By Ron Kolb July 18, 2011

A key question from the disastrous Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms project known as Operation Fast and Furious, which had begun in 2009 as a key part of Project Gunrunner and involved running guns into Mexico, was what did Attorney General Eric Holder know and when did he know it?

On February 17, 2009, Holder announced a $10 million grant from the newly-passed stimulus program for ATF's Project Gunrunner as part of a $4 billion Justice Department package. "The funding is vital to keeping our communities strong," Holder said, and added that it would help to "protect our communities and populations."

On April 2, 2009, in a speech in Cuernavaca, Mexico (in his first trip out of the U.S. since becoming AG), Holder said that, "Last week, our administration launched a new effort to break the backs of the cartels." Holder added that, "My department is committing 100 new ATF personnel to the Southwest border in the next 100 days to supplement our ongoing Project Gunrunner."

After the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in southern Arizona on December 14, 2010, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley sent letters to Holder concerning Gunrunner and Fast and Furious on January 31, February 16, March 3, March 4, and March 8 before Holder publicly acknowledged the controversial operation on March 10, 2011.

Grassley had received a response from Assistant Attorney General Ronald Weich on February 4, 2011 saying that any allegations of running guns were "false." On February 15, Immigration Agent Jaime Zapata was killed in Mexico south of the Texas border.

On March 9, 2011, one day before Holder admitted knowledge of Fast and Furious, acting Deputy Attorney General James Cole sent out a directive stating that, "We should not design or conduct undercover operations which include guns crossing the border." Holder later told Grassley on May 4 that the memo was issued because, "these allegations had been raised."

On March 10, Holder publicly acknowledged the operation in the Senate during testimony with Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison when he said that, "letting guns walk is not something that is acceptable."

On March 22, 2011, President Obama told Jorge Ramos of Univision that, "first of all, I did not authorize it. Eric Holder, the Attorney General, did not authorize it."

Before Congress on May 3, California Congressman Darrell Issa asked Holder when he first heard of Fast and Furious. Holder replied, "I'm not sure of the exact date, but I probably heard about Fast and Furious for the first time over the last few weeks."

During that same hearing, Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz specifically asked Holder when he first heard of Project Gunrunner and Operation Fast and Furious, and also noted Obama's comments on Univision. "Were you aware of the operation before the president or after the president made those comments?", Chaffetz queried. "My guess would be probably before the president," Holder replied.

Chaffetz continued, "Who briefed the president about this? He obviously knew something about it. He made a statement about it. Who briefed the president?"

"I'm not--I don't know," Holder replied.

At a press conference on June 29, Obama stated that Holder "has made clear that he would not have ordered gun running to be able to pass through Mexico." He added that, "I'm not going to comment on the current investigation."

Besides the questions of when Holder first learned of Project Gunrunner and Operation Fast and Furious, there is also a question of when Mr. Obama first learned of those operations (and from whom), and when and if he has spoken about it with Eric Holder.

It's also worth noting that besides agents Brian Terry and Jaime Zapata, that a number of Mexicans have been killed by Fast and Furious guns, including 21 in Sonora. Also noteworthy is the fact that weapons were also "run" from Tampa to a violent gang in Honduras.

As for the Attorney General, whenever there is a scandal, there is Mr. Holder.

His checkered record as Deputy Attorney General in the Clinton administration, which included approving a pardon for fugitive billionaire and tax cheat Marc Rich, as well as his personal obsession for helping to free members of the deadly domestic terrorist group known as the FALN, is all really part of a pattern.

And the pattern often includes misleading statements, blatant incompetence, and open contempt for those trying to find the truth.

Finally, at long last, the time has come for Mr. Holder to go.