Posted on 06/27/2012 3:43:48 PM PDT by Altura Ct.
The Congressional Black Caucus has called a members-only "emergency" meeting on Thursday to plot a "walkout strategy" ahead of the scheduled contempt vote of Attorney General Eric Holder later in the day.
The plans, detailed in an email from the executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus obtained by the Alley, include circulating a letter disapproving of the vote and having lawmakers walk out of the Capitol to hold a press conference during the roll call.
The letter, a draft of which is being circulated for signatures, accuses the GOP leadership of "rushing recklessly to a contempt vote." The letter is being circulated among the Black, Hispanic, Asian and Progressive caucuses, among other.
"We cannot and will not participate in a vote to hold the Attorney General in contempt," says the letter, in which the signers urge that "all members of Congress to stand with us during a press conference on the Capitol Building steps during this appalling series of votes to discuss our nation's most significant priority--creating jobs."
The House is expected to vote on Thursday hold Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to release certain documents related to the failed "Fast and Furious" gun-running program.
At moments, the fight has taken on racial undertones, most notably when Holder, who is African American, told the New York Times in December 2011 that he served as a stand-in for GOP attacks on President Obama. "This is a way to get at the president because of the way I can be identified with him," Holder said, "both due to the nature of our relationship and, you know, the fact that we're both African-American."
A copy of the full draft letter is below:
Dear Colleague:
We write to urge you to stand with us in the pursuit of justice for the Attorney General of the United States of America, Eric H. Holder. In its history, the United States House of Representatives has never held a United States Attorney General, or any other Cabinet official, in contempt.
Instead of focusing on job creation and other critical issues before this Congress, we have been asked to engage in a political stunt on the floor of the United States House of Representatives. Our constituents elected us to do real work, not to engage in meaningless partisan activity.
Over the past 15 months, Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice have cooperated with the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's requests for information on "Fast and Furious", an unfortunate operation that began under the Bush Administration and, in fact, was terminated by Attorney General Holder. The Department has made extraordinary efforts to accommodate Congress by turning over almost 8,000 documents--including all the documents that relate to the tactics in this investigation and the other flawed investigations that occurred in Arizona during the Bush Administration. The Attorney General also participated in a bicameral meeting in a good faith effort to satisfy the Committee's information requests. While the Attorney General has advised House Republicans that he is willing to work with them in attempting to reach an agreement, the Republican Leadership is instead rushing recklessly to a contempt vote.
Contempt power should be used sparingly, carefully and only in the most egregious situations. The Republican Leadership has articulated no legislative purpose for pursuing this course of action. For these reasons we cannot and will not participate in a vote to hold the Attorney General in contempt. We adamantly oppose this partisan attack and refuse to participate in any vote that would tarnish the image of Congress or of an Attorney General who has done nothing but work tirelessly to protect the rights of the American people. We must reflect upon why we are elected to this body and choose now to stand up for justice.
We call upon all members of Congress to stand with us during a press conference on the Capitol Building steps during this appalling series of votes to discuss our nation's most significant priority--creating jobs. At this critically important time in our nation, we must work as colleagues rather than political enemies.
Good! They should also be cited for contempt. When he gets indicted, they can all be investigated as associates.
Yes, walk out and keep on walking. There must be legitimate jobs that these morons can do. Ditch digging is much more honorable than anything a Dem politician does.
Didn't members of the CBC all have a show of support for Franklin Raines, even as his, and others, falsified financial statements at Fannie Mae were exposed?
Colonel West should stand up and clearly and loudly proclaim, “RACISTS ALL”!
LLS
Never happen. That would be defeating the whole purpose of a "Judas goat."
LOCK THE DOOR after these AzzHOles leave!
Oh, its always about race.
Most of all when it isn’t.
Congressional Black Caucus justifying racism.
Just don’t let them come back......ever.
They were the primary group responsible for stopping auditing and reforming Fannie Mae because they claimed banks underwriting Blacks was racist. They hid the Franklin Raines embezzlement for years until he was convicted of stealing $20 million yet still kept his $70 million salary. The CBC is a criminal organization.
Pray for America
“Good Riddance!”
So, where does the Congressional White Caucus stand on this? What? There is no White Caucus? I wonder why!
Waaahhhh...big crybabies gonna walk out they don’t get their widdle way?
Let ‘em keep marching . . . non stop.
The DNC has always been a race based outfit.
From their KKK on through to the Black Panthers- it’s all about race.
A long time ago bad stuff happened. I am not part of that— the time is today NOT yesterday. I am done playing these separation games.
We are Americans. If you want to be separate, that is your choice but I won’t bow down. Be separate.
I support all Americans but I am done playing the separation game. DONE!
If you are black, if you are homosexual, that is nice but you are NOT any more special or deserving than any other American. You are less important if you divide yourself. I don’t know you.
We pull out of this mess together, not playing special separation games.
Clean up and police your own kind, it is your own separation that is hurting you. It is not the people who are different—that is your biggest issue—not identifying the real problem. It will not change until you do.
Your problem is yourselves and your self-dividing. F-U *different* people...I am done playing the game.
The victims were not black so they don’t care.
The 2 BP agents killed and the hundreds of Mexican nationals aren’t a concern for the Black Liberation Movement.
“in which the signers urge that “all members of Congress to stand with us...”
It’s getting about time that they understand that real men stand on their own. Crying “victim” has about run its course. It might not be today or tomorrow, but people are starting to wake up to this eternal victim crap.
Belonging to a tribe is so 8th century.
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