Gowdy and Issa - Contempt charge against Holder coming before Memorial Day


By Kerry Picket

April 27, 2012, 09:37AM

Congressman Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Republican, appeared on Fox News Channel's On the Record with Greta Van Susteren Thursday night and said that Attorney General Eric Holder must comply with the subpoena to put forth all the documents relating to the Fast and Furious gun walking operation before Memorial Day or the AG will face contempt charges that have already been drawn up)

VAN SUSTEREN: Let me switch to Fast & Furious since you brought up Fast & Furious. Are you going to get some answers out of Attorney General Holder because you keep bringing him up and asking him questions, he keeps going back. I mean this is like the endless investigation.

GOWDY: Yes, ma’am. And I have you to thank because when I knew I was coming on your show tonight I went on the floor of the House and asked the Speaker’s office and Darrell Issa, “When are we going to hold Eric Holder to the same level of accountability that you or I would be held?” If we got a summons or a subpoena, it’s not an option for us not to comply with it. And I talked to Chairman Issa who as you know is a patient man but even his patience has limits. Before Memorial Day, Eric Holder will either comply or he will suffer consequences and when I say consequences I mean contempt of Congress. I also want to add his appropriations bill is on the floor of the House in two weeks. Unless they want to sell paper clips and scrap metal to raise money for the Department of Justice, there will be many amendments gutting the appropriations for his department if he keeps playing this game.

VAN SUSTEREN: So this is the shot across the bow for the Attorney General and he’s got until Memorial Day?

GOWDY: It may be a little closer than across the bow. He’s been warned. We’ve been patient. In my judgment in some instances we’ve been too patient. We’ve been more patient with him than police would be with you or me or any of your viewers. And it’s not a political exercise to me, it’s a law enforcement exercise. He needs to comply or he needs to tell us what legal privilege he is citing that keeps him from having to comply and he hasn’t done either one.

This news comes following my conversation with Congressman Darrell Issa, California Republican and Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, that a contempt charge would come within "weeks" if A.G. Holder did not comply with his committee's subpoena.

Chairman Issa spoke to Fox News Channel anchor Megyn Kelly on Friday afternoon to talk about reports regarding a 48 page contempt citation against Holder that apparently was written up by Mr. Issa's committee.

"The working documents we believe the L.A. Times have originated in our committee and are apart of our ongoing options we’re working on while trying to get the truth in Fast and Furious," Rep. Issa said.

When later pressed on the issue, Issa explained, "There is a document. We haven’t seen this document. We can’t be too sure if it’s the same. Of course we have gone through and made the case for various reasons that we have no choice left unless justice changes their position and changes it quickly so that we can get legitimate discovery," he told Kelly.

Kelly asked if it was true as to whether or not Speaker Boehner "green lit" Issa to go forward on the contempt charge, as some outlets reported of a meeting between Boehner and Issa and a "go ahead" was given to the California Republican

"I think the speaker’s office will have to confirm some things. What I was saying is all the members of my leadership agree that we’re entitled to documents," he said. "The American people are entitled to documents and discovery they haven’t been given and that’s where the Attorney General and I find ourselves at odds."

According to Matt Boyle at The Daily Caller, House Speaker John Boehner, Ohio Republican, appears to have a difference of opinion with Mr. Issa as to when a contempt citation should be green lit.

PICKET: Gowdy and Issa - Contempt charge against Holder coming before Memorial Day - Washington Times