Gadsden Times | Aderholt Says Holder Could Have Avoided Contempt Citation
Aderholt Says Holder Could Have Avoided Contempt Citation
Dana Beyerie | Gadsden Times | July 2, 2012
U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, said Attorney General Eric Holder could have avoided a criminal contempt vote by the House by releasing information sought by Congress into the Fast and Furious gunwalking operation to Mexico.
The House voted 255-67 to hold Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform for documents related to Operation Fast and Furious.
All six Republican Alabama House members voted for contempt. Democratic U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, did not vote.
“Attorney General Holder and the Department of Justice were given multiple opportunities to comply with the law and provide the subpoenaed information to Congress, opportunities they opted not to take,” Aderholt said.
Fast and Furious was created under Holder, and the Department of Justice lost track of about 2,000 weapons, Aderholt said.
He said Holder's refusal to answer direct questions was an attempt to cover up wrongdoing.
Republicans and Democrats said they wanted to know how border patrol agent Brian Terry was killed in a December 2010 gun battle with Mexican bandits and why two Fast and Furious guns were found at the site.
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