Posted by
Bert Chapman on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 6:12:22 PM
Attorney General Eric Holder is well on his way to becoming the worst Attorney General in U.S. History. He will sink below the depths of the Nixon Administration's Watergate era AG John Mitchell and even be able to look up at the egregiously inept Janet Reno from the Clinton Administration. Tomorrow, Holder is likely to become the first Attorney General to will be cited for contempt by Congress. The House of Representatives, under the stalwart and dogged leadership of Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, appears set to smack a contempt citation on Holder's face and even get some Democratic support in the process.
The main focus of the contempt citation will be Holder and Barack Obama's refusal to provide sufficient documentation to Congress as part of congressional investigation into Operation Fast and Furious. This incompetently run operation has given arms to violent Mexican narcotraffickers has already resulted in the death of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry and created a climate of increasing fear in Arizona and other states along the Mexican border. It has played a significant role in further stabilizing that country. Due to its mounting drug-related violence, fueled in part by U.S. drug consumption, Mexico is disintegrating into anarchy and threatening to become a failed state. The national security implications of this are enormous as some Mexican drug-related violence has already occurred in U.S. localities. Holder's response has been to stonewall about providing sufficient documentation on Operation Fast and Furious which Congress is entitled to under its constitutional investigative powers. This situation was made even worse when Barack Obama decided that many of these documents could not be given to Congress under a legally dubious claim of executive privilege.
Executive privilege has legitimate value in many ways as it protects confidential investigations and confidential legal advice. However, this congressional investigation has been ongoing for nearly two years and the Obama Administration's decision to invoke executive privilege as Holder faces contempt of Congress is very convenient and suspicious. It is clear it was invoked by the administration because there is material in these documents that is at least highly embarrassing and potentially indicates criminal conduct and a coverup of such conduct by Barack Obama and Eric Holder.
Despite all their rhetoric about corporate malfeasance, the Obama Administration has yet to launch a single significant investigation of corporate crime during the financial crisis. It seeks to have a Justice Dept. attorney, who was also a generous contributor to Obama's election campaign, investigate these documents and Holder's conduct in this case in an objective manner. That does not pass the smell test.
Holder's Justice Dept. has also been involved in stopping Arizona from trying to enforce immigration laws which the Justice Dept. and Dept. of Homeland Security refuse to do. Rassenfuhrer Holder and his supporters are playing the race card against his critics just like a drug addict reaches for his needle. Holder's Justice Dept. has refused to support the Defense of Marriage Act and has decided to collaborate with the Obama Administration in its efforts to undermine traditional marriage and sexual mores. His Justice Dept. has attacked states such as Indiana and Alabama which seek to enhance election integrity by requiring voters present photographic identification when they vote on election day and he has refused to prosecute racial intimidation by groups such as the New Black Panthers. Lady Justice has had a rough 3.5 years under Holder and Obama and I look forward to seeing the House of Representatives smack both down tomorrow and hope that it will lead to Holder's ouster and departure from the position he has disgraced.
June 28 Postscript
Holder has received his just desserts and a special profile in courage needs to go to the 17 Democrats supporting the contempt resolution. The award for grandstanding stupidity goes to the Democrats who walked out in protest. What an abject display of cowardice. If you are against a proceedings or vote have the courage to stand and make your opposition and vote count. Holder had ample opportunity to present documents in his defense and congressional Democrats had more than 18 months worth of opportunity to call favorable witnesses to the multiple hearings held on Fast and Furious. The House of Representatives fulfilled its constitutional obligation to conduct effective oversight of governmental programs and held accountable the official most responsible for malfeasance in this botched initiative. History will favorably document the House's actions in this matter.