Associated Press
For weeks, House Republican leaders were reluctant to push a political fight against Attorney General Eric Holder too far, but as of this week, it looks like House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) is calling the shots.
To briefly recap, Issa wants more information about the "Fast and Furious" controversy. Holder and the Justice Department have said they've already made over 7,600 pages of documents available, and continue to provide more, but are cautious about the public release of materials that could undermine ongoing criminal cases. (This is a position endorsed by a Reagan-era Office of Legal Counsel memo.)
Yesterday, the seriousness of the dispute intensified a bit.
House Republicans on Monday signaled that they would take the first step toward citing Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. with contempt of Congress if he does not turn over more Justice Department documents related to the botched gun trafficking investigation known as Operation Fast and Furious.
Representative Darrell Issa, chairman of the House oversight committee, announced on Monday that the committee would meet on June 20 to vote on whether to recommend that the full House hold Mr. Holder in contempt.
Though House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) have generally been quiet about Issa's tantrum, yesterday they both expressed their support for Issa's position.
So, what happens if Issa follows through on his threats and successfully pushes a contempt measure? This has the potential to get a little ... messy.
As we discussed in May, Issa is trying to act quickly -- presumably to maximize the election impact -- but even if House Republicans seriously pursue this, the mess "would take years to sort out."
Stan Brand told TPM that Holder really shouldn't be worried because of how cumbersome the contempt process can get, describing contempt proceedings as "mostly for show" and a "circus event." The House would have to vote before it pursued civil remedies in court.
"I can't really take it seriously because as you know for the last 30 years the Justice Department -- both Republicans and Democrats -- has taken the position that you can't enforce the contempt statute against members of the executive branch who assert privilege or some other defense to the subpoenas," Brand said.
"I wouldn't be [worried] if I were advising the Attorney General, I'd say read the precedents and go about your business. Don't worry about it, it'll be 2014 before this gets resolved," Brand said.
As a rule, when committee chairs start huffing and puffing like this, the various officials work out some kind of arrangement. Of course, those traditions were established before House Republicans decided compromises were a menace. With this in mind, there is a worst case scenario: the House holds Holder in contempt and instructs the House sergeant at arms to try to arrest the Attorney General, creating a bizarre constitutional crisis.
That's an exceedingly unlikely scenario, but the possibility at least exists.
The larger context to all of this is that congressional Republicans are so desperate to uncover any kind of administration scandal that they waste a lot of time and energy on investigations that -- by their own admission -- are little more than political stunts.
In the "Fast and Furious" matter, for example, there can be no doubt as to the GOP's motivations.
Tea Party Caucus member Steve King (R-Iowa) said Republican leadership is wary of using investigations it's conducting of the administration for political gain, especially when it comes to Operation Fast and Furious, a botched gun-tracking program.
"I think leadership doesn't want to be seen as using the gavels here for political purposes," King said in an interview. "I think there's a bit of an aversion to that. Me? I have no reservations about that. This is politics."
That's not a quote from a liberal Democrat attacking Issa and his witch hunt; that's a quote from an Issa ally making a candid confession.
Even Issa himself has said he looks at his foolish investigations as "good theater."
To be sure, these House Republicans aren't the first to use congressional power to play political games, but it's tough to take their faux outrage seriously when it's so obvious this is a silly stunt -- which causes glee among Fox News personalities, but does little else.
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It looks like the GOP are starting to sacrifice their own. Issa must have a lot of investments with the rich and famous. What organizations are contributing to Issa now or in the past? There's your answer.
The old car thief richest man in Congress wants to do theater? TIme for the rotten tomato throwers to get into the act: his very stage-y attempts so far have really fizzled with the public and the critics.
jjm
Wants to do theater? Issa has been doing nothing but theatrics his whole career. Over-the-top is his MO. I mentioned else where that when Issa had to drop out of the California recall race back in 2003 he was in tears. All boo hoo woe is me.
Darrell Issa, one of the most corrupt members of Congress, is a prime example of the GOP's idea of a bad joke - and he is trying to hold the Attorney General in contempt?
A Businessman in Congress Helps His District and Himself:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/us/politics/15issa.html?pagewanted=all
Hey, what about that timing, huh!?!? Just in time for the elections!!
And how about Solyndra? When you think that might be over? Ready for a re-run?
If Issa wants theater, he should go to New York. If he wants to be in Washington, he should try actually passing some legislation that helps create those "jobs, jobs, jobs" Boehner keeps talking about.
And Steve King - "This is politics." You're in Congress to govern, not play politics, a$$hat.
Most Americans find Issa beneath contempt. It is ironic that Issa is in the position of attempting to find Holder in contempt. That is like a cow pie finding the ground it lands upon stinky.
Hppe,
You really shouldn't compare Issa to a cowpie. You're going to offend the whole cowpie population.
one wonders what the CPTA (Cow Pie Tosses of America) would dthink of Issa mucking up their tossing pies.
They should try the rubber stamp method Romney uses , or whatever it's called, and charge Issa with contempt. Throw some glue in there too. Issa is a boisterous, pompous man who believes himself to be above the law like his friend in Florida, Scott. Put the cuffs on both of them and watch them squeal like the rats they are.
LOL Pilot shark. Very funny. CPTA. ROFLMAO
But wow. My, my, my. The comments after mine. How very spontaneous. Not.
LOL KJ and Pilotshark. My apologies to cow pies and cow pie throwers everywhere ! LOL !
Most Americans want Holder fired.
LOL
most Americans? any thing like some Americans say?
LOL so id most want this i am guessing you can show this?
Pilotshark,
Of course, those on the right have a very narrow and self-serving idea of what an "American" is.
The right-wing logic of this is flawless in it's stupidity, Pilotshark. It goes like this: Most Americans are conservative. I, a conservative, think X. Therefore, most Americans think X.
When wingers speak about the majority, they're really talking about their own individual selves and projecting on a grand scale. At least they're never lonely.
Are there any reasonable (real) people who do NOT have contempt for Congress?
"good theater". Always good to know exactly what the Republicans are doing and doing it with those tax dollars they are so piously claiming to want to save.
That's an exceedingly unlikely scenario, but the possibility at least exists.
Unlikely? Possibility? With the nutbag morons of the present House of Representatives? Nothing is unlikely and everything stupid is not only possible but probable when it comes to these far right scum.
As for Holder, I'll bet he has as hard a time hiding his contempt for little criminal Darryl Issa as I do.
But we must try really hard to work with these people...
-Barack Obama (October 2012)
Attorney General Holder and the Justice Department are hot on the heels of some big shot hedge fund folks, big banking executives and various Wall Street cretins, and Issa and the GOP know it. This time around the GOP will do anything to try and undo the Obama Presidency. The GOP is rotten to the core.
Geeze, Holder is the one who is corrupt? Why doesn't he answer the questions?
According to polling the American Public holds Congress in Contempt.
To bad it doesn't seem to matter.
That may be why they keep touting the term "The American People" well, this American person wants nothing to do with this mean,scoundrel
All this from a guy who boasted about working for Nixon and lied. He's another patholigical liar. Another example of what money can buy you. And to think he started his business by stealing cars. He has been throwing around lawsuits for a long time now. He must realize that his time is almost up and he's gonna go out kicking and screaming. They never should have put him in that position he's in , supposedly representing the people. He's using tax payer's dollars to further his career as a Wall St. tycoon, and putting all his hard working dollars into his own pocket. He is just working on his resime by doing this, which is impressive. Somebody on Wall St. is gonna hire this guy in a heartbeat, Oh, wait a minute they already have. Check out Wikipedia.
The entire "gunwalking" practice and "fast and furious" in particular are a complete mess. Whatever you think of Issa, on it's face the after-actions of the ATF, DOJ, and US Attorney's offices look like a cover-up. Resignations, transfers, demotions, people pleading the 5th, denials, obfuscation in testimony.
It doesn't mean there is anything there, or that Holder was involved. But let's be honest, if the roles were reversed (Dem senators investigating a Rep executive branch), would we be saying/thinking differently, given the same "on the face" facts?
It's not worth the attention it's getting. This has nothing to do with that this has to do with them trying to get rid of Holder ,who is halting their little deceiving plans to rip off the American People. Holder is going after them for Fraudulent Voter Laws otherwise known as voter suppression. He's got them by the Kahunas.
What's not worth the attention? The "fast and furious" operation?
And no one finds this the LEAST bit ironic that the same party that is running down the President for 'leaking' is going to find Holder in contempt for not leaking to THEM???
Issa, Just because you are the richest JA in congress is no sign you have an IQ higher than your shoe size too! Sorry but, you can not buy an IQ. IT has to be cultivated by use of your brains, and I fear you have fallen short of the line.
"...would take the first step toward citing Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. with contempt of Congress..."
I wonder can I take the first step toward citing Congressional GOP'er with contempt of working Americans? Darrel Issa, the nerve!
It is ironic that all these "investigations" will not stem the flow of guns to Mexico until the laws for straw purchases of long guns are changed to crack down on this practice, but that is not going to happen because the Congress is beholden to the NRA, which is opposed to any new restrictions. So the witch hunt continues while lax laws fuel the Mexican drug cartel violence. So the congressional clown show continues while American sourced guns facilitate the carnage. Crazy world innit?