My Fight to Blow the Whistle and Expose Fast and Furious

The Unarmed Truth: My Fight to Blow the Whistle and Expose Fast and Furious

by John Dodson

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3475 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	305 pages

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In 2009, I was a Border Patrol agent assigned to the Tucson Sector in Arizona. I had been in law enforcement for over 20 years, and I had a reputation for being a hard worker and a team player. But I also had a strong sense of right and wrong, and I wasn't afraid to speak up when I saw something that was wrong.

In late 2009, I began to hear rumors that something was going on in the Phoenix Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Agents were allegedly allowing illegal weapons to be trafficked into Mexico in order to track them and build a case against the cartels.

I was shocked by these rumors. I knew that allowing illegal weapons to be trafficked into Mexico was a dangerous and reckless thing to do. It could put innocent people at risk, and it could make it easier for the cartels to obtain weapons.

I decided to do some digging of my own. I talked to other agents, both inside and outside of the ATF. I reviewed documents and emails. And the more I learned, the more convinced I became that the rumors were true.

In February 2011, I filed a formal complaint with the Department of Justice. I detailed what I had learned about the Fast and Furious operation, and I urged the department to investigate.

My complaint was met with resistance. Some people within the ATF and the Department of Justice tried to discredit me and my claims. They said I was a disgruntled employee who was making false accusations. But I refused to be silenced.

I took my case to the public. I gave interviews to reporters, and I testified before Congress. I told my story, and I urged the government to investigate the Fast and Furious operation.

My whistleblowing efforts eventually led to an investigation by the Department of Justice. The investigation found that the Fast and Furious operation had been a failure. It had not successfully prosecuted any major cartel figures, and it had put innocent people at risk.

The Department of Justice also found that the ATF had engaged in a cover-up of the operation. ATF officials had lied to Congress and to the public about the operation, and they had tried to intimidate whistleblowers who spoke out about it.

As a result of the investigation, several ATF officials were fired or demoted. The ATF also changed its policies to prevent a similar operation from happening again.

My whistleblowing efforts did not come without a cost. I was subjected to retaliation by the ATF and the Department of Justice. I was demoted, I was transferred to a less desirable assignment, and I was threatened with termination.

But I never gave up. I knew that I had done the right thing, and I was determined to see the Fast and Furious operation exposed.

In 2015, I received the Sam Adams Award for Integrity in Intelligence from the Project on Government Oversight. The award is given to individuals who have shown courage and integrity in exposing government wrongng.

I am proud of the role I played in exposing the Fast and Furious operation. I believe that whistleblowers play a vital role in our democracy. They help to ensure that the government is held accountable for its actions, and they help to protect the public from harm.

The Unarmed Truth: My Fight to Blow the Whistle and Expose Fast and Furious

by John Dodson

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	3475 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	305 pages

FREE