Fast & Furious: Politico Writer Concerned About Political Future of Disgraced U.S. Attorney

September 2nd, 2011 7:54 PM

The U.S. Attorney for Arizona resigns in disgrace this week and Politico writer Josh Gerstein wrings his hands in a show of great concern over the future political viability of this Democrat. First a little background from Michelle Malkin in NewsBusters about  U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke of Operation Fast and Furious notoriety:

There's been only one visible Fast and Furious resignation: U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke in Phoenix, who quietly stepped down on Tuesday. One of his last acts? Opposing the request of murdered Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry's family to qualify as crime victims in a court case against the thug who bought the Fast and Furious guns used in Terry's murder.

And guess what is conveniently left out of Gerstein's Politico article? Any mention of Burke cold-heartedly denying crime victim status to the Brian Terrry family. To read Gerstein, you would think that the real victim was Burke himself:

Many Arizona politicos assumed that Burke was trying to walk in Napolitano’s footsteps by seeking a federal prosecutor’s job, then perhaps the Arizona attorney general’s post and the governor’s office. However, Arizona analysts said those possibilities now seem more remote in the wake of Burke’s sudden resignation and as questions swirl about his office’s handling of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives probe known as “Operation Fast and Furious.”

Wow! The name of the murdered agent goes unmentioned and Gerstein seems to expect tears of compassion for the lost political career of the disgraced Burke:

“Dennis’s name would come up in any major political race as a potential Democratic candidate. … Obviously, today’s news is going to have an impact on that,” said Cary Pfeffer, a former political reporter who now is a public relations consultant in Phoenix. “It doesn’t mean it’s the end of his career certainly, but it’s difficult for one of the highest-profile, rising-star Democrats in Arizona. … It’s going to give pause to some Democrats who have always thought his name would be a logical one to throw into the mix.”

One local Democrat who is close to Burke said, “This is a severe political problem for Dennis, no doubt about it … especially given that he was the No. 1 player on the Democratic Party bench in Arizona.”

After quickly making reference to the fact that two of the Fast & Furious guns were found at the scene of an unnamed border agent, Gerstein returns to his main theme...the "tragedy" of Burke possibly losing his political career:

It is unclear how Arizona’s voters or the state’s political establishment might respond to Burke’s role in the federal gun-trafficking operation. The National Rifle Association has been sharply critical of Fast and Furious, calling for Holder’s resignation over the probe.

Some political observers in Phoenix said they suspect Burke will weather whatever flak he takes over the controversy. “Dennis is an extremely talented individual, very, very smart and also very politically adept,” said Steve Roman, a public relations consultant in Phoenix. “One would assume at this point, this doesn’t help his political aspirations if he had them … but I’ve already heard people saying, ‘Does this free him up for things?’”

Have some warm milk and cookies, snuggums, while Uncle Josh consoles you about how all this controversy affects his darling li'l Dennis:

Roman also said Burke probably needs some time to decompress, not only because of the Fast and Furious flap but also because of the effort involved in investigating and prosecuting Jared Loughner. The 22-year-old Arizona man is accused of killing six people and wounding 13 others, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), at an event she held in Tucscon in January. “If I was [Burke], I’d just go take a deep breath and go to beach for about three months and sit and relax,” Roman said.

Yes, decompress at Flamenco Beach down in the Caribbean Isle of Culebra as Uncle Josh Gerstein hugs and cradles the Terry family crime victim status denier while whispering into his ear sweet nothings about the "tragedy" of political careers lost