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.

HERE WE GO AGAIN. Another office mired in controversy, and the SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE AND ASSISTANT SPECIAL AGENTS IN CHARGE, are attempting to spin and conceal HUGE issues from HQ and have minimized the violations to internal affairs DAD King OBVIOUSLY WITH AD GLEYSTEENS APPROVAL. The violations are blatant, unethical and WILL result in significant investigation and disciplinary actions. As usual, the attempt by Field Division senior managers to conceal and cover-up the allegations will result in disaster. The affected SAC has a proven record of failure(documented), but Mr. Jones apparently thought it a good idea to promote him anyway.

The field division in question is conducting their own internal investigation trying to tamp down the NOW documented abuses and allegations INCLUDING INTEGRITY VIOLATIONS from HQ oversight. It would appear IA is complicit designating the violations as management issues........THEY ARE NOT. Secret meetings with employees, interviewing entire offices conducted by an ASAC and a (Yes man RAC),   DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

CAN ANYONE PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW SUCH ACTIONS ADVANCE OUR MISSION READINESS?

HERE WE GO AGAIN. Another office mired in controversy, and the SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE AND ASSISTANT SPECIAL AGENTS IN CHARGE, are attempting to spin and conceal HUGE issues from HQ and have minimized the violations to internal affairs DAD King OBVIOUSLY WITH AD GLEYSTEENS APPROVAL. The violations are blatant, unethical and WILL result in significant investigation and disciplinary actions. As usual, the attempt by Field Division senior managers to conceal and cover-up the allegations will result in disaster. The affected SAC has a proven record of failure(documented), but Mr. Jones apparently thought it a good idea to promote him anyway.

The field division in question is conducting their own internal investigation trying to tamp down the NOW documented abuses and allegations INCLUDING INTEGRITY VIOLATIONS from HQ oversight. It would appear IA is complicit designating the violations as management issues........THEY ARE NOT. Secret meetings with employees, interviewing entire offices conducted by an ASAC and a (Yes man RAC),   DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

CAN ANYONE PLEASE EXPLAIN HOW SUCH ACTIONS ADVANCE OUR MISSION READINESS?

Word on the street is Sen. Grassleys office and members of Congress are looking into ATF funded junkets to ILEA Bangkok, BY SENIOR MANAGERS on a consistent basis which consisted of ten day trips to teach a 4 hour block of instruction. Word is, the affected managers were not subject matter experts, nor did they solicit the experts Bureau wide, and the kicker............................encouraged each other to participate primarily (bragged about), the loose sex trade rules while in Bangkok. Agents are being hammered for an off color email or slight of policy, but these guys are road trippin international?

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/

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.

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.

The below was posted today. If true it signals somebody got caught. Why has Ms. Boumans hasty departure not been posted on the ATF website as is consistent with those who leave under honorable conditions? No party? No fareful email? Really? After a dozen years at ATF and NADA? Why has no EEOC Executive at ATF been announced. Rumors swirl, but you are cautioned to not speculate. It could actually be a promotion inside DOJ or another law enforcement agency. No one would leave a prestigious position as a senior member of ATF Chief Counsels Office, unless of course THEY GOT CAUGHT. What will this do to all the cases she reviewed and decided as the head of ATFs EEOC office? In direct contradiction to the EEOCs MD 110? If lack of ethics or integrity or judicial misconduct led to her departure, why wasn't she fired. Again, speculation is not fact. Its not as if she left hastily for a job at the EPA or Library of Congress.  She has purposefully misled her bosses, and destroyed many hard working agents lives as "just doing her job". Then why is the music in the background playing ding dong the wicked witch is dead?

Jaime3

Posted Today, 11:09 AM

How disturbing is this? How disturbing is it that ATF leadership denies there is a problem? Mr. Jones, Brandon and Turk are thumbing their noses at the dedicated employees of ATF as evidenced by their refusal to reign in out of control Chief counsels office as evidenced by Mr. Brandon completely ignoring the FAAP recommendations. Does this in fact VALIDATE those Congressional members who resisted Mr. Jones confirmation based upon allegations of reprisals and abuse? YOU BE THE JUDGE. Mr. Jones has been in charge either acting or confirmed for over 2 years. compare the 2010 stats and the steady increase. Sadly, these numbers were taken directly from the Official U.S. DOJ website TODAY..........................

Total number of employees        FBI 35,000+      

Total number of pending EEOC complaints reported end of yr 2012     312    Less than 1%

Total number of employees       DEA  10,000+

Total number of pending EEOC complaints reported end of yr 2012      53      Less than 1%

Total number of employees       ATF    4770

Total number of pending EEOC complaints reported end of yr 2012      1362  More than 25%

SERIOUSLY?????????

Where there is smoke there is fire America.

http://www.justice.g...eeos/nofear.htm

How disturbing is this? How disturbing is it that ATF leadership denies there is a problem? Mr. Jones, Brandon and Turk are thumbing their noses at the dedicated employees of ATF as evidenced by their refusal to reign in out of control Chief counsels office as evidenced by Mr. Brandon completely ignoring the FAAP recommendations. Does this in fact VALIDATE those Congressional members who resisted Mr. Jones confirmation based upon allegations of reprisals and abuse? YOU BE THE JUDGE. Mr. Jones has been in charge either acting or confirmed for over 2 years. compare the 2010 stats and the steady increase. Sadly, these numbers were taken directly from the Official U.S. DOJ website TODAY..........................

Total number of employees        FBI 35,000+      

Total number of pending EEOC complaints reported end of yr 2012     312    Less than 1%

Total number of employees       DEA  10,000+

Total number of pending EEOC complaints reported end of yr 2012      53      Less than 1%

Total number of employees       ATF    4770

Total number of pending EEOC complaints reported end of yr 2012      1362  More than 25%

SERIOUSLY?????????

Where there is smoke there is fire America.

http://www.justice.g...eeos/nofear.htm

WOW

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.

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.

Joey's goodbye email confirmed the rumors of his departure from the NYFD ending a 2 year long tragic comedy. According to his farewell email, we have accomplished a tremendous amount under his direction. Just to be clear, here is what he has accomplished in the NY Field Division - NOTHING!!! except a complete breakdown of trust and communication. In short, his leadership if we can even call it that has been an epic failure, full of spite and self indulgence. Word is SAC Joey had his staff scramble to set up executive indoor air cooled range dates exclusively for him because he refuses to qualify with his agents and supervisors. Way to lead by example!! And who can forget his famous "I have a good idea" tour when he first got here. What a success that was. Was the last time anyone upstate saw him in person. An apology email for the past 2 years would have been more appropriate than one bragging of false victory. He undoubtedly FAILED here but certainly took care of himself. Hopefully they offer leadership training in DC. The initial assessment of this guy by Sleepless has proven more than accurate. Good riddance from the the silent majority in NYFD...... and don't forget the coffee and tartlets for the Director.

"Leadership is action, not position." ~Donald H. McGannon

Would you please post the exit email? If for nothing else, a lil entertainment. The problem is clear to everyone. Mr. Jones et al. are not engaging the field, and are being directed by lawyers instead of leaders. This incessant idea that we can move forward without addressing the damages of the recent past is absurd. Secondly, for all Mr. Jones touting of his formative USMC career, he learned NOTHING about taking care of your troops. The divide between his HQ and the field is a cavern and he apparently believes that ignoring the abuses and shuffling the deck chairs is whats needed to fix it. IF, and I say IF the SAC Joey storys are true, why didnt Mr. Jones and Brandon address his failed leadership skills. Hate to be the cliche' guy, BUT..........DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS......................................

The attached document is LONG OVERDUE. Apparrently a group of Agents has finally become disguated by the pandering going on within ATF regrding special interest groups. It would appear that a class action is appropriate

READ THE BELOW STORY AND LET THE DIRECTOR AND DD AND ADFO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.

With proper leadership and experience, we are as capable as EVER of impacting violent crime and dismantling organizations. Get Chief counsel out of Operations, and stop blaming, vilifying and retaliating against Agents for doing their jobs and you'll be amazed how good our people are.

And the hits just keep on coming. We are opening a convenience store in ATF HQ to sell SWAG, while the Reno Office was virtually closed down because of gross mismanagement. The misrepresentations in this story are sickening. First, for Marvin Richardson to suggest that lack of man power was the reason for F and F is just plain silly and everybody knows its a lie. Not uncommon for Mr. Richardson who was found to have lacked candor on multiple occasions during his interviews with the OIG regarding the Dobyns threat investigation. Was he fired? NOPE, promoted.In fact, the table of penalties was changed almost overnight to remove the mandatory termination penalty to save him.

SAC Riehl, suggests that the Reno agents services were needed elsewhere and that's why Turk, Brandon and Jones decimated the most productive office in the SF field division. HMMMMMM, Im certain it had nothing to do with Both ASACs and the SAC being transferred and forced into retirement for GROSS mismanagement. For Mr. Riehl to make that statement KNOWING its not true, should cause pause at HQ and question why he was promoted to a SAC job at all after the failures under his direct command which led to a scathing indictment by the GAO of our most prestigious program, the NRT.

The NRA is the reason our productivity has tanked and we have to redirect our resources? REALLY? I thought it was because of the ABUSIVE and incompetent management staff between 2005 and present to include Martin, Gleysteen, Herkins, Vind, and Lee and their incompetent and retaliatory practices which caused..wait for it............wait for it........25 Agents in less than 5 years to leave the Agency NOT just the field division when they WEREN'T mandatory. When in our history have you EVER known that many Agents to leave what was once the finest law enforcement agency on the planet?

Unless and until we accept responsibility for our actions which have empowered the NRA and caused us to lose the trust of the American people and fellow law enforcement agencies, we will continue on this downward spiral.Senior agents and supervisors have and are leaving at an alarming rate, taking with them institutional knowledge that can NEVER be recovered. The average level of ATF experience in the San Francisco field Division is under 10 yrs. Who's going to train the newcomers?

 

http://www.sfgate.co...als-4950372.php

Someone should FOIA the ATF chief counsels office and the United States Attorneys Office to see how much they paid to order a psychiatrist FROM L.A. NOT San Francisco to do a psyche eval on SA Cefalu and in attempts to redirect the defense of their actions and reprisals. HUUUUUGGGGEEEEE dollars. The San Francisco United States attorney has spent alot of taxpayer funds to protect corrupt managers.

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. 

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.

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.