Federal Official in Arizona to Plead the Fifth and not Answer Questions on ‘Furious’
January 20, 2012
The chief of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona is refusing to testify before Congress regarding Operation Fast and Furious, the federal gun-running scandal that sent U.S. weapons to Mexico.
Patrick J. Cunningham informed the House Oversight Committee late Thursday through his attorney that he will use the Fifth Amendment protection.
Cunningham was ordered Wednesday to appear before Chairman Darrell Issa and the House Oversight Committee regarding his role in the operation that sent more than 2,000 guns to the Sinaloa Cartel. Guns from the failed operation were found at the murder scene of Border Agent Brian Terry.
The letter from Cunningham’s Washington DC attorney stunned congressional staff. Last week, Cunningham, the second highest ranking U.S. Attorney in Arizona, was scheduled to appear before Issa‘s committee voluntarily. Then, he declined and Issa issued a subpoena.
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Well maybe we have the beginning of the end here.
He could be stalling. He could be truly using his right to remain silent AND to have legal counsel (both parts of the 5th) or he could be up to his eyeballs in this and is looking for immunity so he can “finger” all the rest.
God I do love Criminal Justice….the Truth just keeps its ugly habit..it come out
So I hope Issa offers immunity to see what they get…but conditional immunity…gives us something worth a damn or go pound sand and sink with the rest.
He is the fall guy!
He’ll take the rap for the LYING B ASTARDS HOLDER, and O’BAMA!
Well maybe we have the beginning of the end here.
He could be stalling. He could be truly using his right to remain silent AND to have legal counsel (both parts of the 5th) or he could be up to his eyeballs in this and is looking for immunity so he can “finger” all the rest.
God I do love Criminal Justice….the Truth just keeps its ugly habit..it come out
So I hope Issa offers immunity to see what they get…but conditional immunity…gives us something worthwhile or go pound sand and sink with the rest.
I just hope that we don’t take our eyes off this for too long(me included)… The primaries and their scandals are quite interesting, but… This is very important… They love to divert our attention while they pull fast ones over us…
As a former GS-14 (USDOJ), it is a fair and reasonable assumption that Mr. Cunningham was directed to refuse to appear and answer questions. This eliminates the possibility of testifying and saying something which is either an untruth or envoking his Fifth Ammendment right to not self-increminate. We all know how taking the Fifth appears to the public. Look, these guys have a lot to hide–they screwed up big time–and most likely this goes all the way right to the Oval Office.
This approach is normally used by those who are guilty and feel that it is in their best interest not to incriminate either themselves or the responsible parties (obama/holder).
Yes it is. No one invokes your right to avoid self-incremination unless there is “something” you donlt want the investigators to know–it doesn’t absolutley mean your hising something criminal…but, nothing-for-nothing, most likely yes.