Contempt of Congress vote nears on Eric Holder

Fast and Furious charges hit BATFE

Washington – With 1 out of every 4 registered voters polled declaring themselves independent, House GOP leaders readied for a full floor vote on whether to cite Attorney General Eric Holder for contempt of Congress.

The charge stems from Operation Fast and Furious, a BATFE operation carried out between 2009 and 2011 in which the bureau allowed guns bought by known smugglers to “walk” across the border so they could trace them in Mexico to gangsters in the drug cartels.(click here for a previous report)

The plan hit a snag when a Border Patrol Agent was killed in a firefight inside the U.S. Border near Tucson with rogue coyotes who rob illegal immigrants as they pass through rugged arroyos and canyons on their way to their destinations.

Two of the weapons recovered from the gangsters were among those allowed to be sold to drug cartel smugglers under orders from BATFE agents.

Mr. Holder has made appearances before both House and Senate investigating committees, claiming no knowledge of the affair, only to be contradicted by testimony that indicates that he and other officials at the White House knew about the operation and were kept in the loop.

The House Oversight Committee voted the matter out for a full vote by the House, splitting along party lines. Kowledgeable observers say there is no reason to believe the vote of the full chamber will not go pretty much the same way.


House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Ca) told newsmen over the weekend that he does not believe there is any evidence of a White House coverup. (click here)