Contempt!
Earlier in the day-long hearing, there was a pre-vote on a resolution which passed; 15 Democrats crossed the aisle to vote with Republicans.
https://twitter.com/Political_Moose/status/218405639771267072
https://twitter.com/FoxieNews/status/218405553821589505
House passes vote on Holder Contempt: On Agreeing to the Resolution: YEA 254 NAY 174 [15 Dems YEA]
— Tammy Bruce (@HeyTammyBruce) June 28, 2012
Then came the final vote.
12 Democrats so far vote for contempt #fastandfurious
— Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) June 28, 2012
RT @toddstarnes Bipartisan House votes 255-67 to hold Holder in Contempt of Congress – 17 Democrats voting yes.
— Michelle Malkin (@michellemalkin) June 28, 2012
Other Democrats chose to pull a stunt.
Standing with my colleagues after walking out of the vote to hold AG Holder in #contempt. #Holder pic.twitter.com/E7Dzb7o8
— Rep. Gwen Moore (@RepGwenMoore) June 28, 2012
Walked out and voted NO! Holder congressional lynching
— Steve Cohen (@RepCohen) June 28, 2012
Lynching. Really, Congressman? Vile.
Justice means nothing to them. They’d rather pull childish stunts.
Holder will reportedly speak shortly.
https://twitter.com/TabithaHale/status/218409843638280192
Twitchy will monitor this momentous vote and will update with further details and reaction.
Update: Unbelievable.
RT @JoeNBC: The political timing of the Eric Holder contempt vote could not be worse. It makes the House GOP look petty and partisan.
— Sam Stein (@samstein) June 28, 2012
Update: Reaction is coming in.
The only bright spot in this day – Eric Holder in contempt of Congress. #tcot #fastandfurious
— cpkinney (@cpkinney) June 28, 2012
17 Democrats join House Republicans in holding AG Holder in contempt of Congress. #Bipartisan #NotAWitchHunt #FastandFurious @DarrellIssa
— Shawn Lewis (@shawnclewis) June 28, 2012
https://twitter.com/joshkaib/status/218452088110333952
https://twitter.com/RightWingAngel/status/218452287692091392
More pushing of false and ludicrous narrative.
After the ACA ruling, the GOP house looks like a bunch of punk-assed bitches for the Holder vote.
— paul shunatona (@PaulShunatona) June 28, 2012
Republican optics: pull focus from #ACA by smearing #Holder.
— William S Burroughs (@DoctrBenway) June 28, 2012
And the trusty “witch hunt” lie.
https://twitter.com/ChloeAngyal/status/218450067282079744
Plus some deplorable “lynching” references.
BREAKING: House Holds Eric Holder in Contempt….is NOTHING BUT A WITCHHUNT…A Modern Day Lynching from "The Good Old Boys& GOP….So Sad!!
— Relevant?? (@DebbiDelicious) June 28, 2012
Strong protest by @OfficialCBC and other House members protesting Holder contempt vote. Another hi-tech lynching of an uppity Black man
— Amos Brown (@Amoswtlcindy) June 28, 2012
Following Representative Cohen’s lead.
Shameless and shameful Senator Reid acts like the tool that he is.
I support Atty. Gen. Holder, who has done an outstanding job protecting our nation & prosecuting threats to our nat'l security
— Senator Harry Reid (@SenatorReid) June 28, 2012
Statement from the White House communications director:
RT @ShawnaNBCNews: Full statement from WH Comms Director @pfeiffer44 on the Holder contempt vote: http://t.co/r9nVBD2d
— WhiteHousePressCorps (@whpresscorps) June 28, 2012
Statement by White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer on Today’s Contempt Vote in the U.S. House of Representatives
At the beginning of this year, Republicans announced one of their top priorities was to investigate the Administration and to ensure that President Obama was a one-term President. Despite the major economic challenges facing the country, they talked openly about devoting taxpayer-funded, Congressional oversight resources to political purposes.
The problem of gunwalking was a field-driven tactic that dated back to the George W. Bush Administration, and it was this Administration’s Attorney General who ended it. Attorney General Holder has said repeatedly that fighting criminal activity along the Southwest Border – including the illegal trafficking of guns to Mexico has been is a top priority of the Department. Eric Holder has been an excellent Attorney General and just yesterday the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee acknowledged that he had no evidence – or even the suspicion – that the Attorney General knew of the misguided tactics used in this operation.
Yet, Republicans pushed for political theater rather than legitimate Congressional oversight. Over the past fourteen months, the Justice Department accommodated Congressional investigators, producing 7,600 pages of documents, and testifying at eleven Congressional hearings. In an act of good faith, this week the Administration made an additional offer which would have resulted in the Committee getting unprecedented access to documents dispelling any notion of an intent to mislead. But unfortunately, a politically-motivated agenda prevailed and instead of engaging with the President in efforts to create jobs and grow the economy, today we saw the House of Representatives perform a transparently political stunt.
He’s clearly cuckoo pants. Bless his heart.
More statements on the vote are released.
https://twitter.com/HinesJimmy/status/218455403351113729
Here is Rep. Labrador's statement regarding his votes on holding AG Holder in contempt of Congress today: http://t.co/SYbevN9I
— Raúl R. Labrador (@Raul_Labrador) June 28, 2012
Simpson's Statement on Attorney General Eric Holder in Criminal Contempt: http://t.co/mRzw9HYi
— Cong. Mike Simpson (@CongMikeSimpson) June 28, 2012
RT @azgop: Rep. Quayle Statement on Contempt Vote Against Eric Holder. WASHINGTON (DC) – Congressman Ben Quayle… http://t.co/Ekk9zfpE
— Matthew G. Phy (@MatthewGPhy) June 28, 2012
Full statement on my vote to hold A.G. Eric Holder in contempt of congress: http://t.co/AASTKX8z #tcot
— Rep. Scott Tipton (@RepTipton) June 28, 2012
RT @FoxNewsInsider: Read: Rep. Issa releases statement on Holder contempt vote http://t.co/8twdVJsW
— NRATV (@NRATV) June 28, 2012
Issa puts out statement saying he's prepared to take Holder to court.
— Geoff (@Geoff_Holtzman) June 28, 2012
Statement by @GovernorPerry on Congressional Vote to Hold AG Holder in Contempt: http://t.co/qxm8bPyQ
— Gov. Greg Abbott (@GovAbbott) June 28, 2012
Holder also gives a statement; Twitter users react.
Holder's statement labels contempt vote "Political theater." Wow, the hubris of these people.
— Dan Isett (@DanIsett) June 28, 2012
https://twitter.com/JessaNaomi/status/218453600127553536
https://twitter.com/HinesJimmy/status/218455403351113729
The Attorney General’s statement via the Department of Justice website.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThursday, June 28, 2012
Statement of Attorney General Eric Holder on the U.S. House of Representatives Vote
Attorney General Eric Holder issued the following statement today:
“Today’s vote is the regrettable culmination of what became a misguided – and politically motivated – investigation during an election year. By advancing it over the past year and a half, Congressman Issa and others have focused on politics over public safety. Instead of trying to correct the problems that led to a series of flawed law enforcement operations, and instead of helping us find ways to better protect the brave law enforcement officers, like Agent Brian Terry, who keep us safe – they have led us to this unnecessary and unwarranted outcome.
“During this time, the men and women of the Department of Justice – and I – have remained focused on what should and must be our government’s top priority: protecting the American people.
“When concerns about Operation Fast and Furious first came to light, I took action – and ordered an independent investigation into what happened. We learned that the flawed tactics used in this operation began in the previous administration – but I made sure that they ended under this one. I also made sure that agents and prosecutors around the country knew that such tactics must never be used again. I put in place new policies, new safeguards, and new leadership to make certain of this – and took extraordinary steps to facilitate robust congressional oversight. Let me be very clear – that was my response to Operation Fast and Furious. Any suggestion to the contrary simply ignores the facts.
“I had hoped that Congressional leaders would be good-faith partners in this work. Some have. Others, however, have devoted their time and attention to making reckless charges – unsupported by fact – and to advancing truly absurd conspiracy theories. Unfortunately, these same members of Congress were nowhere to be found when the Justice Department and others invited them to help look for real solutions to the terrible problem of violence on both sides of our Southwest Border. That’s tragic, and it’s irresponsible. The problem of drugs and weapons trafficking across this border is a real and significant public safety threat – and it deserves the attention of every leader in Washington.
“In the face of these and other challenges, the Justice Department has continued to move forward in fulfilling its critical law enforcement responsibilities. Whether it is with regard to prosecuting financial and health care fraud, achieving a record mortgage settlement, taking aggressive action in protecting the most vulnerable among us, or challenging proposed voting changes and redistricting maps that could disenfranchise millions of voters – this Department of Justice has not been afraid to act.
“Some of these enforcement decisions were not politically popular and help to explain the action taken today by the House. As Attorney General, I do not look to do that which is politically expedient – on behalf of the American people whom I am privileged to serve, I seek justice.
“In recent weeks, the Justice Department secured its seventh conviction in the most serious terrorist plot our nation has faced since 9/11. And just two days ago, the Department awarded more than $100 million in grants to save or create law enforcement jobs, including more than 600 jobs for recent veterans.
“This is the kind of work that leaders in Washington should be striving together to advance. At a time when so many Americans are in need of our help, I refuse to be deterred from it. And I will not let election-year politics and gamesmanship stand in the way of continued progress.
“Today’s vote may make for good political theater in the minds of some, but it is – at base – both a crass effort and a grave disservice to the American people. They expect – and deserve – far better.
“As a result of the action taken today by the House, an unnecessary court conflict will ensue. My efforts to resolve this matter short of such a battle were rebuffed by Congressman Issa and his supporters. It’s clear that they were not interested in bringing an end to this dispute or obtaining the information they claimed to seek. Ultimately, their goal was the vote that – with the help of special interests – they now have engineered.
“Whatever the path that this matter will now follow, it will not distract me or the men and women of the Department of Justice from the important tasks that are our responsibility. A great deal of work for the American people remains to be done – I’m getting back to it. I suggest that those who orchestrated today’s vote do the same.”
IMO one of the most offensive things about Holder's statement is how he can look at the people and lie through his teeth. #tcot
— CW (@CWPatriot) June 28, 2012
But, racist!
Eric Holder's statement was a cool & even toned as u can imagine, and Wolf Blitzer calls it "angry". A black man simply talking scares them.
— itgurl (@itgurl_29) June 28, 2012
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