According to CBS, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has been involved in undercover operations to smuggle high-powered weapons into Mexico, probably as some sort of tracking operation. Now many of those weapons are in the hands of ruthless drug traffickers, which they are using to intimidate and kill people.
Libertarian Party chair Mark Hinkle issued this statement today:
"This is another sad chapter in the long story of the terribly destructive War on Drugs. Now our own government is apparently involved in smuggling weapons to drug lords in Mexico. This story is as bizarre as it is depressing.
"The War on Drugs has caused far more death and destruction than it has prevented. The War on Drugs is a failure in almost every measurable way. The War on Drugs should end.
"It's becoming more and more unclear whether the U.S. government even wants the violence to decrease. More drug violence means more jobs for federal drug agents. More drug arrests mean more jobs for prison construction and management contractors. There are a lot of people whose income depends on a big, thriving, unsuccessful War on Drugs.
"If the War on Drugs were halted, there would no longer be any such thing as 'drug trafficking.' Violence in Mexico would decrease very dramatically, as drug lords would quickly go out of business.
"A lot of liberals and libertarians were hoping that President Obama and a Democratic Congress might at least tone down the War on Drugs, but they have done nothing of the kind. They have kept this war going as strong as ever.
"It looks like those of us opposed to the War on Drugs can forget about help from the Democratic Party. Only the Libertarian Party will fight to end the misguided, wasteful, and destructive War on Drugs.
"One of the things that saddens me is that our foolish and unjust drug laws are leading to the deaths of thousands of Mexican citizens. Those Mexicans can't vote in our elections to change our drug laws -- they just have to wait and hope they aren't the drug lord's next victim.
"We Libertarians call for an end to the War on Drugs: an end to federal prohibition of the possession and sale of narcotics. Would that lead to increased drug abuse? It's hard to know -- probably not much -- but nothing could be worse than the death and destruction our government has unleashed with its War on Drugs."
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Showing posts with label ATF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ATF. Show all posts
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Attorney General Eric Holder Names New Leadership for ATF, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and Office of Professional Responsibility
/PRNewswire / -- Attorney General Eric Holder today announced that he will appoint Kenneth E. Melson to serve as acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), H. Marshall Jarrett to head the Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA), and Mary Patrice Brown to serve as acting head of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).
"These extremely experienced and capable long time career prosecutors are uniquely qualified to lead these important offices," said Attorney General Holder. "I am pleased that these dedicated public servants, Ken, Marshall, and Mary Pat, have accepted their new challenges with enthusiasm. I know that they will lead their new offices with their usual high standards of professionalism, integrity and dedication."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, is one of the Department's principal law enforcement agencies dedicated to preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime and enforcing federal criminal laws and regulations in the firearms and explosives industries.
Since 2007, Melson has been the Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys. Previous to that, he was the First Assistant for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. From 1991 to 2001, Melson served as Acting and Interim U.S. Attorney of that office during various periods of time. He began his career as a federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia in 1983 where he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney until he became First Assistant in 1986.
From 1975 to 1983, Melson served in different positions for the Commonwealth's Attorney, Arlington County, Va. From 1980 to 1983, he was the Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney, from 1978 to 1980, he was the Chief Assistant, and from 1975 to 1978 he was an Assistant. He served in private law practice in Arlington, Va., from 1974 to 1975.
Melson is a past President and Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and currently participates on behalf of the Department on the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board. He has been an adjunct professor at George Washington University for almost 30 years teaching both law and forensic science courses.
Melson received his B.A. from Denison University in 1970 and his J.D. from George Washington University in 1973.
"Ken's more than 25 years of career federal prosecutor service and his knowledge in forensic science will make him a valuable asset to ATF," said Attorney General Holder. "I am pleased that he will provide his talents to such an important Department of Justice agency."
"As the head of ATF, I am looking forward to using my management and prosecutorial experience, as well as my knowledge of crime labs and forensic science to combat violent crime," said Melson.
The Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys acts as a liaison between the Department and the 94 U.S. Attorneys offices throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Since 1998, Marshall Jarrett has been the Counsel for Professional Responsibility. Prior to directing OPR, in 1997, Jarrett served in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General as an Associate Deputy Attorney General participating in the formulation of federal criminal law enforcement policy and supervising the prosecution of corrupt officials, violent drug gangs, white collar criminals, and international terrorists. In 1988, he served in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia as Chief of the Criminal Division. In 1980, he joined the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice and rose to become a Deputy Chief. He joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia in 1975, as a trial attorney and ascended to the office's Criminal Chief and First Assistant.
From 1979 to 1980, Jarrett worked at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as Deputy Director of the Enforcement Division, and as a Deputy Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 1973 to 1975. He is the recipient of the Edmund J. Randolph Award for outstanding service to the Department of Justice. Jarrett received his B.S. in 1966 from West Virginia University and his J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law in 1969.
"I have had the privilege of working with Marshall over the years and I have the highest regard for his experience, talents and capabilities," said Attorney General Holder. He has been a tremendous leader in OPR, and I believe that his more than 30 years of career prosecutorial and legal experience, his leadership skills and the respect he receives from his colleagues, make him the ideal individual to oversee the 94 U.S. Attorneys offices at this time."
"I am honored to serve with Attorney General Holder, and I am looking forward to this exciting challenge with the opportunity to build and work with the U.S. Attorney team, offer my unique perspective from working in various positions within the Department, and providing legal advice to the 94 offices," said Jarrett.
The Office of Professional Responsibility is responsible for investigating allegations of professional misconduct involving Department attorneys.
Mary Patrice Brown has been with the U.S. Attorney's Office of the District of Columbia since 1989. She became the Chief of the office's Criminal Division in 2007, where she oversaw all aspects of prosecuting criminal cases in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In that capacity, she supervised 80 attorneys and five sections, including National Security, Fraud and Public Corruption, Organized Crime and Narcotics Trafficking, Asset Forfeiture, and Major Crimes. From 2004 to 2007, Brown was the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Operations where she managed and directed the oversight of significant civil and criminal cases and special operations. As Deputy Chief of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section (2002-2004), she oversaw allegations of criminal misconduct by police officers, public officials, and attorneys. She was the Deputy Chief of the Appellate Division (1997-2002), and was an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 1989 to 1997.
During her tenure at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, Brown served on the D.C. Circuit's Committee on Admissions and Grievances for four years, investigating on behalf of the D.C. Circuit allegations of misconduct by attorneys licensed to practice in the Circuit. She also served as one of the office's Professional Responsibility Officers, and on the "Lewis Committee," which reviews allegations of police misconduct for purposes of Brady and Giglio disclosures.
Previous to her work at the Department, Brown was a litigation associate at the Washington, D.C. office of Dickstein, Shapiro & Morin (now Dickstein Shapiro) from 1984 to 1989.
Brown received her B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in 1978 and her J.D. from Georgetown Law Center in 1984.
"Mary Pat has a stellar reputation and the highest integrity," said Attorney General Holder. "I have had the privilege of working alongside of Mary Pat in the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Columbia and she can always be counted on to do what's right. I trust her sense of fairness and judgment implicitly."
"I am honored that Attorney General Holder would grant me the opportunity to use my years of experience as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and supervisor to provide guidance and leadership to my colleagues in the Department and in the field as we work together to maintain the highest standards of professional conduct," said Brown.
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"These extremely experienced and capable long time career prosecutors are uniquely qualified to lead these important offices," said Attorney General Holder. "I am pleased that these dedicated public servants, Ken, Marshall, and Mary Pat, have accepted their new challenges with enthusiasm. I know that they will lead their new offices with their usual high standards of professionalism, integrity and dedication."
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, is one of the Department's principal law enforcement agencies dedicated to preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime and enforcing federal criminal laws and regulations in the firearms and explosives industries.
Since 2007, Melson has been the Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys. Previous to that, he was the First Assistant for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. From 1991 to 2001, Melson served as Acting and Interim U.S. Attorney of that office during various periods of time. He began his career as a federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Virginia in 1983 where he was an Assistant U.S. Attorney until he became First Assistant in 1986.
From 1975 to 1983, Melson served in different positions for the Commonwealth's Attorney, Arlington County, Va. From 1980 to 1983, he was the Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney, from 1978 to 1980, he was the Chief Assistant, and from 1975 to 1978 he was an Assistant. He served in private law practice in Arlington, Va., from 1974 to 1975.
Melson is a past President and Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and currently participates on behalf of the Department on the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board. He has been an adjunct professor at George Washington University for almost 30 years teaching both law and forensic science courses.
Melson received his B.A. from Denison University in 1970 and his J.D. from George Washington University in 1973.
"Ken's more than 25 years of career federal prosecutor service and his knowledge in forensic science will make him a valuable asset to ATF," said Attorney General Holder. "I am pleased that he will provide his talents to such an important Department of Justice agency."
"As the head of ATF, I am looking forward to using my management and prosecutorial experience, as well as my knowledge of crime labs and forensic science to combat violent crime," said Melson.
The Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys acts as a liaison between the Department and the 94 U.S. Attorneys offices throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Since 1998, Marshall Jarrett has been the Counsel for Professional Responsibility. Prior to directing OPR, in 1997, Jarrett served in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General as an Associate Deputy Attorney General participating in the formulation of federal criminal law enforcement policy and supervising the prosecution of corrupt officials, violent drug gangs, white collar criminals, and international terrorists. In 1988, he served in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia as Chief of the Criminal Division. In 1980, he joined the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice and rose to become a Deputy Chief. He joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia in 1975, as a trial attorney and ascended to the office's Criminal Chief and First Assistant.
From 1979 to 1980, Jarrett worked at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission as Deputy Director of the Enforcement Division, and as a Deputy Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 1973 to 1975. He is the recipient of the Edmund J. Randolph Award for outstanding service to the Department of Justice. Jarrett received his B.S. in 1966 from West Virginia University and his J.D. from West Virginia University College of Law in 1969.
"I have had the privilege of working with Marshall over the years and I have the highest regard for his experience, talents and capabilities," said Attorney General Holder. He has been a tremendous leader in OPR, and I believe that his more than 30 years of career prosecutorial and legal experience, his leadership skills and the respect he receives from his colleagues, make him the ideal individual to oversee the 94 U.S. Attorneys offices at this time."
"I am honored to serve with Attorney General Holder, and I am looking forward to this exciting challenge with the opportunity to build and work with the U.S. Attorney team, offer my unique perspective from working in various positions within the Department, and providing legal advice to the 94 offices," said Jarrett.
The Office of Professional Responsibility is responsible for investigating allegations of professional misconduct involving Department attorneys.
Mary Patrice Brown has been with the U.S. Attorney's Office of the District of Columbia since 1989. She became the Chief of the office's Criminal Division in 2007, where she oversaw all aspects of prosecuting criminal cases in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. In that capacity, she supervised 80 attorneys and five sections, including National Security, Fraud and Public Corruption, Organized Crime and Narcotics Trafficking, Asset Forfeiture, and Major Crimes. From 2004 to 2007, Brown was the Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Operations where she managed and directed the oversight of significant civil and criminal cases and special operations. As Deputy Chief of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section (2002-2004), she oversaw allegations of criminal misconduct by police officers, public officials, and attorneys. She was the Deputy Chief of the Appellate Division (1997-2002), and was an Assistant U.S. Attorney from 1989 to 1997.
During her tenure at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, Brown served on the D.C. Circuit's Committee on Admissions and Grievances for four years, investigating on behalf of the D.C. Circuit allegations of misconduct by attorneys licensed to practice in the Circuit. She also served as one of the office's Professional Responsibility Officers, and on the "Lewis Committee," which reviews allegations of police misconduct for purposes of Brady and Giglio disclosures.
Previous to her work at the Department, Brown was a litigation associate at the Washington, D.C. office of Dickstein, Shapiro & Morin (now Dickstein Shapiro) from 1984 to 1989.
Brown received her B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in 1978 and her J.D. from Georgetown Law Center in 1984.
"Mary Pat has a stellar reputation and the highest integrity," said Attorney General Holder. "I have had the privilege of working alongside of Mary Pat in the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Columbia and she can always be counted on to do what's right. I trust her sense of fairness and judgment implicitly."
"I am honored that Attorney General Holder would grant me the opportunity to use my years of experience as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and supervisor to provide guidance and leadership to my colleagues in the Department and in the field as we work together to maintain the highest standards of professional conduct," said Brown.
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