CONGRESS MEMBERS SLAM ATF DIRECTOR!!.. ATF FBI TARGET TEA PARTY MEMBER

B. Todd Jones, director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, COULDN'T TELL Congress why his agents made two visits to a tea party conservative in a 13-month period -- but only after she requested tax-exempt status for her conservative group, True the Vote.

Catherine Engelbrecht had a Federal Firearms License (FFL) for 12 years. "And suddenly she applies for tax exempt status, and you're knocking on her door twice in 13 months," Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) told Jones at a hearing on Wednesday.

"Congressman, I wish I had better answers," Jones said.

Jordan noted that ATF generally does FFL compliance inspections only in cases with "high-risk indicators," such as criminal activity -- but none of those indicators applied to Engelbrecht:

"Imagine what this lady felt like," a heated Jordan told Jones.

"She gets the full weight of the federal government coming down on her and her family and her business, and all she's trying to do is get a tax-exempt status that had been routine for 50 years, and suddenly now the federal government (is) saying, no, no, no -- you're not going to get that tax-exempt status, and we're going to send four federal agencies out to harass you, including yours."

The director of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives battled accusations in February that his agency has done little to punish those involved in Operation Fast and Furious.

"Three years after the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, ATF has yet to fire anybody for their role in Operation Fast and Furious," Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said. "That is inexcusable."

Guns linked to the failed anti-gun trafficking program were found at Agent Brian Terry's murder scene. ATF Director B. Todd Jones, in his first public testimony on Capitol Hill since he was confirmed, faced repeated questions about that operation Wednesday.

Though Attorney General Eric Holder promised accountability, and a review board wanted those involved fired or suspended, Jones acknowledged that no one lost their job or took a cut in pay.

"I own it, for good or bad, and when something is wrong I am going to take action to fix it," Jones said. "But doesn't happen overnight."

Operation Fast and Furious began in 2009. Over two years, the agency helped transfer some 2,000 guns, mostly assault rifles, to Mexican drug cartels. An internal ATF review board recommended Phoenix Agent in Charge Bill Newell be removed; Case Agent Hope McAllister be suspended; and Supervisory Agent Dave Voth be demoted.

All three remain at ATF.