NEWTOWN, Conn –-(Ammoland.com)- The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday held confirmation hearings for B. Todd Jones, the acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) U.S. attorney for Minnesota.
ATF has not had a full-time director in seven years; President Obama nominated Jones to permanently head the agency five months ago.
It was not easy going for Jones who was closely questioned by the committee’s ranking Republican, Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, over a controversial civil case involving the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota.
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) pressed Jones regarding the failed Operation “Fast and Furious” effort that allowed guns to go to Mexican drug traffickers. Flake asked Jones if any ATF officials had been demoted or relieved of duty. Jones declined to answer.
The Justice Department’s inspector general has reported that federal agents ignored risks in the gun-tracking operation.
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