Gowdy Committee Votes to Hold AG in Contempt

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-4), a key member of the United States House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, was among the 23 Republicans who voted to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt. All 17 Democrats on the committee voted against the contempt finding.

The move is tied to Holder's request to Pres. Obama to invoke Executive Privilege with regard to the release of documents related to the investigation of "Operation "Fast and Furious." 

Fast and Furious was a program run by the The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) that saw the agency sell high-powered firearms to Mexican arms dealers and drug cartels. The goal of the program was to track the weapons and then link to criminal organizations in Mexico and the United States. The program began in 2006 during the Bush administration under the name of "Project Wide Receiver."

The programs, commonly referred to as "gunwalking" have seen over 2,000 weapons sold, 700 of which have been recovered. At least 200 Mexican citizens have been killed with weapons tied to "gunwalking" programs. 

A US Border Patrol agent named Brian Terry was killed by one of the "gunwalking" weapons in Dec. 2010.

After Terry's death, an ATF agent named John Dodson (who now resides in the Upstate), reported his concerns about the nature of the program to his superiors, which ultimately led to the investigation being launched by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

As the investigation intensified, calls were made for Holder to be more forthcoming and even for his resignation in some cases.

In recent weeks, the commitee asked for more documents to continue the investigation, Holder invoked executive privilege saying theat to make the documents public would have "significant, damaging consequences."

Democrats on the committee, particularly Elijah Cummings of Maryland who is the ranking member, have stated that the investigation has extended far beyond what is necessary in terms of time and money. During today's hearings several Democrats wondered why the head of the ATF had not been called to publicly testify at any point during the 16-month long investigations.

For some, the investigation has come to typify the partisan gridlock that has plagued Congress in recent years and under the leadership of both parties.

Gowdy is not among those who believes the investigation to be partisan and he released the following statement after the Committee found Holder in contempt:

“The President claims he knew nothing about Fast and Furious prior to Agent Brian Terry's murder and no one at the Department of Justice has suggested the President was part of the drafting of a demonstrably false letter dated February 4, 2011, to a committee of congress.”

“So, my question to the President is: What are you asserting privilege over? Did you know about Fast and Furious before Brian Terry's murder? Did you approve the operation? Did you participate in the drafting of a false letter to congress? Unless the answer to all of those questions is yes, there is no matter over which the President can assert privilege. It is merely the latest ploy to delay the investigation.”

Hosue Speaker John Bohner said he will bring the matter before the entire House of Representatives next week.

Should Holder be ruled in contempt he would be the first sitting Attorney General so charged. The last members of the Executive Branch to be held in contempt were Chieff Counsel Harriet Miers and Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten during the administration of George W. Bush.