US News

Contempt vote on AG

(
)

WASHINGTON — The chairman of a House committee investigating the “Fast and Furious” gun program announced yesterday his panel will vote next week on holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress.

The rarely used maneuver was the latest volley between Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and a Justice Department that he said is stonewalling Congress over the botched gun-sting operation.

If the June 20 vote passes, the matter will go before the full House.

Justice has turned over 7,600 documents. But Issa has issued subpoenas for tens of thousands of documents that he says the department has so far refused to release.

“The Justice Department is out of excuses,” said House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). “Congress has given Attorney General Holder more than enough time to fully cooperate with its investigation.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ran the program in 2009 and 2010, allowing 2,000 guns to be released in hopes of tracking them to Mexican cartels. But hundreds of the guns were lost, including one found at the scene of the murder of a US border agent.

Holder has denied his department had any knowledge of the program. He has testified before Congress on the matter eight times but contends providing more documents would compromise an inspector general’s probe.

“From the beginning, Chairman Issa has distorted the facts, ignored testimony and flung inaccurate accusations at the attorney general and others,” AG spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler said.