19 April 1997

1997: Waco Questions Congress Refuses to Answer

In 1995 the U.S. House of Representatives held ten days, and the Senate two days, of "Waco'' hearings. The hearings did reveal over‑aggressiveness and duplicity by agents and officials of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). However, Congress's conclusion followed the party line‑‑the Davidians ambushed BATF and committed mass suicide. Questions of crimes by these agents were rarely raised and evidence of such, when alleged or chanced upon, discounted.

Many Americans continue to believe the U.S. Congress cares more about protecting these federal agents from prosecution than about protecting the American people from such agents. If Congress is to reassure the American people, it must re‑open hearings on Waco to answer the questions below.

1. Why won't House investigators determine who at BATF lied to the military about the Davidians being involved with drugs in order to get U.S. Army Special Forces and other military aid?

2. Why did congressional investigators merely whine in their report that the Treasury Department did not permit interviews of agents before the hearings‑‑and then accept agents' many dubious allegations that Davidians ambushed them, shot first and used automatic and .50 caliber weapons and grenades?

3. Why doesn't Congress methodologically investigate the copious eyewitness and forensic evidence (including videos and autopsy reports) that BATF agents in the Blackhawk helicopter shot at Davidians, killing four with illegal indiscriminate gunfire?

4. Why didn't Congress do a systematic investigation of the "second shooting" (a possible assassination) of Davidian Michael Schroeder as he approached Mount Carmel several hours after the raid?

5. During the siege Davidians alleged bullet hole evidence in the building would lead to Davidian acquittals and convictions of agents. Why weren't FBI agents grilled on their reactions to these allegations?

6. One FBI Waco negotiator confirmed that every time Davidians cooperated with the FBI by releasing people, the Hostage Rescue Team would punish them with acts like destruction of property, turning off' electricity. or escalated harassment. Why hasn't Congress grilled Hostage Rescue Team commander Richard Rogers and all Hostage Rescue Team members about this phenomena?

7. Why didn't Congress grill agents on their dubious assertions Davidians threw their phone out the window on April 19 and fired on tanks, which gave the FBI an excuse to speed up demolition of the building?

8. Despite at least two requests, the Army never gave the House‑‑or the House did not release‑‑reports on alleged damage to tanks from Davidian gunfire. Where is this evidence?

9. Congress never asked what Attorney General Janet Reno discussed with Bill Clinton around 11:00 a.m., before she left the FBI Operations Center. Nor have they asked Lisa Foster why she believed one reason her husband, White House counsel Vince Foster, committed suicide was he felt so guilty about "Waco.''

10. Why won't the House accept credible evidence that tanks knocking over lanterns started a fire that rushed through the buildings? Will it look at infrared evidence FBI agents shot at the building during the Fire?

11. Why did several FBI tanks continue ploughing burning bullet‑pocked walls and other evidence into the fire for at least ten minutes towards the end of the fire, as seen on television videos?

12. Why does Congress seem so unconcerned that confidential Treasure Department memoranda and handwritten notes exposed the fact that the Justice Department squelched interviews of BATF agents because they were generating "exculpatory" material that could help the Davidian defendants at trial.

13. The Department of Justice would not allow a company chosen by House investigators to independently test the Davidians guns to see if they really are illegal machine guns, or if the FBI was falsely claiming this. It then claimed the Department could not afford to independently test them. Why doesn't Congress insist on independent testing of these weapons?

Former Los Angeles police officer Mark Fuhrman said on his infamous tapes, "cops" don't need to conspire together to protect each other when they commit crimes against citizens, they know what to do. However, a truly committed Congress can break through law enforcement's vow of silence. Otherwise 'Waco'' will remain a prime symbol of the crumbling legitimacy of the federal government.

Committee for Waco Justice 202 / 635 -3739 202 / 797-9877