ATF Hosts First Gay Pride Observance Despite Scandal

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on Wednesday sponsored its first Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month program at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. despite being embroiled in a controversial probe. 

As part of the program, Acting ATF Director Kenneth Melson provided remarks while Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) served as Wednesday’s keynote speaker.

The celebration was in recognition of the accomplishments and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans to ATF and the nation, and to promote awareness of the LGBT culture.

ATF works to ensure sexual orientation discrimination and prejudice are not tolerated in our workplace, said Melson.

"ATF is an equal employment opportunity environment where effective and equitable participation is encouraged. We are grateful that the Honorable Rep. Frank could share his experiences with our workforce as we celebrate diversity today," he said. 

Congressman Frank spoke about his experiences serving as an openly gay congressman for the 4th Congressional District of Massachusetts and his rise to Democrat stalwart status.

ATF created its LGBT affinity group called ATF Pride with the primary goal of ensuring equal employment opportunity and enhancing development opportunities for LGBT employees at the agency, according to its press office.

The ATF has been underfire for an alleged operation that contributed to the deaths of Americans.

The growing scandal of Operation Fast and Furious had Special Agent John Dodson, assigned to the Phoenix Field Division of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, testify last week before a congressional committee about his concerns over having the Justice Department’s Inspector General lead the investigation into ATF agents actions during a gun smuggling operation.

The House committee hearings included testimony from four Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) agents who offered firsthand accounts about the controversial Operation Fast and Furious that allowed suspects to walk away with illegally purchased guns and enter Mexico. Two of the approximately 2,000 guns that ATF let criminals walk away with were found at the murder scene of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in December 2010.  

“ATF agents have shared chilling accounts of being ordered to stand down as criminals in Arizona walked away with guns headed for Mexican drug cartels,” said Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), who chairs the committee. 

During S.A. Dodson’s testimony, he stated, "I can see a conflict between the Office of the OIG [Office of Department of Justice Inspector General], yes sir, the actual individuals that are working the case, my interaction with them since I’ve been interviewed by them, is that I think they get it."   "However those two offices being who they are and how they are aligned, there’s inherently a conflict of interest. If in fact someone at DOJ authorized this, knows about it, is as well versed as everyone at ATF – that thereby creates the conflict with OIG," he stressed during his testimony.

  Jim Kouri, CPP, formerly Fifth Vice-President, is currently a Board Member of the National Association of Chiefs of Police, an editor for ConservativeBase.com, and he’s a columnist for Examiner.com.  In addition, he’s a blogger for the Cheyenne, Wyoming Fox News Radio affiliate KGAB (www.kgab.com). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty. 

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