Posted on 05/04/2012 12:02:07 PM PDT by neverdem
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, is preparing contempt of Congress charges against Attorney General Eric Holder for his failure to cooperate fully with the investigation into Operation Fast and Furious, the Obama Administration’s deadly gun-running program. Warnings were issued, deadlines have passed, and it’s just about “go time.”
To this end, Issa has prepared an extensive staff briefing(PDF) on the case, along with a draft of Holder’s contempt citation. A press release from the House Oversight Committee says the briefing paper “explains what happened in Operation Fast and Furious, the hardships faced by the family of fallen Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in getting truthful answers about his death, how agents who blew the whistle on the reckless operation have faced retaliation, and the carnage in Mexico that Fast and Furious has helped fuel.”
Among the lowlights of this paper are the ATF’s discovery that two of the top ostensible “targets” for the operation that pumped thousands of American guns into the hands of Mexican cartel killers were actually FBI informants; Holder’s failure to provide documents in 12 of the 22 categories set forth in House subpoenas; the stone walls thrown before Agent Terry’s family as they investigate his death; an ATF whistleblower whose career was ruined on the pretext of punishing him for downloading $8 worth of applications to his smartphone; the appearance of Fast and Furious guns at crime scenes across Mexico, including the murder of a state Attorney General’s brother; and the dismaying decision of Patrick Cunningham, criminal division chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona, to take the Fifth instead of testifying before Issa’s committee.
At 44 pages in length, Issa’s briefing paper is one of the most comprehensive summaries of the Fast and Furious scandal you can read online. Issa appeared on Fox News this morning to discuss the case against Eric Holder, noting his reluctance to “say to the Administration that we’ve come to the end.” He was very blunt about saying Holder’s Justice Department has lied to his committee.
In the middle of his appearance, the Justice Department released a statement – read to Issa while he was sitting in the studio – that said they’ve offered just about all the compliance they’re going to. The Congressman did not seem terribly surprised to hear it. Further stonewalling, he said, would be like Richard Nixon offering to release the Watergate tapes in fifty years, and the “drop dead date” for DOJ compliance with those House subpoenas is “immediately.”
From what you've posted here, it appears he's not alone.
The support from Boehner is tepid at best. He and Cantor have indicated that they are afraid that the contempt citation will pull the Republicans “off” their message!
Two observations for Boehner and Cantor:
1) How can you be pulled “off message” when no one in the country has a flippin’ clue what your message is? You guys have let the Democrats and the media define the argument for years, which is why your support continues to erode.
2) The Attorney General of the United States, acting in collusion with the Department of Homeland Security, and possibly with the Executive Branch, concocted a plan to force law abiding gun dealers to sell weapons to straw buyers who then took them across the border and handed them to members of drug cartels where they have been used to kill hundreds of people, including at least two members of US Law Enforcement. This is THE biggest story of the entire campaign and will awaken and enrage millions of moderate and conservative voters...If you don’t understand that, you have no business being in leadership positions!
I hope it is rope-a-dope
Dennis Burke, one of Arizona’s most prominent and well-connected Democratic political figures, abruptly resigned as the state’s top federal prosecutor Tuesday, stirring doubts about earlier expectations that he might mount a bid for governor, attorney general or U.S. senator.
Burke served in Washington as a senior adviser to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and in Arizona as her chief of staff when she was governor. His departure as U.S. Attorney comes as congressional investigators and an internal Justice Department inquiry are examining how an Arizona-based federal gun-trafficking investigation may have allowed as many as 2,000 guns to flow to criminals.
That won't get any traction, IMHO, this is a prelude to the impeachment of Holder rt al. just before the August recess. A trial to remove them in the Senate right after the August recess will screw up thier plans for holding the Senate, and it screws up Obama's plan for minority turn out. We're probably looking at reparations for 200 - 300 dead Mexicans!
“Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, who sits on the committee investigating Fast and Furious, has told me that he believes the responsibility for this lies at the top, in the office of Eric Holder or someplace nearby.”
“This move to dump Burke — who oversaw the operation — looks like an effort to make this mess go away.”
http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/LaurieRoberts/139821
I’d like to see the Mexican government file an extradition request for Holder to stand trial in Mexico on several hundred counts of Manslaughter.
Former Arizona U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke, who resigned in August, admitted late Tuesday that he leaked a document aimed at smearing Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent John Dodson, an Operation Fast and Furious whistle-blower.
The memo that leaked this summer ended up being an attempt by Justice Department officials to cast aspersions on Dodson — one of the leading ATF Fast and Furious whistle-blowers. Burke admitted he leaked the memo in a Tuesday afternoon letter to Justice Department Inspector General Cynthia Schnedar.
The memo was leaked to press and had the names of criminal suspects deleted — but kept Dodson’s name on it. Attorney General Eric Holder came under fire during Tuesday morning’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing when he wouldn’t answer any questions from Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley about the leaked memo, who was held accountable for it and how they were held accountable.
It’s unclear if Burke was the only DOJ official who leaked documents to smear whistle-blowers, but Dodson thinks Burke “did not act alone.”
The message is, I think, "It doesn't matter what you want, or what we say, we'll do what we will."
The Republican party, as a whole, is pretty terrible; what stated party planks do they actually forward?
Smaller government? When was the last time there was a government agency disbanded? (Merging and renaming don't count.)
Abortion? Even when we had the Executive and the Legislative, they did not do anything even a symbolic gesture.
Fiscal Responsibility? See the 'smaller government' question.
Anti-corruption? Look at how vigorously (not at all vigorous) they've investigated/prosecuted Fast and Furious.
With Romney as their pick -- just NY-23 on a national scale -- it's obvious that they don't want to listen or do what they say they will. Obama and such are at least honest when they scorn Americans for being "bitter clingers" to Bibles and guns; the Republican party though, "says all the right things" but doesn't do anything about them.
If they blow off Congress, the only alternative I can think of is impeachment.
Hi - nope. Probably will be on the evening news.
Burke of Fast and Furious had anti-gun history
Jan. 28, 2012 10:21 PM
The career path of former U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke can be charted through an ascending string of jobs from Arizona’s Supreme Court to the U.S. Senate, White House, Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department.
It is a resume that spans more than two decades in three branches of government.
Then, suddenly, it nose-dives on Aug. 30, 2011, when Burke resigned as U.S. attorney amid a scandal over a gun-smuggling case known as Operation Fast and Furious.
Since that day, the gregarious public servant has gone silent, and nearly invisible, except that his name appears prominently in Justice Department documents, congressional hearings and news reports.
Burke’s political downfall may have been shocking, but an Arizona Republic analysis of his career suggests that the cause — firearm politics — has been a pet theme through most of his 23 years in government.
With Romney as their pick -- just NY-23 on a national scale -- it's obvious that they don't want to listen or do what they say they will. Obama and such are at least honest when they scorn Americans for being "bitter clingers" to Bibles and guns; the Republican party though, "says all the right things" but doesn't do anything about them.
Other than reconciliation bills, nothing gets done without 60 votes in the Senate. That's why the rats flipped Arlen Specter and contested the vote count for Al Franken repeatedly until he won.
btw, you are listed as the source (and FR)for a photo. May blog, bottom right side.
We really need to prosecute Obama and force Mooch to repay all the money she has spent on vacations. I know it will likely result in riots from the rioting class, but so be it. squish the head of this swollen pimple.
1) How can you be pulled “off message” when no one in the country has a flippin’ clue what your message is?
The message is, I think, “It doesn’t matter what you want, or what we say, we’ll do what we will.”
EXACTLY! Or even worse...”We’re the GOP leadership and we’ll do what the media tells us to do cause we don’t want to get kicked off the invite list to cool parties at Sally Quinn’s house!”
Again, I won't hold my breath for much coming of this. I'll be surprised if it goes full cycle.
Neat blog!
Thanks!
Ditto. I have no faith in this Congress doing the right thing.
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