Posted on 10/10/2011 11:51:30 AM PDT by dragnet2
Holder denyed charges that he misled lawmakers over his knowledge of Fast and Furious.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) excoriated Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday over a controversial Department of Justice gun program, writing in a letter, “whether you realize yet or not, you own Fast and Furious. It is your responsibility.”
On Friday, Holder wrote to Congress denying charges that he misled lawmakers over his knowledge of Fast and Furious, asserting he only learned of the tactics of the operation in early 2011 and denouncing as “irresponsible and inflammatory” some of the Republican rhetoric that has been used to criticize him.
But Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, hit back Monday morning, writing that Holder’s letter was “deeply disappointing.”
“Instead of pledging all necessary resources to assist the congressional investigation in discovering the truth behind the fundamentally flawed Operation Fast and Furious, your letter instead did little but obfuscate, shift blame, berate, and attempt to change the topic away from the Department’s responsibility in the creation, implementation, and authorization of this reckless program,” Issa wrote.
Issa asserts the Department of Justice has been continually contradicted over its successive explanations of the nature of the operation, and then later over Holder’s involvement in Fast and Furious - first denying gunwalking occurred and then later saying the activity was limited to the Phoenix field office of the ATF; then blaming the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona; and claiming it didn’t reach the upper levels of the Justice Department and later admitting it had.
Holder and the DoJ maintain that Issa’s accusations are based on quotes taken out of context, and insist that there has been no contradiction. “My testimony was truthful and accurate and I have been consistent on this point throughout. I have no recollection of knowing about Fast and Furious or of hearing its name prior to the public controversy about it,” Holder said in his letter Friday. “Prior to early 2011, I certainly never knew about the tactics employed in the operation.”
Holder has been under fire in recent months for Fast and Furious, which was an attempt to investigate drug cartels and weapons traffickers by tracking illegally purchased guns. The mission ended in failure – investigators lost thousands of firearms, many of which crossed the border into Mexico. Weapons linked to the program were later involved in the December 2010 shooting death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, and at least one other incident of violence involving law enforcement.
Issa and other Republicans have claimed that Holder misled Congress in testimony from May 2011. Holder claimed then that he had only learned about Fast and Furious “over the last few weeks.” But memos addressed to Holder mention the Fast and Furious operation as far back as 2010, giving Republicans a window through which to attack him as having mislead Congress.
Holder has pushed back strongly on any claim he lied to Congress, writing on Friday that he can’t read every item that is sent to his office, and insisting that he was not informed about the controversial aspects of Fast and Furious until early this year.
Issa, who said on Sunday he was working to issue another round of subpoenas this week, was not satisfied with the defense.
“The time has come for you to come clean to the American public about what you knew about Fast and Furious, when you knew it, and who is going to be held accountable for failing to shut down a program that has already had deadly consequences, and will likely cause more casualties for years to come,” wrote Issa.
Republicans have been increasingly aggressive about criticizing Holder over the Fast and Furious Operation. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has called for the White House to appoint a special counsel to investigate whether Holder lied to Congress.
Meanwhile, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) suggested last week that Holder and the DoJ officials involved in Fast and Furious may have been accessories to murder. Several Republicans have also begun calling for Holder’s resignation.
You instead did little but obfuscate, shift blame, berate, and attempt to change the topic away from the Department’s responsibility in the creation, implementation, and authorization of this reckless program.”
Thank god for Darrell Issa. Holder always looks like a mindless robot in pictures.
Eric Holder, agent of murder, yes, I said murder, must resign or be fired. And...if POTUS Obama does not broom him immediately, Obama should be forced to resign by his own Democrat Party!!! This has gone far enough!!! Wake up, America, the nation is adrift at sea without a loyal Captain. Obama & Holder and their entire Democrat Party ilk are on amission with the Devil to destroy America!!!
Holder will be forced to resign, he will have no choice. Hopefully when faced with disgrace and possible criminal charges, he will start talking and directly implicate his boss and directors of various agencies.
If any Attorney General was innocent of such a charge, he would be doing EVERYTHING he could to cooperate...to find who was responsible and can them as soon as possible.
Holder should be praying he gets tried and convicted before odumbo is out of office or else theres no presidential pardon.
Another hour, another source PING!
Obama's handlers are likely building a course of action to minimize his knowledge/involvement and to distance himself from his own AG.
I would guess trust between Holder, Obama and others are deteriorating fast. I imagine the big question now is, will they be willing to save the boss at their own expense?
But, when is the scheduled perp walk, Holder with a suitcoat drapped over his head.
Brian Williams hasn’t mentioned this story therefore it never happened.
/massive sarc.
obfuscate, shift blame, berate, and attempt to change the topic, Gee, I wonder where He learned to do that?
Holder AND his boss BOTH need to be seen in orange jumpsuits to send the message to ALL Leftists that this kind of crap WON’T go unpunished-!!!
Up to now Obama has not been as dependent on high-powered lawyers as the Clintons were. He typically surrounds himself more with campaign people.
I think we'll see more lawyers now coming into the picture. Problem is...Obama himself is a very poor sophist-lawyer as opposed to the Clintons (especially her) who could spin like crazy. This should be fun to watch.
In short, he's a typical liberal. That is precisely what his media agents in the Associated Press are attempting on his behalf. "Nothing happened and if it did there wasn't anything wrong and Bush did it too. Look! There's a bird!"
Not this time, folks, or at least I pray not. Because if this one slides, the federal Executive is openly allowed to employ murder as a legitimate means of increasing its powers. That is precisely what was done and why.
Shut the BATF down. Now. Pull the plug. No bureaucratic cuteness, lateral transfers, cosmetic suspensions while the matter is covered up. Shut the damn thing down now.
Get the Obama bus ready...our first black US AG is about to be thrown under it by our our first mulatto POTUS. Maybe Holder can sue the Imposter for racism...
He denied them too. Who proofread this Crap!?
Some (on the left) would say you’d be throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
But, in this case, after all the dirt was scrubbed off the “baby”, there is no baby.
I'm betting when faced with resignation and possible criminal charges, he starts talking, taking others down with him in hopes of making a deal.
There is no honor among thieves.
Full text of Darrell Issa’s letter of October 10, 2011 to Attorney General Eric Holder is here...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2790628/posts?page=81#81
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