Attorney General, Fast And Furious Operation | featured news

Democrats on Capitol Hill insisted a new independent report into deep failures in Operation Fast and Furious on the Southwest border vindicates the top leadership at the Department of Justice in the flawed gun-tracking program, while Republicans said it showed that Atty. Gen. Eric Holder’s “inner circle” does not adequately serve the country’s top law enforcement official.

White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew on Sunday accused the House Republicans of carrying out "a political witch hunt." The timing of the planned lawsuit comes in the run-up to the November 6 election in which Republicans are trying to deny Obama a second term in office.

“This is not about oversight, this is about overkill,” Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) said. “There is something evil about using the processes of the House to further political aims.” Pelosi said that “what is happening on the floor of the House is a misuse of power” and a distraction from her preferred focus of “jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs.”

"We need answers on this. Not defensive BS. Real answers."... Two of [Attorney General Eric] Holder's emails and one from [Deputy Attorney General James] Cole appear to show that they hadn't known about gun-walking but were determined to find out whether the allegations were true.

Leaders of the Republican-run House expect to vote this afternoon on a contempt of Congress citation for Attorney General Eric Holder... White House spokesman Jay Carney denounced the planned contempt vote as "political theater, an action taken by Congress that does not respond to the most urgent priorities of the American people."

The White House and House Republicans failed to reach a deal Tuesday to fend off a contempt vote against Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., all but assuring that the House will move forward.

House Republicans finally have their big standoff with President Obama and his attorney general. Are they giving Obama just what he wanted?

"The action that the committee took yesterday was unwarranted, unnecessary and unprecedented," he said after meeting European Union justice officials in the Danish capital."

A U.S. congressional panel voted on Wednesday to charge Attorney General Eric Holder with contempt of Congress after the Obama administration invoked executive privilege for the first time since coming to office, withholding some documents related to a failed gun-running investigation... "Instead of creating jobs or strengthening the middle class, congressional Republicans are spending their time on a politically motivated, taxpayer-funded election-year fishing expedition," White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer said.

A House committee announced Monday it will consider a measure next week to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt for failing to provide requested information on the department's handling of the "Fast and Furious" gun-smuggling sting operation.