Holder in Denmark Following Contempt Vote

IS SOMETHING ROTTEN?

by Sharon Rondeau

(Jun. 21, 2012) — A day after the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee found putative Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for failing to produce documents related to the failed Fast & Furious gunwalking operation, Holder has flown to Denmark for a meeting with “European Union officials.”

Speaking from Copenhagen, Holder has said that he believes it is still possible that a “constitutional showdown” can be averted.

The Director of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, also is in Copenhagen, having “joined” Holder to discuss “violent extremism,” “cybersecurity,” and other joint measures with the European Union, which include “three international agreements.”  Also on the agenda for discussion is “border management.”  Headed by Eric Holder, the U.S. Justice Department has sued several states which have passed laws to strengthen their border security with Mexico.

The contempt vote came yesterday afternoon after Holder had refused to turn over documents related to the operation in which guns were placed into the hands of criminals, many of which killed Mexican citizens and at least two of which killed a U.S. Border Patrol agent.  Just prior to the committee vote, Holder had asked Obama to invoke executive privilege over the documentation.

Holder had testified to members of Congress on May 3, 2011 that he became aware of the program only several weeks before, although emails surfaced which indicated that Holder had not been truthful.  Some are speculating that both Holder and Obama knew of the scheme early on and might even have “created it.”

Speaker of the House John Boehner stated today that he believes Obama’s utilization of executive privilege indicates that “White House officials were involved in the decision that misled the Congress and covered up the truth.”

A contempt vote in the full House of Representatives has been scheduled for next week.  Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor left open the possibility that the vote could be forestalled if Holder turned over the documents between now and then.  Holder said that “negotiation” should be used to resolve the dispute over the thousands of pages of documentation which he is unwilling to release.

Both Obama and Holder have been public advocates of strict gun control measures during their respective political careers.

A day before two congressional subpoenas were issued for the Fast & Furious documents, Committee Chairman Darrell Issa told Holder, “You own Fast and Furious.”  The White House Insider said the same prior to the contempt vote.