Posted on 06/20/2012 8:54:01 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama invoked executive privilege Wednesday to withhold documents a House committee is seeking in an investigation of a flawed gun-smuggling probe in Arizona.
In a letter to Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., a Justice Department official said the privilege applies to documents that explain how the department learned that there were problems with the investigation called Operation Fast and Furious.
At the start of a committee hearing, Issa called the president's action "an untimely" assertion of the privilege. The committee will vote on whether to cite Attorney General Eric Holder for contempt of Congress for failing to turn over the documents.
"The president has asserted executive privilege," Deputy Attorney General James Cole said in the letter to Issa.
"We regret that we have arrived at this point, after the many steps we have taken to address the committee's concerns and to accommodate the committee's legitimate oversight interests," said Cole.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, raised another question after the president invoked the privilege.
"Until now, everyone believed that the decisions regarding 'Fast and Furious' were confined to the Department of Justice. The White House decision to invoke executive privilege implies that White House officials were either involved in the 'Fast and Furious' operation or the cover-up that followed," said Boehner's press secretary Brendan Buck. "The administration has always insisted that wasn't the case. Were they lying, or are they now bending the law to hide the truth?"
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
Yes.
Stupid move by Obummer. Brilliant comeback by Boehner. Obama just fully slimed himself with this case, when he could have made Holder resign and changed the subject. This will not play well for Zippy.
Obama made a big mistake this time around. His doing this shows that this decision must have come from his office and that he had knowledge of this farce.
Rush Limbaugh is opening his show with this story.
He is protecting his AG, of course. But the quote seems to beg the question, how much is Obama involve in this himself?
Last time I remember this being invoked during an investigation was, 1972. That one didn't turn out so well.
“Until now, everyone believed that the decisions regarding ‘Fast and Furious’ were confined to the Department of Justice.
..........................................................
Boehner is telling a white lie. Everyone did not believe that it was confined to the Justice Department.
Boehner and the rest all knew this mess started in the White House.To give Obama an excuse to try to steal Americans 2nd. Amendment rights.Here in Free Republic we have been telling them that for months.Working under the radar Obama called it.
They chose not to listen
They chose to close their eyes.
They chose to let Obama slide.
Now it is here right before their eyes, they can no longer ignore it.
Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party.It’s time to impeach. People were killed. People are still being killed.
Just as Bill Clinton relied on Janet Reno to keep him in office in spite of crimes to Constitution and country...Obama expects Eric Holder to watch his back the same way as Clinton except this time Obama seems to be admitting guilt to save his friend...to heck with Brian Terry etc. and to heck with America...to heck with law and order...Chicago thuggery should not expect a second term.
The most transparent administration evah!
Tme for another “Transparency” award for HusseinCo.
Well, at least his motivation is transparent.
YEP!! I think Obama saw a huge pile of manure, and purposely crossed the street to step in it with both feet!
WATERGATE ***WATERGATE ***WATERGATE !!!!
The parallels are so eerily similar that you almost think it’s a “Groundhog Day” scenario.
Did we not learn ANYTHING in 1974?
For the good of the country, Barack Obama needs to resign and his minions need to be frogwalked to federal prison.
Hey, Barack, I’ve got your “reset button” right here!
Impeach him.
Watergate was small potatoes compared to this.
We have the most blatantly wicked, vile, crimanal administration in USA history. It is way past time for checks and balances to actually to start taking the WH (Who_e House) and it’s tentacles in DOJ, down.
Them is the facts.
No one died in the Watergate scandal.
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