Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., will lead fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus in walking out on a House of Representatives vote this afternoon on whether to hold Attorney General Eric Holder, the nation’s highest-ranking law enforcement officer, in contempt of Congress.
If the effort succeeds, which is is expected to do, it will make Holder the first attorney general in U.S. history to be held in contempt.
The issue has devolved into a high-stakes constitutional showdown between the legislative and executive branches of government. The House is demanding more internal Justice Department documents about its handling of Operation Fast and Furious -– a failed gun-tracking effort. The White House has asserted executive privilege to shield the documents, leading to the move to cite Holder in contempt.
Republicans said that they had no choice but to pursue contempt because they’re being blocked by Holder’s Justice Department from seeking the truth about Fast and Furious, an operation in which federal officials allowed guns to illegally "walk" into Mexico from the United States with the aim of tracking drug cartels. Some of the weapons were used in violent crimes; two were found at the scene where a U.S. border agent was killed.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney on Wednesday called the contempt effort "political theater." He said that the administration has negotiated in good faith with House Republicans who "have made the strategic choice to try to score political points...rather than focusing on jobs and the economy."
Congressional Democrats also called the contempt vote part of a partisan election-year witch hunt and an effort to politically cripple an attorney general whose agency is investigating things that many Republicans don't like, including possible voter suppression.
..it's obvious to most intelligent folks that this is a "witch hunt" for something to lash onto, to help & cripple the whole prez. Obama adminstration credibitity..we are with you sen. wilson with the walk out..do not allow them to create this into a "WATERGATE" as they are trying very hard to do... these sons of a biscuit eaters !!!.. sick of repugicans nasty /dirty tactics..concerned citizens committee, inc. liberty city, miami,fla.
Posted by: marva Lightbourne, chairwomen concerned citizens committee, inc | June 28, 2012 at 01:57 PM
It's latch, not lash.
Posted by: TInSouthMiami | June 28, 2012 at 02:32 PM
There is actually a new scandal brewing involving USDOJ third-in-command Tony West and US Ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich, please see @:
http://lesliebrodie.blog.co.uk/2012/06/26/scrutiny-of-keker-van-nest-s-jon-streeter-intensifies-as-shocking-revelations-further-implicate-keker-van-nest-s-chris-young-doj-s-tony-west-13946817/
Posted by: TLR | June 28, 2012 at 02:41 PM
Just like in Wisc, when Dumbocrats don't like something (ie it does not go their way) they just walk out (our leave the state) and refuse to vote. It's no surprise the looney hat clown is involved in this. As always when they have nothing else, they try to make this about race. And as always, this has absolutely NOTHING to do with race....period. Hopefully they will all keep walking and not return!!!
Posted by: Steve O | June 28, 2012 at 02:45 PM
Republicans in the House turned their backs on requests for hearings on the matter. They are staging for political reasons and, no pun intended but this whole charade is going to backfire on the R's.
Posted by: Demy Do | June 28, 2012 at 02:48 PM
Can she just keep on walking?
Posted by: dsdoi | June 28, 2012 at 03:02 PM
I wonder if the family of the late Border Patrol agent Brian Terry considers the ATF Gunwalking Scandal and subsequent stonewalling by AG Holder "political theater".
Posted by: Chuck | June 28, 2012 at 03:18 PM
@Steve O: The only one mentioning anything about race here is you...
And yes, it is political theater:
http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2012/06/27/fast-and-furious-truth/
Posted by: ZedLoch | June 28, 2012 at 05:30 PM
What else doe F. Wilson do than grandstand? How many bills has she actually proffered, not sponsored?
Posted by: Mike | June 28, 2012 at 05:39 PM
This is an obvious conspiracy and most intelligent beings have figured it out. Stop the madness; massa we can read now!
Posted by: Sheila | June 28, 2012 at 05:48 PM
F Wilson is a poor excuse of a human being much less a member of Congress. Who really cares what she thinks or does?
Posted by: R Bill DePuy | June 28, 2012 at 05:49 PM
Really, nothing at all about the irony of someone with THE worst attendance record of the entire Florida delegation walking-out rather than voting, even if predictably incorrectly?
Oh, that's right, you guys just ignored that inconvenient fact and never posted anything about that in either the print edition or on this blog.
Yes, some of us really notice when you consciously ignore real news stories.
And cutting Wilson some slack for her recovery after her gallbladder surgery in November, a short month anyway, what exactly was her excuse for missing so many votes the previous ten months of 2011, or the Herald's excuse for NOT ever even mentioning it?
No, you all greatly prefer writing silly stories about her and her dopey hats, which is why so many people are NOT reading the newspaper, because they are consistently underwhelmed by what is offered up.
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2011/12/frederica_wilson_voting_attendance_florida_democrats.php
Posted by: Hallandale Beach Blog | June 28, 2012 at 06:01 PM
Yeah, I wonder too, if the families of the hundreds of people killed with the guns from the completely illegal gun running Fast and Furious think it's political theatre. It was highly criminal behavior. "Politial Theatre comments are a lame attempt to hide the truth.
I'm not republican or democrat. I'm an American.
Posted by: Peter | July 25, 2012 at 12:23 PM