Breaking news from NPR's Carrie Johnson:
"The Justice Department 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."
Carrie has been following the "Fast and Furious" story in recent weeks. As we've previously written, that program "allegedly let hundreds of guns go from the U.S. to Mexico — with deadly results." Some of the weapons have turned up at the scenes of violent crimes, including where U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered last December. As Carrie reports, "officials say tests are inconclusive about whether the weapons found near Terry's body were used to shoot him. Terry's family has hired former Arizona U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton to look into filing a wrongful death claim."
Carrie will have more about the inspector general's investigation later. We'll update this post when her longer story is ready.
Update at 11:05 a.m. ET:That longer story is now posted here.
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