This isn’t quite the impeachment proceeding the Republicans were hoping for, but they may have found, or rather invented, an opportunity to orchestrate an election-year witch hunt.
Led by House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), Republicans in the House are preparing a contempt resolution against Attorney General Eric Holder, alleging that the nation’s top law enforcement official has obstructed a congressional investigation into a federal operation that allowed guns to flow to Mexican drug cartels.
A congressional source with knowledge of the contempt resolution confirmed to TPM that a draft does exist and said Republican leadership had been very supportive of the measure, which was first reported by CBS News. CBS said House Speaker John Boehner had given Issa the go-ahead to pursue the resolution, but a GOP leadership aide disputed that report and told TPM that “no decision” had been made.
The Justice Department has handed over 7,300 documents and Eric Holder has personally testified seven times, but Darrell Issa is pressing for a resolution of contempt for Holder under the suspicion that possibly –maybe– information is being withheld.
Of course if Darrel Issa really wanted to get to the bottom of Fast and Furious, he would subpoena former Bush Administration officials.
The gun-walking program began in 2006, long before President Obama even declared his candidacy, and years before Eric Holder was considered for Attorney General.
