Why are sexting, cheating, hooker-buying government officials run out of DC faster than politicians allegedly mixed up in drug cartel murders, perjury, illegal gun trafficking, and widespread cover-ups?

In bringing down corrupt attorneys general, presidents, candidates, and politicians, sex scandals trump congressional investigations.

The mainstream media's near-blackout of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Fast and Furious hearings led by Congressman Darrell Issa (R-CA) in May 2011 occurred shortly before big media's obsessive minute-to-minute coverage of former New York Congressman Anthony Weiner's sleazy sexting scandal.  Weiner's indiscretion led to his resignation within a month of the hoopla.  Politicians on both sides of the aisle weighed in on "Weinergate."  The White House called the sordid mess a "distraction."

Issa was not so lucky.  Even with dead bodies piling up next to guns bought under Project Gunrunner's Fast and Furious program, he couldn't get the average American to pay attention.  To date no one has been held criminally responsible for the deaths associated with the doomed operation.  In fact, three of the Special Agents in charge of the Arizona-based operation have not been demoted, indicted, or asked to resign.  They've been kicked up the ladder to administrative positions in Washington.

The MSM knows that next to the complexities of a government gun-tracing operation involving straw purchases, traffickers, and drug cartels, a good DC sex story will win every time.

The attention-challenged public can't focus too long on a Watergate-style cover-up.  Constituents have a gut reaction to philandering politicians with long-suffering spouses.  The response is immediate, they don't have to figure anything out, it's very easy to understand; it's like the difference between reading a romance novel and a spy thriller.  

In April 2009 Attorney General Eric Holder issued a statement in Mexico which suggests he knew about Fast and Furious.  Fast and Furious started out under Project Gunrunner and by 2009 was in full force and based in Phoenix.

Last week, our administration launched a major new effort to break the backs of the cartels.  My department is committing 100 new ATF personnel to the Southwest border in the next 100 days to supplement our ongoing Project Gunrunner.

Despite this evidence of knowledge, Holder told the House Judiciary Committee in May 2011 he had heard about F and F only "a few weeks earlier."

Holder's Deputy Attorney General David Ogden also spoke about the impending project a month before his boss back in 2009.  When he was in private practice Ogden's clients included porn magazines Penthouse and Playboy.  On March 24, 2009 the former porn lawyer appeared in the James Brady Press Room at the White House along with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to brief reporters on "new" actions being taken by the DOJ to "fight the cartels." 

The president has directed us to take action to fight these cartels ... and Attorney General Holder and I are taking several new and aggressive steps as part of the administration's comprehensive plan.

DOJ's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is increasing its efforts by adding 37 new employees in three new offices, using $10 million in Recovery Act funds and redeploying 100 personnel to the Southwest border in the next 45 days to fortify its Project Gunrunner which is aimed at disrupting arms trafficking between the United States and Mexico.

We're talking about people being killed because of reckless behavior by top government officials, and Anthony Weiner types get all the coverage?  Making the murders of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and ICE Agent Jamie Zapata along with countless Mexican civilians sound sexy enough to get the public's attention is not easy.  But Rep Issa must press on and make President Obama, Attorney General Holder, Secretary Napolitano, and several ATF officials as well as state attorneys general accountable.

Read more M. Catharine Evans at Potter Williams Report.