近距离内射合集

The U.S. House Oversight Committee has opened an investigation into reports that Drug Enforcement Administration agents in New Mexico deliberately permitted massive amounts of fentanyl to hit the streets during wiretap investigations of drug traffickers.

Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., sent a letter Monday seeking records from Attorney General Todd Blanche about the controversial tactic used to trace drug trafficking networks and build larger prosecutions.

But Comer limited the records sought to instances in which drugs were not seized during the Biden administration, from Jan. 21, 2021, to Jan. 19, 2025.

The inquiry is narrower than the investigation sought by New Mexico鈥檚 Democratic House delegation, which nearly two months ago asked Comer for a full-scale investigation into the practice known as 鈥渨alking鈥� drugs.

The delegation also asked for public hearings and records.

鈥淚 am grateful that he鈥檚 taken action,鈥� said U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M. 鈥淏ut I am frustrated that he did not consult with the delegation or with the Democratic leadership of the committee before sending that letter, and that it took a particularly partisan tone because this is not a partisan issue.

鈥淭his is really about the safety and well-being of New Mexicans and all Americans,鈥� Stansbury told the Journal in a phone interview from Washington, D.C., Monday. Stansbury is a member of the Oversight Committee.

In reports published June 21 by the 近距离内射合集 and The Associated Press, a DEA whistleblower alleged he was retaliated against by his supervisors after stopping what he believed were vehicles carrying fentanyl loads into the Albuquerque area.

Veteran agent David Howell ultimately filed a complaint with the Justice Department鈥檚 Office of Special Counsel, saying the practice was 鈥減oisoning鈥� the community.

His complaint stated that the practice began in 2023. He subsequently added new instances of agents watching loads being distributed in 2024 and 2025, after Trump was reelected.

For instance, Howell, backed by two former agents, has recounted how DEA agents learned of massive fentanyl shipments into Albuquerque by a five-state trafficking organization in mid-2024.

But agents opted not to seize the fentanyl, including one delivery of 350,000 pills in 2024 and more than 1.8 million pills on March 25, 2025 鈥� about two months into Trump鈥檚 second term.

Howell鈥檚 complaint was deemed 鈥渦nsubstantiated鈥� by the U.S. Office of Special Counsel in a letter to Trump in September 2025. Howell鈥檚 attorneys have disputed the findings, which also concluded there was no 鈥渟ubstantial or specific danger to public health and safety.鈥�

Comer鈥檚 letter Monday focused on an internal Justice Department risk-mitigation protocol implemented in 2019 for federal agents who became aware of impending fentanyl shipments while monitoring targets鈥� conversations through wiretaps.

The protocol directed agents to apply for search warrants as soon as practicable and seize or otherwise prevent the distribution of fentanyl, noting that public safety was 鈥減aramount.鈥�

But the directive was relaxed in mid-2024 to give federal agents and prosecutors more discretion on whether to immediately seize fentanyl loads, citing the risk of doing so to the 鈥渓onger-term goals of the investigation.鈥�

Comer鈥檚 letter stated that, as a result, the drug shipments remained 鈥渋n the hands of criminals.鈥�

鈥淲hile DEA agents may not have the resources to intercept every single known shipment, a policy directing them not to intercept significant shipments is unconscionable and undoubtedly resulted in considerable harm and lives lost,鈥� his letter states.

Comer added that 鈥渢he current Trump administration has prioritized addressing this threat.鈥� Trump last year described fentanyl as 鈥渁 weapon of mass destruction.鈥�

Since the reports were published, New Mexico Attorney General Ra煤l Torrez and the Justice Department鈥檚 Office of Inspector General have launched investigations into the DEA practice, which the agency has previously defended as lawful.

Stansbury said the New Mexico delegation is still pursuing its own inquiry, including trying to determine whether DEA agents are continuing to allow fentanyl loads to be distributed as they pursue drug traffickers.

鈥淎t the bottom of this issue is whether or not the federal agencies who are involved in drug enforcement are engaging in behaviors that are putting the lives of New Mexicans at risk,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd whether these policies are still in place today?鈥�

Colleen Heild is an investigative reporter for the Journal. Reach her at cheild@abqjournal.com.