The bad joke that is the slow-rolling Office of Inspector General "investigation" of Gunwalker & whistleblower retaliation.

Commissioner Sir Charles Braithwaite: You must trust no one. The viper in our bosom could be anyone.
Inspector Jacques Clouseau: I suspect everyone!
Commissioner Sir Charles Braithwaite: You will report only to me.
Inspector Jacques Clouseau: And what makes you think I trust you? -- Inspector Clouseau.

Allan Lendel reports at the federal law enforcement blog Tickle the Wire that "Inspector Gen. Investigators in Phoenix for Fast and Furious Probe."

While Rep. Darrell Issa and Sen. Chuck Grassley continue to attack the Justice Department in Washington over Operation Fast and Furious, investigators from the Office of Inspector General are in Phoenix looking into the matter.

According to one source, the OIG investigators are interviewing ATF agents and prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Phoenix.

Wow!

In short, the much-vaunted excuse of Eric Holder that we have to wait for the OIG investigation before anything else happens is now demonstrated to be, as the ATF whistleblowers predicted, just another part of the cover-up.

LATER:

Dave Workman reports here that

Thursday morning, NPR is reporting that the Justice Department's Inspector General is investigating possible retaliation against ATF Agent John Dodson, whose testimony before the House committee last month was devastating. The investigation is looking into posible attempts to smear Dodson. This new development got quick attention from Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), whose initial inquiries in January launched Capitol Hill investigations into the operation.

"I've warned the administration several times not to retaliate against the whistleblowers who speak to Congress. Unfortunately, there are indications that the administration leaked Privacy Act protected documents to the press in an effort to discredit Mr. Dodson with half-truths even though those documents had been withheld from Congress. It's a very serious matter that should be thoroughly investigated."—Sen. Charles Grassley, via e-mail to NPR

The NPR story can be found here.

ATF Whistleblower Case Triggers Retaliation Inquiry

The Justice Department's Inspector General has opened an investigation into possible retaliation against a whistle-blowing agent at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, according to two people briefed on the inquiry.

Watchdogs are examining whether anyone at the Justice Department improperly released internal correspondence to try to smear ATF agent John Dodson, who told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee last month that he repeatedly warned supervisors about what he called a reckless law enforcement operation known as "Fast and Furious." . . .

Now, the Inspector General is looking into whether one of Dodson's memos, written last year, may have been shared with reporters in an effort to raise doubts about the extent of his involvement in the operation and to discredit him.

A spokesman for Acting Inspector General Cynthia Schnedar, and Dodson's lawyer, Robert Driscoll, declined comment to NPR Thursday.

Right. This is the same OIG that ignored Dodson's complaints in December and January. The OIG IS just one part of the cover-up.