Great Satan, Inc.

Ten of Arizona’s County Sheriffs joined together to demand accountability for those involved in Operation Fast and Furious, a Federally sponsored gun running program which supplied weapons to Mexican drug cartels from at least ten U.S. cities. The Justice Department and Eric Holder have been obstructing a House Oversight Committee investigation into the operation that went as planned.

Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever called Operation Fast and Furious a dishonor to law enforcement and a betrayal of law enforcement officers everywhere. These weapons have been used in crimes on both sides of the border. One of the weapons passed to the cartels by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was used during the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in December 2010. Agent Terry’s brother Kent Terry said,”My family and I are very thankful for the Sheriffs of Arizona and the fact they are helping us demand justice for my brother’s murder.”

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu held the press conference at the base of the Peace Officers Memorial, where Agent Terry’s name has been etched.

Sheriff Babeu was joined by nine other Sheriffs, four other Republicans and five Democrats. They made the call for a special investigator into the operation, Eric Holder’s resignation or firing, and criminal charges for those accountable. Sheriff Babeu also noted the Sheriffs found out about the operation through press accounts. (months after the Sipsey Street Irregulars blog broke the story.) He also suggested that the investigation needs to investigate other departments involved in the operation, such as the FBI, DEA, Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department.

Sheriff Larry Dever expressed his embarrassment that he had to apologize for the criminal actions of other elected officials.

One reporter noted a prior operation called Operation Wide Receiver, and mindlessly alluded to this being a partisan jab.  If the lazy, partisan reporter had bothered to spend a minute on Google, she would have found out that the firearms in Operation Wide Receiver actually had tracking devices and were under surveillance.   Operation Wide Receiver didn’t go as planned, the guns were lost and the program cancelled as a failure.  The lazy reporter could then understand that a plan to illegally sell firearms to felons to deliver to Mexican drug cartels, without tracking or surveillance, could not be the next step in an investigation.

Navajo County Sheriff KC Clark said, “I’m outraged that our own Federal Government has betrayed local law enforcement by arming violent foreign criminals and it now appears that Attorney General Eric Holder may have lied under oath.”

Yavapai County Sheriff Scott Mascher said, “The Attorney General can’t be trusted to fairly self-investigate these possible criminal charges of gun running which has resulted in murders of both individuals from the U.S. and Mexico.  A Special Counsel must be appointed.”

Previously, pro-second Amendment blogger Bob Owens was a lone voice calling for a Special Prosecutor.  As more and more evidence of perjury and White House participation are released, the chorus grows stronger.   Even congressman Paul Gosar has suggested that participants in this illegal operation are “vigilantes from DOJ going unchecked” and accessories to murder.

It is time for the President’s staff to stop playing politics with Operation Fast and Furious. This scandal is worse than Watergate, as people have been murdered in this scandal.  The President must appoint a special investigator to bring those responsible to justice, or have the history of his administration forever tarnished by this  corrupt, murderous operation.

You can watch part 1 of 2 of the Arizona Sheriffs Press Conference – Fast and Furious on Sheriff Babeu’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=845666435535

Part 2 of 2 of the Arizona Sheriffs Press Conference – Fast and Furious on Sheriff Babeu’s Facebook page.

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The Arizona Citizens Defense League (AzCDL) held their annual luncheon on Saturday in Tucson.   If you are unfamiliar with AzCDL‘s mission:

The purpose of the Arizona Citizens Defense League is to protect individual freedom and laws that attend to it through lobbying, petitioning, fund raising and all lawful means to enforce Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution of the State of Arizona.

You want to know what Article 2, Section 2 of the Arizona Constitution is about?  Well, I’m glad you asked.  Article 2, Section 2 states:

Article 2 – Political power; purpose of government

Section 2.

All political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed, and are established to protect and maintain individual rights.

Mz. VRWC and I headed down to the Old Pueblo for the annual celebration of individual rights and some great BBQ. About 400 of AzCDL’s 5,000 members attended the luncheon, and almost everyone open-carried, with a few concealing.

For an event like this, it is customary for the attendees to get dressed up a bit. For many, it meant opening the gun safe and grabbing a pretty gun appropriate for this special event (much like having a strand of pearls or a tuxedo for special occasions).

We had a tasty lunch of barbequed chicken, pork ribs, and beef tri-tip, slaw salad, cobblers and more, catered by Sapphire Catering.  As we finished our meal, AzCDL Communications Director and JPFO Executive Director, Charles Heller spoke to the crowd for a bit before turning the microphone over to Arizona State Representative Brenda Barton (AzCDL rated A+) to introduce the rest of the speakers.  The speakers included Gabriela Saucedo Mercer, candidate for the Arizona District 7 House seat (running against Raul “boycott my state” Grijalva) and Arizona State Senator Frank Antenori (who is considering a run to replace Rep. Gabriel Giffords). Also in attendance, AZ State Representative John Kavanagh, accepting a lifetime achievement award on behalf of AZ State Senator Russell Pearce, AZ State Senator Paula Aboud, as well as chief’s of staff for various other legislators. It’s always good to see that elected citizens aren’t afraid to be around those they represent.

There were even raffles for various firearms. Despite the Smallest Minority handing us two raffle tickets before retiring for an early siesta, we did not win the Ruger LC9 he should have won. However we did steal win a faux zebra skin rifle case (perfect for Mz. VRWC’s tactical shotgun) and a family membership to Shooters World, an air conditioned indoor range in Phoenix, at the silent auction.

Long story short, the annual luncheon was a pleasure and again, members were given the microphone to suggest new laws they wanted to fight for, as well as laws they wanted repealed.  I have no doubt that AzCDL will continue the fight to maintain and regain our liberties.

Bottom line, don’t pay any attention to the lazy hippies and communists putting on their Occupy Wall Street demonstration (sidewalk camping).   They won’t accomplish anything sitting around whining for “change” and whining for handouts.  Joining, supporting, and participating in a group that represents and lobbies for your interests will get you the government you want and deserve.

If your state doesn’t have an organization like AzCDL, consider starting your own group.  Citizens have a right to the same access and persuasion as any other special interest.  The power is yours, if you want it.

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One of our local television news stations is reporting that the shooting sports are now more popular than golf in Arizona, and they also mention that nationally, sporting good stores reported selling about half a billion dollars more in guns last year than golf equipment. 

I’m a bit skeptical about the claim that recreational and sport shooters have surpassed golfers here (golf has been ginormous in Arizona forever), but it’s still great news.

I’d also like to give kudos to KPHO for doing a straight story on the shooting sports in Arizona, and foregoing the liberal slanted, pants-peeing that we see so often in MSM stories about guns and/or the shooting sports. Oh, and KPHO? Here’s a tip – just because someone answers a question you posted on Facebook, doesn’t mean you have to put it on the news.

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