Posted on 06/07/2012 10:14:52 AM PDT by Nachum
Attorney General Eric Holder again today would not answer who the highest-ranking Obama administration official was that had knowledge of Operation Fast and Furious and the gunwalking tactics it employed before Border Patrol agent Brian Terry was murdered.
Instead, when House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Lamar Smith pressed him directly during a House Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday, Holder dodged giving a response.
“Mr. Attorney General, who is the highest ranking official in this administration that knew that these tactics were being used?” Smith asked of Holder at the beginning of a Thursday hearing. “And I’m talking about, knew the tactics were being used before the death of Agent Brian Terry on December 15, 2010.”
Holder attempted to answer a question that wasn’t asked. “Well we know that the operation began in the field offices in Arizona,” Holder said. “Both in the US Attorney’s office and in the ATF office there. The inspector general is in the process of examining –”
Smith then cut off Holder and asked his question again: “To your knowledge, who was the highest-ranking official in the administration who knew about the tactics?”
Holder again deflected. “At this point I can say that it started in Arizona and I’m not at all certain who beyond that can be said to have been involved with regard to the use — now there was knowledge of it, but the use of the tactics,” he responded again.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...
I'm Shocked. Shocked I tell you.
The list, Ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
It depends on what the meaning of “knowledge” is.
Damn, I wish someone would stop the patty-cake game with that criminal, slap the shackles on him and march his ass off to jail.
What it has showed is that now, more than ever, since the revolutionary war, we need our guns and lots of ammo. This govt, under Obama, is not the friend of the American people. Hell, they are even using drones to spy on us just as if were all are terrorist.
This guy, and his cronies, are really seriously criminals. They make the mafia look like small time petty thieves.
What have the Republicans done to get this guy sacked? Nada.
What would you suggest they do?
The Inspector General has been "in the process of examining" for over a year now without bringing forth a single finding. Be that as it may...
Mr. Holder, please explain how an operation begun in the Phoenix ATF field office resulted in guns from Texas gun shops being allowed to "walk" to Mexican drug cartels? The families of ICE agents Jaime Zapata and Victor Avila would like to know.
Armored SUV could not protect U.S. agents in Mexico(page 3)
U.S. investigators recovered one of the military-style semi-automatic weapons used in the attack that killed Zapata.
The gun came from Texas.
Ballistic testing of spent shell casings and the raising of an obliterated serial number revealed the weapon was a popular Romanian-made AK-47 knockoff purchased at J&J’s Pawn Shop in Beaumont, smuggled south to the Zetas by a methamphetamine trafficker named Manuel Gomez Barba, a U.S. citizen.
A congressional inquiry is underway to determine whether the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives allowed the weapon to “walk” across the border, just as the agency lost track of thousands of other firearms that were smuggled to Mexico through the disgraced operation known as Fast and Furious.
Bump to read later
Put his ass in jail for starters!
http://www.therightscoop.com/darrell-issa-wiretaps-reveal-holder-and-doj-knew-about-gunwalking/
How do you propose they do that, exactly?
"Jail" requires prosecution. The Congress cannot prosecute -- their powers are investigatory only.
At this stage, prosecution would involve the appointment of a special prosecutor. The President must first approve the appointment of a special prosecutor. Whereupon, the Attorney General would appoint same.
So, how do you propose Congress go about "throwing his ass in jail", exactly?
The furthest Congress itself may go is issuing a Contempt of Congress charge -- which would have no reference to the crimes actually committed, only to the stonewalling that Holder is practicing.
Depending on the evidence Issa has assembled, now might be the time to do that. Or it may not...
Congress can pursue contempt and impeachment. Following impeachment Eric Holder is then available for criminal and civil law. Not likely to happen but impeachment (Article II Section 4) is available they are not limited to contempt.
True. But is impeachment a viable option at this point? The House can hold all the hearings they want, vote to impeach...and the Senate will do nothing. Then, after November 6, Holder will be dead meat anyway -- and calmly awaiting his Presidential pardon sometime in January.
Holder knows that there this no threat of impeachment. Contempt is the only realistic tool the House has.
I would love to see Arizona indict him on state charges once he leaves office, though. Say, accessory to murder...
True. But is impeachment a viable option at this point? The House can hold all the hearings they want, vote to impeach...and the Senate will do nothing. Then, after November 6, Holder will be dead meat anyway -- and calmly awaiting his Presidential pardon sometime in January.
Holder knows that there this no threat of impeachment. Contempt is the only realistic tool the House has.
I would love to see Arizona indict him on state charges once he leaves office, though. Say, accessory to murder...
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