Despite President Obama’s use of executive privilege this morning, the hearing before a vote on holding Attorney General Holder in contempt proceeded. And proceeded.
Minutes ago, the vote took place.
23-17 HOLDER HELD I CONTEMPT, now moves to the House #fastandfurious
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) June 20, 2012
23-17: We just sent the #EricHolder #contempt resolution to the full US House of Representatives
— Oversight Committee Republicans (@GOPoversight) June 20, 2012
Finally!
https://twitter.com/LachlanMarkay/status/215541696925151232
The floor vote is reportedly scheduled for next week.
House Leadership says #fastandfurious contempt floor vote will be next week unless AG Holder relents and provides documents.
— John King (@JohnKingCNN) June 20, 2012
Unless AG Holder fully cooperates w/#FastandFurious investigation, House will hold contempt vote next week http://t.co/AnF11Hcc @GOPLeader
— John Boehner (@SpeakerBoehner) June 20, 2012
Twitchy will monitor and update as news develop.
https://twitter.com/CuffyMeh/status/215542839545823233
Seriously. Well, we are sure they will join in with other media outlets and somehow find it racist, natch.
Of course, “just bloggers” have been covering this for a year.
https://twitter.com/TheHenry/status/215510097445666817
https://twitter.com/ali/status/215458192442933249
Hi @TheJuanWilliams You know who broke the #fastandfurious scandal?… #JustABlogger
— Keep Calm and Carry (@johnnyfriegas) June 20, 2012
https://twitter.com/Revenant0101/status/215487442751467520
#JustABlogger @michellemalkin was reporting #FastAndFurious looooong before the MSM would touch it. Thanks Michelle!
— Black Labrador (@AntiqueSully) June 20, 2012
People who rely on “real journalists,” however, will be shocked.
https://twitter.com/erikajohnsen/status/215540114674302976
Update: Holder responds.
Attorney General Holder issues statement saying Chmn Issa has rejected all efforts "to reach a reasonable accommodation."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 20, 2012
AG Holder: Justice Dept has made unprecedented accommodations to respond to Rep Issa's requests
— Shannon Bream (@ShannonBream) June 20, 2012
AG Holder: Claims that the Justice Dept has been unresponsive to requests for info "are untrue" #FastandFurious
— Shannon Bream (@ShannonBream) June 20, 2012
AG Holder: "The American people deserve better." I will be focused on & committed to DOJ mission. #FastandFurious
— Shannon Bream (@ShannonBream) June 20, 2012
In written statement, Holder calls the Committee vote on the contempt citation "an election-year tactic intended to distract attention."
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) June 20, 2012
#thinskinned #likehisboss RT @BuzzFeedAndrew: RT @jonallendc: Signs that it's personal: Holder statement refers to Issa by name 7 times.
— Cindy Cooper (@CindyCoops) June 20, 2012
Update: Holder’s full statement.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Vote
Attorney General Eric Holder issued the following statement today:“In recent months, the Justice Department has made unprecedented accommodations to respond to information requests by Chairman Issa about misguided law enforcement tactics that began in the previous administration and allowed illegal guns to be taken into Mexico. Department professionals have spent countless hours compiling and providing thousands of documents — nearly 8,000 — to Chairman Issa and his committee. My staff has had numerous meetings with congressional staff to try and accommodate these requests and yesterday, I met with Chairman Issa to offer additional internal Department documents and information that would satisfy what he identified as the Committee’s single outstanding question.
“Unfortunately, Chairman Issa has rejected all of these efforts to reach a reasonable accommodation. Instead, he has chosen to use his authority to take an extraordinary, unprecedented and entirely unnecessary action, intended to provoke an avoidable conflict between Congress and the Executive Branch. This divisive action does not help us fix the problems that led to this operation or previous ones and it does nothing to make any of our law enforcement agents safer. It’s an election-year tactic intended to distract attention — and, as a result — has deflected critical resources from fulfilling what remains my top priority at the Department of Justice: Protecting the American people.
“Simply put, any claims that the Justice Department has been unresponsive to requests for information are untrue. From the beginning, Chairman Issa and certain members of the Committee have made unsubstantiated allegations first, then scrambled for facts to try to justify them later. That might make for good political theater, but it does little to uncover the truth or address the problems associated with this operation and prior ones dating back to the previous Administration.
“I have spent most of my career in law enforcement and worked closely with brave agents who put their lives on the line every day. I know the sacrifices they make, so as soon as allegations of gunwalking came to my attention – and well before Chairman Issa expressed any interest in this issue — I ordered the practice stopped. I made necessary personnel changes in the Department’s leadership and instituted policy changes to ensure better oversight of significant investigations. And, I directed the Department’s Inspector General to open a comprehensive investigation. That investigation is ongoing, and the American people and Congress can count on it to produce a tough, independent review of the facts.
“When Chairman Issa later began his own investigation, I made it clear that the Department would cooperate with all appropriate oversight requests, while still adhering to our legal obligations to protect information involving ongoing law enforcement investigations, legally-protected grand jury material and other sensitive information whose disclosure would endanger the American people or our agents investigating open cases.
“The American people deserve better. That is why, I will remain focused on, and committed to, the Justice Department’s mission to protect the rights, safety, and best interests of my fellow citizens and to stand by my brave colleagues in law enforcement.”
Update: Brian Terry’s family issues statement.
Hear, hear!!! RT @gretawire: MURDERED BORDER PATROL AGENT BRIAN TERRY’S FAMILY STATEMENT: http://t.co/YQcP6HVq
— Noel Sheppard (@NoelSheppard) June 20, 2012
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