  Saying I am sorry now to Josie, Brian's brother and sisters, his family and friends can never correct what I should have, and could have done then.

 

At that time I failed ATF as well.  A good man and many others were lost because I didn't push hard enough and my agency was trainwrecked because of it.

 

That is a heavy burden to carry.  Speaking out now will never fix that.

 

Josie, had I been a better man in 2008 your life would be much different now, much better.  I can not change my past but I can learn from it and hopefully now and in the future, I will be more like Brian.

 

RIP Brian Terry.

https://www.facebook...2011208/?type=1

https://www.facebook...2011208/?type=1

 

Yet ANOTHER New Deputy Director

 

Will Director Jones fire Brandon and Torres for attempting to defraud the American tax payers and protect another one of their peers? Will our already inept management team be re-organized (shuffled to give the appearance of accountability) AGAIN? Or will Director Jones say " I did not know"? Perhaps the simpler question for House Oversight is "WHAT DO YOU KNOW"?

http://townhall.com/...salary-n1814837

 

Leadership by example?

HOW SAD

 

Marvin Richardson says F and F was because we didn't have enough agents? Seriously? Then why did we do a buyout of all our senior agents? Why have so many left when they WEREN'T mandatory? 25 in less than 5 yrs in SF under Martin and Torres. WAKE UP.

 

But at least we have a convenience store in HQ to buy ATF SWAG.

 

Its not important who, but in response to the ATF 7-11 in HQ, a former SAC asked, "whats next, SAC vanity license plates"?

 

He/she also pontificated.......I think it refreshing to hear the new director is interested in something besides naming the HQ building after Eliot Ness and the reflecting pool after Ariel Rios; just my humble, sometimes cynical opinion.

 

 This was in response to the following email. How bad is it when even SACs are disgusted?

 

All,

 

Currently the Office of the Director is in the process of coordinating the opening of an ATF store, which will be located in ATF HQ.  The mission of the store is to serve current and former employees of ATF, Task Force Officers, and family members by promoting the general welfare and morale of the employees of ATF by providing, encouraging and supporting social, educational, and recreational activities of interest to its employees.  In the coming weeks, more information will follow about the ATF HQ store.

 

This message also announces the availability of ATF rings for all interested employees.  There are three ring designs which are intended for Agents, IOIs, and all other Civilians.  Any ATF employee can purchase the Civilian ring, while the agent and IOI rings are designated for Agents and IOIs only.

 

The ring is custom made to order by Collinson Enterprises. The ring features the ATF seal, DOJ seal, or Agent/IOI badge (see picture below). Your initials or full name (up to 22 characters) can be engraved inside the band at no charge.   The price for the various types of metal is identified below. 

The shame of this is that our Executive Staff has created all of this.Little or no training programs for new Agents. No senior Agents to train new Agents. Over 25% of our gun and badge toting Agents are GS-14, 15 or SES specialized employees, (NOT making cases or advancing our core mission). Supervisors with less than 10 years experience. Whats the point you ask? Senior managers who have failed or proved incompetent to hold leadership positions are NOT demoted or re-assigned, they are merely moved and hidden.Every manager who just goes along with the status quo KNOWS that there will be NO REAL consequences. If the reports by the media are true, and we know THEY AREN'T ALWAYS ACCURATE, The FIRST question that has to be asked is were the RAC, ASAC, SAC or DAD removed or demoted? Was the SAC/DAD of the Milwaukee case demoted (LOSS OF PAY OR BENEFITS), OR was he transferred as a SAC to the VERY Office he had been begging to go to for the last 10 years?  Mr. Jones and Mr. Brandon created the FAAP, (Field Agency Advisory Panel), then completely disregarded their recommendations. The agency has run off nearly ALL of its senior and most experienced agents, with NO mechanism in place to train new field Agents. In one field division, the ASAC was heard to say," well we just don't have enough training Agents, so we'll have to just live with it". Well NOW we are living with it Mr. Vind. Former SAC/DAD Steve Martin was asked, "Once you've run off or fired every senior Agent who questions your judgement, then what"? RESPONSE.......There's a 1000 guys waiting to fill those jobs. Question posed to SAC Martin, how are you going to run a major field division with new hires? Answer.............SILENCE. Headquarters continues to advance the divisions between the Guys and Gals actually doing the work and the bosses overseeing them. This may suggest WHY they have not released the most recent survey results conducted by OPM. We have said it before, but it is worth mentioning again. Headquarters collective field experience amounts to thousands of years of outdated experience. The fields collective experience amounts to TENS of thousands of years of real time experience.. This aint rocket science ladies and gentlemen.

Nope RETIRED, you are not slow. We have gone from the top 20 places to work a mere 7 years ago and are near the very bottom now. That ain't coincidence. But Mr Jones and Brandon are trying to sell that all is well. Pay particular attention to our rating in the trust and confidence in the executive staffs honestly and integrity. I didn't do the survey, THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT DID.

WOW

 

 

 

 

 

 

Score Rank of 292 Index Score 59.1 203 Scores by Category Score Rank (out of varied totals) Effective Leadership 46.0 277 of 290 Effective Leadership - Empowerment 42.8 240 of 290 Effective Leadership - Fairness 44.2 272 of 290 Effective Leadership - Senior Leaders 31.9 284 of 290 Effective Leadership - Supervisors 62.6 212 of 290 Employee Skills/Mission Match 78.6 109 of 290 Pay 71.8 16 of 290 Strategic Management 48.6 266 of 290 Teamwork 62.8 230 of 290 Training and Development 55.1 209 of 290 Work/Life Balance 59.9 187 of 290 Support for Diversity 49.9 273 of 290 Performance Based Rewards and Advancement 39.8 249 of 290

 

When I mention how the hardworking agents are bad mouthed- I was speaking of the press. Not other agents or ATF.

The reason the Milwaukee storefront went sour is mainly because of a disgruntled landlord. Granted there were things that could have been done better, but that is true with EVERY case. Someone broke into the store and stole counterfeit merchandise? How is that the atorefront's fault?

The press argues that the government paid too much money for guns, but if the UC's let the guns walk out the door, then they would have been hammered for that. It's a no-win situation. The press also argues that crime was being introduced into the neighborhood. Look at the crime statistics- crime was already there.

 

When I mention how the hardworking agents are bad mouthed- I was speaking of the press. Not other agents or ATF.

The reason the Milwaukee storefront went sour is mainly because of a disgruntled landlord. Granted there were things that could have been done better, but that is true with EVERY case. Someone broke into the store and stole counterfeit merchandise? How is that the atorefront's fault?

The press argues that the government paid too much money for guns, but if the UC's let the guns walk out the door, then they would have been hammered for that. It's a no-win situation. The press also argues that crime was being introduced into the neighborhood. Look at the crime statistics- crime was already there.

How many mentally disabled folks have you tattooed to buy a few stolen guns? For that matter, how many gave you documented? Look, this agency lost its was and in the process ran off many many seasoned veterans who would have clearly helped guide these investigations away from school yards, documented criminals not mentally challenged. That's about the lowest we can set the bar don't you think? No expects to do this job without mistakes. BUT, they should be at least marginally defensible. Anyone who has been a UC agent for any amount of time KNOWS and anticipates how to skirt such issues as being suspected of being a cop. Bush league.

Now the Secret Service is feeling OUR pain. Years and years of fast track (5-10 years) promotion to management? In the 70's and 80's, the supervisors in ATF had 12-15 years IN THE FIELD before anybody would seriously consider them for FIRST LINE management. Garbage in garbage out.

 

http://www.ticklethe...ys-real-prolem/

I could live with his characterization if he was actually doing something.  He allowed some corruption to resign or retire, took care of the one's that didn't, shuffled the supervisory deck chairs on the Titanic, is pumping Frontline - which is nothing more than a new name for Safe Streets, YCGII, VCIT, etc., and renamed the HQ reflecting pool.  And, to be clear, the re-dedication of the reflecting pool as the Ariel Rios Reflecting Pool is outstanding.  I have no criticism of that.  That was an appropriate honor and a good thing.  But, other than that what has been done towards meaningful change? 

It is clear solely by his actions that B.Todd Jones has NO investment in our great agency. He said he didn't want the job. He has totally insulated his fellow attorneys in ATF Chief Counsels Office (whose conduct personal and professional has been brought to his attention). Stay tuned for details. He continues to keep Brandon as DD EVEN after he received evidence that Brandon and Torres signed off on admin time and fulltime outside employment for Mc Mahon. Face it, Mr. Jones only wants to survive the Obama Presidency, make high powered friend and haul ass.

Bad cases make bad case law. With thugs and gangsters running around shooting up our communities, ATFs leadership somehow thought this case would enhance public safety? This case cleared 3 levels of review inside ATF AND then again by the U.S. Attys Office. SHORT VERSION: RETIRED COP BUYS A GUN AT A BETTER PRICE FOR HIS UNCLE, AND UNCLE REPAYS HIM. VIOLATION? PERHAPS. FEDERAL CRIMINAL INTEREST? YOU DECIDE. I'M REASONABLY CERTAIN A STERN WARNING FROM ATF WOULD HAVE ENDED THE WHOLE MATTER.
http://bearingarms.c...kground-checks/

My former RAC and ASAC [both fat ba$tards] gigged me [a lowly GS-13 Plain Old Agent] for three days [the equivalent of a "drum-head courtmartial"] for a pure chicken$hit issue -- I kept on the wall in my office an email I got from a retired ATF RAC [he retired with his dignity and integrity] which cast a light on the bumblings of other bosses, like the one who needed three hours to watch 60 Minutes.  Meanwhile, the same Division had no problems with a punk agent mocking my line of duty injuries.

 

And so the list begins!

Clearly Brandon and Torres should be demoted from any managerial positions in this Bureau.

Goodworker, haha, right on - name something that Jones has taken any personal accountablity for?  He has no issue allowing his subordinates to take it for him.  Is that leadership?  How nice would it be to hear him say; I run this agency, I own what we do, the problems that I inherited are now mine to fix?

To accept responsibility, would in fact require Mr. Jones to take action and provide solutions. We dont have a one yr plan, a two yr plan or a 5 yr plan. What does that say to the field. He may be bate and switching our problems from Congress(I doubt it), but the field is watching his EVERY move. Outrageous abuses, continued disputes with field Agents, unwillingness to settle clear cut cases of retaliation. I have been tracking CUATF for years. For the first time, highly respected Agents and Inspectors who truly wanted to save this agency are now lamenting that it may not be able to be saved. This is very sad. I hope they are wrong.

Happy Memorial day. BE SAFE

Thats the NEW ATF family I guess.

My former RAC and ASAC [both fat ba$tards] gigged me [a lowly GS-13 Plain Old Agent] for three days [the equivalent of a "drum-head courtmartial"] for a pure chicken$hit issue -- I kept on the wall in my office an email I got from a retired ATF RAC [he retired with his dignity and integrity] which cast a light on the bumblings of other bosses, like the one who needed three hours to watch 60 Minutes. Meanwhile, the same Division had no problems with a punk agent mocking my line of duty injuries.

And so the list begins!

Goodworker, If true, that's sad to hear. My experience with those guys was always pleasant, but to be honest I've never judged an agent or boss's character by their paperwork. To me, if they made cases, and put guys in jail as agents, and support their guys who are making cases as bosses, then I'm good with that. Too many of our leaders would not know a case if it fell in their lap. The closest thing they had to a CI was a Fax Machine.

Mr. Jones bragged to Congress that he replaced most of the leadership. NO he didn't. He shifted them. Musical chairs was all. Not one demotion beyond Bill Newell, and he got a sweet deal. The Director protected and is still protecting bad actors. This hurts the good managers and empowers the bad ones.

The vindictive hand bites one of its own.........AGAIN.

The vacant (Kiss of Death) position of Special Assistant to the Director position is once again filled. This less than prestigious position has previously been filled by those Executive managers who have failed so miserably, that they needed to be sat down in the broom closet pending their imminent retirement. Prior recipients include but are not limited to, Vanessa McLemore, Michael Bouchard, Joe Gordon and Bill Newell. Now add to the list, Richie Marianos. HOWEVER, this particular time out has an interesting twist. Prior recipients were placed in the position for breaking the law, violating major policies and shere incompetence. The story from insiders regarding the senior and decorated Marianos is that he confronted Director Jones personally with what Marianos believed was a total  and across the board lack or leadership on Jones part.

 

This begs to question: Is Mr. Jones leadership style ONLY to surround himself with YES MEN? And anyone who dissents, EVEN HIS INNER CIRCLE will be dealt with in Kim Jong Un fashion? Sorry Richie. Your loyalties have come into question in recent months. Perhaps you forgot where you came from. BUT, Cudos for having the balls to tell the Director what he needed to hear. If more of the Executive staff did this, we wouldnt be in the embarrasing position we are in today.

And the hits just keep on coming.

http://www.guns.com/...erations-video/

 

If oversight calls career U/C Agents who have had to do it the "right way", these hearings and OIG investigation is going to send shock-waves thru the NEW ATF. A long time U/C Operator made a statement recently that says it all. "Hell, if we could do all this crazy unethical shit back in the day, we could have tripled our arrests too".

 

Wondering out loud................What does it say when a Director cant find ONE competent Assistant Director INSIDE ATF to run our Congressional and media affairs? Is that why he canned Marianos? To make room for a friend from DOJ? OR, is he so distrusting of his own Executive staff that he wants to control the SPIN to Congress and the media.

 

Posted under another topic:

The information on Bouman's conduct is flooding in.  The corruption and cover ups of her across the board activity is out of control.  The people who have participated with her to hide it is going far and wide, up and down throughout the agency.  The best soap opera writer couldn't invent a story as good as this on their best day during their best fantasy.  Jones, you can hide her at the Library of Congress but not for long.  The USS Coverup is leaking bad and taking on water.

 

I will remind the Director, that the mere APPEARANCE of impropriety says it all. If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck etc etc etc.

Does anybody have the 411 on the "Immediate and Hasty Removal" of the SAC and ASAC from the same field division this week? The word is it is heinous and more management misdeeds"

Hilltopper,

That is insane. How is such an environment allowed to thrive in a federal law enforcement agency? It is truly embarrassing. It does go to what we have been chatting about here over the past few days. Not only does the current system allow for Princes of the City at the GS 14 level, but it allows for impenetratable cliques. If the agents who refuse to get along faced being moved to seperate corners of the US at some point in their career, then they would care more about learning how to get along with others. With each passing day, I believe it more and more.

I also would love to see some of the failures in this agency demoted or publicly criticized for bad acts. Instead they are brought into HQ, sometimes with a more impressive title. Then they later reemerge emboldened by their promotion believing that they never screwed up at all. At all pay grades from GS5 to DD, punishment should be swift, fair and equal. It's leadership 101 taught at any NCO school.

And the hits just keep on coming. So Mr. Jones got embarrassed by Chairman Issa about transferring Zapor to Phoenix after failing miserably as SAC Minn. and DAD. So after only 9 months, they are demoting Attaberry and transferring him BACK to Phx. Lets do the math.........3 x $150000 per move for 9 months of performance. And we wonder WHY there is no continuity of leadership. Cudos to Mr. Jones for reversing a bad decision, but the musical bosses has to stop. NO ACCOUNTABILITY because none of these guys stay in one place.

 

Now add in the Chris Shaffer transfer back to HQ after 9 months in Atl. Same with Sweetow, you have to ask, "IS ANYONE THINKING THESE TRANSFERS THROUGH?" Remember, for all those being transferred with barely a year in place, someone needs to be transferred to back-fill their slots @$150000 per move.

 

Cleary they eased SAC Torres outta Tampa because Brandon(rumor has it) is leaving the DD slot to retire in Tampa. No demotion below SES, no loss of salary.

 

This ties in directly to what Heisenberg and Hilltopper are saying.Brandon clearly violated ALL of our standards and his conduct clearly contributed to EVERYONE losing their outside Bureau employment approval by letting Mc Mahon DBL dip. Yet NO PRB for him OR Torres. They allowed them to stay until they were forced to act because of the OIG report and Congressional oversight, and then??????????? They lose NOT ONE STEP. Does beg to question why Brandon would stick around after stepping down 3 levels. Doesn't that necessarily IMPACT his credibility and ability to lead? Guess not.

 

Mr. Jones thru Mr. Brandons memo suggests they get it. They want to hear from you. These posts should be compiled and sent directly to Director Jones. Unless of course everyone is afraid of reprisals as has been the case for his entire 2 yrs. Its time to clean up this mess Mr. Jones, but obviously listening to your executive staff isn't working or you wouldn't need to keep shuffling these guys. The field will KNOW when you are genuine when you quit protecting incompetents, and demand leadership. Until then, it appears to just be more smoke and mirrors.

 

Maybe trying to resolve some of these disputes in good faith, slowing the multiple transfers and demanding that your staff does their jobs, will enlist the 5000 field employees support.

 

Stop the joke which is the Newark Division and just eliminate it.  Turn all of NJ over to New York.  One less SAC, two less ASAC's, one less DOO, one less Intel Supervisor, one less SOO, one less DTA, one less FIC.  [does Newark have a PIO, while we're at it?  A GS-13 PIO is probably the biggest waste of a -13, especially when any PIO is an idiot.]

 

Put a few more agents back into groups to produce cases; meanwhile, less bosses is always a good idea.

 

While we're at it, get rid of Baltimore too.  Turn it all over to Washington FD.  Again, less bosses, more agents to produce cases.

 

After all, isn't ATF supposed to produce good cases and arrest violent criminals?  Or is it to produce as many SES positions and cushy collateral jobs for a certain few -13's?

 

I remember the day when ATF compared itself to the Marines, while the FBI was like the Army.  Every Marine is a rifleman, and every ATF agent does cases, someone once claimed.  Well, that's not the case any more.  Too many ATF agents who have found themselves a way to get -13 pay without having to do -13 work.

Great thoughts, but after fluffing up all these positions, do you really think they are gonna let them go?. Not the way of the government. They'll make more. HQ has bloated for yrs. We now have 3 GS-14s doing what one GS-13 project officer used to do. Some shops have more 14s than 13s. If GAO ever does a desk audit, about 2/5ths of HQ Agents will be demoted and returned to the field. They used to be there to support us, now its the other way around. 2 ASACs in very field division where historically there was one. If my math serves me, when I came on over 20 years ago we had 2000-2500 Agents and a Approx. 250,000,000 budget. We now have 2000-2500 Agents and a 1.1 BILLION dollar budget. ????????????????????????????????????????

Draconian is the word you are looking for. How is it????? THAT

 

Mr. Jones and Brandon do not see the impropriety of Rachel Bouman, being the EEOC Administrative executive director for ATF, WHILE still acting in her capacity litigating cases and advising supervisors in the field. Does he think we are all STUPID? Remember, SHE decides which of your allegations are accepted for investigation. And she is protecting her communications based on Atty Client Privilege. Come On Mr. DIRECTOR.

 

Mr. Brandon et al. make a HUGE exception to the outside employment agreement for McMahon in exchange for his silence no doubt, but can't make an exception for Jon Dodson after they left him hanging in the wind and in some cases attacked him during Fast and Furious?

 

How is it that ONE of the first things Mr. Jones did upon taking the helm as the ACTING Director was form a Field Agent Advisory Panel which he touted to the media and Se. Grassley and Chairman Issa, BUT almost instantly upon being confirmed, the previous member are going to be removed and the FAAP as a viable mechanism of communication between the ALL KNOWING HQ Executive staff and the field, is now lame duck and being disregarded completely?

 

Smoke and Mirrors. Not ALL the threats in the world, not all the free leadership books or playing cards will encourage the field to close the gaps or follow this sort of "leadership". Respect and loyalty are EARNED, NOT demanded.

June 2 is the deadline for Director Jones to respond to a Congressional inquiry regarding the manipulation of the Titanic deck chairs. AGAIN. I predict something along the lines of, "Sirs" due to privacy act regulations we are currently unable to provide exact responses to your inquiries. HOWEVER, rest assured every attempt was made to hold fully accountable Mr. Zapor and Mr. Milanawski. Due to the scheduling of the professional review board. Mr. Zapor announced his retirement before the agency could act. Much like was the case with George Gillette who stayed in full supervisory pay status until the very last minute when he retired. We would like to point out that Mr. Zapor was demoted one level, (although he was transferring home and didnt lose a dime). As for Mr. Milanawski, we made him come back to headquarters AGAIN and basically hoped you didnt notice. We are however aggressively pursuing actions against Jon Dodson, Vincent Cefalu and Jay Dobyns as well as countless other line agents for exposing the acts of your inquiry. As for transferring multiple SES bosses after less than one year in their current positions, we needed to burn up move money before the end of the year. Yes Mr. Atteberry and others are costing the taxpayers Millions in repeated moves, but at this time we are unable to explain why. We hope this satisfies your concerns with the efficient running of ATF.

 

Did I get it close?