Congress, Fast And Furious Scandal | featured news

“This is not about oversight, this is about overkill,” Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) said. “There is something evil about using the processes of the House to further political aims.” Pelosi said that “what is happening on the floor of the House is a misuse of power” and a distraction from her preferred focus of “jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs.”

"We need answers on this. Not defensive BS. Real answers."... Two of [Attorney General Eric] Holder's emails and one from [Deputy Attorney General James] Cole appear to show that they hadn't known about gun-walking but were determined to find out whether the allegations were true.

Leaders of the Republican-run House expect to vote this afternoon on a contempt of Congress citation for Attorney General Eric Holder... White House spokesman Jay Carney denounced the planned contempt vote as "political theater, an action taken by Congress that does not respond to the most urgent priorities of the American people."

The White House and House Republicans failed to reach a deal Tuesday to fend off a contempt vote against Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., all but assuring that the House will move forward.

In the past six days, President Obama has sent a very clear message to Republicans in Congress. And that message goes like this: Bring it on. His decision to stop actively deporting young illegal immigrants, which was announced last Friday, and his action Wednesday to invoke executive privilege over documents tied to the “Fast and Furious” program both amount to a finger in the eye of House GOPers.

"The action that the committee took yesterday was unwarranted, unnecessary and unprecedented," he said after meeting European Union justice officials in the Danish capital."

A U.S. congressional panel voted on Wednesday to charge Attorney General Eric Holder with contempt of Congress after the Obama administration invoked executive privilege for the first time since coming to office, withholding some documents related to a failed gun-running investigation... "Instead of creating jobs or strengthening the middle class, congressional Republicans are spending their time on a politically motivated, taxpayer-funded election-year fishing expedition," White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer said.

A House committee announced Monday it will consider a measure next week to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt for failing to provide requested information on the department's handling of the "Fast and Furious" gun-smuggling sting operation.

Attorney General Eric Holder lashed back Friday at Republican congressional leaders who suggested he misled a House committee when he testified earlier this year that he was not aware of details about a flawed federal gun investigation that allowed hundreds of weapons to flow to violent Mexican drug cartel enforcers.