A senior official in the inspector general's official has been tapped for the position.

A spokesman for the inspector general's office said the new ombudsman position is "not a direct result of Fast and Furious," noting that legislation aimed at protecting whistleblowers included mention of such a position. The spokesman said "a number" of recent cases led Horowitz to determine the position should be created now.

But the timing comes amid several Fast and Furious developments. On Tuesday, the U.S. Special Counsel's office, which mediates cases of whistleblower retaliation, announced that Peter Forcelli with the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives bureau had "successfully resolved his case" of alleged retaliation.

Forcelli was one of the first ATF agents to come forward and tell a House panel about Fast and Furious, the failed ATF operation launched in late 2009 with help from federal prosecutors there.