New ATF Chief Appointed Following "Fast And Furious" Controversy

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Acting Director Kenneth Melson has been reassigned.

In a statement, Attorney General Eric Holder said that he is appointing the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, B. Todd Jones, to take Melson’s place. Holder said that Melson will go to work as a senior advisor on forensic science in the agency’s Office of Legal Policy.

“Ken brings decades of experience at the department and extensive knowledge in forensic science to his new role and I know he will be a valuable contributor on these issues,” said Holder. “As he moves into this new role, I want to thank Ken for his dedication to the department over the last three decades.”

Holder called Jones “a demonstrated leader who brings a wealth of experience to this position.” 

The DOJ announcement, however, did not make any reference to the controversy surrounding ATF during Melson’s time as its interim boss. Though the extent of Melson’s involvement with ATF’s “Fast and Furious” operation, in which firearms were sold to known straw purchasers for dangerous Mexican cartels, is unknown, it is speculated that as head of the agency, Melson was aware of the program.

Dennis Burke, the United States Attorney for Arizona since 2009, announced his resignation today, as well. Burke’s office provided legal guidance to ATF regarding “Fast and Furious.” Both Melson and Burke had recently testified before Congress about the program.

The pair of personnel moves will no doubt cause investigators to further question whether senior DOJ officials, including Holder, had ordered or were privy to the botched operation.

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