The House Oversight Committee is considering a contempt measure against Attorney General Eric Holder over documents sought by the panel investigating the botched gun-running sting called Operation Fast and Furious. On Wednesday, President Barack Obama entered the dispute by asserting executive privilege over the documents sought by committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-California.
Here are the issues around the dispute:
Q: What is a contempt citation?
A: Congress can vote to hold a congressional witness in contempt of Congress if it considers the witness to be obstructing its ability to carry out its constitutional powers. For a person to be held in contempt, Congress must vote on a contempt citation in committee.
The process involves a series of legal maneuvers including the president’s ability to assert executive privilege, as he did in this case, which has historically made executive branch officials immune from criminal prosecution.
Q: Why is a contempt citation being considered against Holder?
A: Issa may hold Holder in contempt for failing to hand over all of the documents relating to Operation Fast and Furious, the botched Justice Department sting operation linked to the death of U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian Terry and a number of Mexican citizens from some of the 2,000 weapons that fell into the hands of Mexican drug gangs.
Q: When is the last time an executive branch official faced a contempt citation?
A: Although this is the first time an attorney general has faced a potential contempt citation, other executive branch officials have been held in contempt of Congress.
Most recently, George W. Bush White House Counsel Harriet Miers and Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten were held in contempt of Congress despite Bush asserting executive privilege in their case. During the vote in early 2008, a large number of Republicans walked out in protest of what they saw as a partisan vote.
Miers and Bolten were accused of failing to cooperate in a congressional investigation into the mass firings of U.S. attorneys and allegations that the White House was using the Justice Department for political aims. Their citations marked the first time White House officials had been found in contempt of Congress.
Q: What happens next?
A: If the committee votes to cite Holder for contempt, it will go to the full House for a vote.
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The Republican controlled House is a Kangroo Court.... a lynch mob. If the Republican had any shame (and they don;t) they'd drop this thing... Cheney refused to tell about his cabal with the oil exes which led to all of us being gouged with hight gasoline proces, so if Bonehead and company are concerned about justice, file a contempt on Cheny and the Oil Barons. Otherwise this is merely an election year lynch mob.
Tell that to Brian Terry's family.
so your comparing obamas cabinet to bushes cabinet? wasnt bush one of the worst pres ever? his campaign was based around the stuff not happening anymore.
Dear Brian Terry's family: thiss is nothing but a Kangroo Court; there is no will by Issa to find the TRUTH or to help YOU...
This is interesting but what does a contempt citation, approved my the House, REALLY MEAN for Holder? Does he lose his job? or does he just not get another Gold Star for superior permormance this week? Does ANYthing really HAPPEN? Or is this all just more of the same political rhetoric, posturing, and BS?!?
SO- whats new.....The Publicans want to get back into power so they can make the rich richer.
unlike the current knuckle head in power that enslaves people to the govt teet for the rest of their lives whilst securing votes!
partisan politics, nothing more nothing less, how about some jobs legislation Issa?
Yeah, Issa – what about some JOBS you multi-millionaire.
Hold Holder and Osama bin Obama in contempt – half of the U.S. does already... and the number grows every day...
Amen!
I agree with the previous post
This entire thing is a joke, Issa how about you do some real work and work with the president to create jobs.
What was it the President said his admin will be? Transparent? What a joke this administration has been. They are the same old Chicago politics as always. Hope and Change give me a break
John, you are drinking all of the Republican vomit...
I think Congress should be held in contempt – for not doing anything but collecting their big fat paychecks.
House keeps passing bills and Harry Reid will not allow them to come up for votes in the Senate. Democrates have done nothing and many in the public are too damn blind to even see it.
Word!!!
That was for jon's post.
And after the full house votes on it, then what? Say Holder is found in contempt, will Obamas assert of executive privilege mean anything?
Repubs dont get it do they? They should realize that anything negative relating to the anointed one has to be racial and partisan...no chance that BO is just as corrupt and ineffective as the rest huh?
You are witnessing the most corrupt and incompetent president in the history of this country!
He's NOT the President, he's a Usurper
This is why the People of the U.S. do not trust Politicians; it almost always boils down to whether you are Republican or Democrat; The Law and the right for the people to know what Congress and the House are doing for the people they are suppose dto represent. If they are supposed to represent the American Public then the people have the right to know. They have Congress and the Senate to represent us because the whole of the American people can't fit in Washington and be able to attend to the Business. So if you are judging by your status as a Democrat or republican then your just as crooked as they are!
The Obama administration is as transparent as the lower Mississippi river.
Issa IS the lower MISSISSIPPI River!
It's make a big deal about anything to show those darkess are evil. It's whie and furious! And, they want back in control. This committy would re-introduce slavery if they could!
Issa, being a multi-millionaire, would probably be the FIRST to vote for slavery...