Holder Doubles Down: Senior DOJ Officials Knew Nothing About Fast and Furious Tactics

Townhall.com ^ | June 8, 2012 | Katie Pavlich

[Kaslin]

Capitol Hill- It was another tense hearing for Attorney General Eric Holder on Capitol Hill where he testified before the House Judiciary Committee about Justice Department Oversight today. Holder was asked about and covered a variety of topics, but his personal role and those of his senior Justice Department officials in the lethal Fast and Furious operation were front and center.

Chairman Lamar Smith opened his remarks with Fast and Furious, saying the Department of Justice has not provided enough information about the operation that has left hundreds dead in Mexico and at least one U.S. federal agent, Brian Terry, dead. Smith berated the Justice Department for its failure to comply with Congressional subpoenas that “may shed light on why this program was authorized and who had knowledge of the inappropriate tactics.”

Holder, in his own opening remarks, reiterated his “commitment to working with Congressional leaders.” He also stated that his Justice Department orchestrated “a series of coordinated strikes against violent drug cartels,” while working alongside counterparts in Mexico. However, in the case of Operation Fast and Furious, the Mexican government and ATF agents working in Mexico throughout 2010 were left in the dark about the program, as DOJ sanctioned the sales of thousands of AK-47s and .50 caliber rifles, allowing them to be trafficked across the southern border.

Earlier this week, Chairman of the House Oversight Committee Darrell Issa, who also sits on the House Judiciary Committee, sent Holder a letter about six Fast and Furious wiretap applications dated 2010 that were approved by his Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jason Weinstein. Both Holder and Breuer have said under oath they knew nothing about the program until the beginning of 2011, after Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was killed. Breuer is the second in command behind Holder at the Justice Department. Today, Holder again doubled down on the recurring defense that senior officials within his Justice Department knew nothing of the gunwalking tactics.

“Fast and Furious was a mid-level, regional investigation,” Holder said. “Mr. Weinstein and Mr. Breuer did not know about the tactics being used in Fast and Furious until the beginning of last year.”

When asked about whether his senior officials in the Justice Department had simply read the wiretap applications, Holder responded by saying his top officials did not read the affidavits and the details of what was in the Fast and Furious wiretaps while trying to talk his way around the questions asked.

“Mr. Attorney General, you are not a good witness. Good witnesses answer the question,” Issa said.

As a refresher, in order to apply for and have a wiretap approved, agents must submit extremely detailed information about a case.

“A reasonable person would only come to the conclusion that senior members of the department of Justice knew about gunwalking tactics in Fast and Furious,” Rep. Jason Chaffetz said.

Chaffetz invited Holder to sit down with himself, Rep. Trey Gowdy and two Democratic Reps. to further discuss Fast and Furious. Holder declined the invitation saying, “With all due respect, I give you four hours a crack,” adding that he has testified about Fast and Furious eight times before Congress.

President Obama’s White House was also under scrutiny about Operation Fast and Furious today, after all, in March 2011 President Obama discussed Eric Holder’s knowledge about Fast and Furious. The problem is, Holder admitted in May 2011 to only knowing about Fast and Furious for “a few weeks.” Holder said today he did not personally brief the White House at any time about the program, especially before December 2010, when Terry was killed.

"How would the White House know about Fast and Furious if they didn't hear it from you?” Chairman Smith asked.

Holder responded by saying the White House would have been informed about Fast and Furious by his staffers. He was then asked if there was any collaboration between the Justice Department and the White House on Fast and Furious messaging. Holder didn’t deny the White House connection and said the DOJ was working with the White House to “get the facts out” about this case.

[poobear]

LIAR!

[FES0844]

How would the White House know ... too bad they can’t waterboard him & his accomplices.

[LibLieSlayer]

connie mack himself will stop any action against holder... and he and other republicans are working overtime to help obama. They must want him to win another 4 years. Why????????

LLS

[dennisw]

Lying POS same as Obama. Flush these two down the toilet come election day.

[Kaslin]

November 6 can’t come soon enough

[CGASMIA68]

When Obma goes Holder goes(along with the rest of his liberal,progresive,constitution bending cabnet

[Paladin2]

H0lder could easily find himself typecast as Sgt. Schultz in a future remake of Hogan’s Heros.

[Political Junkie Too]

Holder is either complicit or he's an incompetent executive in the mold of Janet Reno. That makes Democrats 0 for 2 with Attorneys General.

-PJ

[Travis McGee]

Murdergate: A million times worse than Watergate, and the MSM (American Pravda) ignores it.

[Lazamataz]

Wouldn’t it make more sense for Holder to attend these hearings, slouch in his chair with a disinterested look, and hold his middle finger up at all his questioners, not saying a word?

[WilliamofCarmichael]

IMO supporters of the Holder-Obama Just Us Dept. feel that "whites" use the same haughty disdain. Holder and Obama are just getting even for a gazillion years of oppression. It's their right.

Here's what right America has.. just a generation ago "[Att. General John] Mitchell was found guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury and sentenced to two and a half to eight years in prison for his role" in a cover-up. So even a Honky Att. General is not immune.

[COBOL2Java]

[bcsco]

This is a ping list promoting Immigration Enforcement and Congressional Reform.
If you wish to be added or removed from this ping list, please contact me.

State Busts Driver’s License Fraud Ring (NM - Richardson legacy)

GOP Has Latino Options

Live Stream of Holder testifying before Issa's committee

Fast and Furious Wiretap Applications Show DOJ was informed about Gunrunning Tactics (murdergate)

Hearing on: Oversight of the United States Department of Justice (link to webcast)

Holder ducks questions on who highest-ranking official with Fast and Furious knowledge was

Rep. Issa questions Holder, Democrats turn hearing into circus

Photo ID, the Left, And Voter Fraud

Holder admits Axelrod, White House helped Justice Dept craft Fast and Furious public relations

Holder: DOJ Will ‘Vigorously Use’ Voting Rights Act Against States

Mole helps Rep. Issa whack Justice Dept.

Holder Claims Emails Using Words ‘Fast and Furious Don’t Refer to Operation Fast and Furious

Holder Claims Emails Using Words ‘Fast and Furious’ Don’t Refer to Operation Fast and Furious

Mexican illegal immigrant arrested for sex assault in Phoenix, told cops he was 'desperate'

Holder admits Axelrod, White House helped Justice Dept craft Fast and Furious public relations..

Naked man chasing girl convicted of immigrant smuggling

Poll: Most Americans think Arizona immigration law is "about right"

Fast and Furious: House Oversight has a ‘mole’ in the Justice Department

Fast and Furious: Eric Holder’s bizarre House Judiciary testimony

Republicans clash with AG on Fast and Furious (AP barf alert)

Issa on Greta now regarding Holder

DREAM Act Protesters Occupy Obama Campaign Office In Denver

[MestaMachine]

“Wouldn’t it make more sense for Holder to attend these hearings, slouch in his chair with a disinterested look, and hold his middle finger up at all his questioners, not saying a word?’

He pretty much did exactly that...again.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Holder is on the run, so it's time for Boner to fold up shop and apologize.

[Travis McGee]

Isn’t that what he’s doing?

[Robert357]

Only democrats dare try to redefine commonly used words.

“Is” is not “is” to a former US President (William Jefferson Clinton).

Now we learn that to a Democrat Attorney General, “Fast and Furious” is not “Fast and Furious” but something he feels is totally different “Linebacker” and that even though they are both similar, he never lied.

Not only is Holder a liar, most of the Democrats in WA DC are liars.

(sarcasm)
If you don't believe me, ask the Constitutional Scholar Nancy Pelosi, who has said that she knows the Constitution and that Obama-Care is legitimate. Really! Really!

(/sarcasm)

[Kaslin]

Here's what right America has.. just a generation ago "[Att. General John] Mitchell was found guilty of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and perjury and sentenced to two and a half to eight years in prison for his role" in a cover-up. So even a Honky Att. General is not immune.

Well John Mitchell was a Republican and they are always guilty, while the rats are innocent.

[sam_paine]

Holder, in his own opening remarks, reiterated his “commitment to working with Congressional leaders.”
.
.
.
Chaffetz invited Holder to sit down with himself, Rep. Trey Gowdy and two Democratic Reps. to further discuss Fast and Furious. Holder declined the invitation saying, “With all due respect, I give you four hours a crack,” adding that he has testified about Fast and Furious eight times before Congress.

Completely contradictory and inconsistent on the face of it.....and none to account. Beyond the content, that an appointee of the President is telling Congress what they may and may not have, this matter of fact rebuke from a corrupt liar is politely accepted now in society--forget about government.

Don't give me "it's the rino's fault for not having spine/balls/etc."

There's nothing they can do. They can't stand up and shoot the guy, make him a black panther martyr. They can't ask him, "Have you no shame, sir?" He'd lie about shame, and the sheeple would sympathize with him!!! He can't be called out with words or even indictments now because there's so much Fog-of-OJ.

We have lost the language to liberals. We don't insist on words meaning anything, much less "a man's word."

Loose and lose are used interchangeably even on this site, and when corrected, rather than sweeping up the mistake...even Freepers lash out against the "language police."

I hate to give a nod to nutcase Savage, but if you don't defend the language or the borders, then you'll have a culture of corruption. So why shouldn't we expect the language langoliers to continue eating away at the edge of what the meaning of "is" is?