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Lanny Breuer
Former Assistant Attorney General; DOJ Criminal Division
Knew about ATF gunwalking in Operation Fast and Furious; failed to act; also declined to prosecute any Wall Street executives after 2008 financial crisis
Overview
Lanny Arthur Breuer served as Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division at the Department of Justice from 2009 to 2013 under Attorney General Eric Holder. Breuer became a central figure in two major controversies. First; he was aware that ATF agents in Operation Fast and Furious were employing "gunwalking" tactics; allowing firearms to cross into Mexico to Drug Cartel members; but failed to act to stop the program. Approximately 2;000 firearms were allowed to "walk" into Mexico; and weapons from the operation were found at the murder scene of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in December 2010. Breuer admitted to Congress that his office had been informed about gunwalking in Arizona but had not taken steps to halt it. Second; and arguably more consequential; Breuer presided over the Criminal Division during the period following the 2008 financial crisis and declined to prosecute any senior Wall Street executives for the fraud that caused the global economic meltdown. In a PBS Frontline documentary "The Untouchables" (2013); Breuer admitted he considered the collateral consequences of criminal prosecutions for major banks; effectively acknowledging that some institutions were "too big to jail." Not a single Wall Street CEO or senior executive was criminally charged for the subprime mortgage fraud; despite evidence of systemic wrongdoing that caused $22 trillion in economic damage. After leaving the DOJ; Breuer returned to the law firm Covington and Burling; which represented many of the same banks his division had declined to prosecute.
Key Affiliations
Controversies & Concerns
Knew about ATF gunwalking in Operation Fast and Furious but failed to act; weapons linked to murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry
Declined to prosecute any senior Wall Street executives for fraud that caused the 2008 financial crisis and $22 trillion in economic damage
Admitted on PBS Frontline he considered "collateral consequences" of prosecuting banks; effectively acknowledging "too big to jail" doctrine
After leaving DOJ; returned to Covington and Burling; which represented many banks his division chose not to prosecute
Approximately 2;000 firearms "walked" into Mexico under programs his division was aware of
Related Investigations (1)
Known Associates & Connections
Eric Holder
DOJ Criminal Division chief under Holder; both criticized for failing to prosecute Wall Street
Sources & Documentation
2 documented sources from official records, investigations, and reports
Personal Information
Education
- •Columbia University; B.A.
- •Columbia Law School; J.D.
Key Timeline
2009
Becomes Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division under Eric Holder
2009-2010
Criminal Division informed about ATF gunwalking in Arizona; failsto halt the program
December 2010
Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry killed; Operation Fast and Furious weapons found at scene
2009-2013
Declines to prosecute any senior Wall Street executives for 2008 financial crisis fraud
January 2013
Admits on PBS Frontline "The Untouchables" to considering collateral consequences of bank prosecutions
March 2013
Leaves DOJ; returns to Covington and Burling; which represented banks his division declined to prosecute