Print PDF

Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY)

Representatives Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY) and Tim Walberg (R-MI) voted yesterday in the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in Contempt Of Congress for his failure to produce documents on the Fast and Furious Mexican gun running scandal.

The full House will take up the Contempt of Congress vote next week.

Buerkle issued the following statement after her vote:

“Throughout this investigation the Attorney General’s actions have been reprehensible. He has been callous toward the victim’s family, inaccurate in the information he has provided to Congress, not taken responsibility for his role, and dodged difficult questions. If he was going to provide the requested documents, he would have done so already.

“In addition to the Attorney General stonewalling this committee, we now have the President threatening to invoke Executive Privilege. The President promised the most open and transparent government this country has ever seen, yet his threat of Executive Privilege is the exact opposite of what he said he would do.

“The lack of transparency with respect to a dead border patrol agent is sickening and this morning’s threat of asserting an Executive Privilege is irresponsible. Leaders must lead, in good times and bad, and take responsibility for decisions that are made.

“Our mission on this committee is to shed light on government activity. The President is obstructing our ability to do so. What is he worried about in the documents we are requesting? What is he hiding? Were there more guns that walked? Were there more Mexican gangs implicated? Were there more border patrol agents who were silenced, hurt, or even killed?

“The American people deserve answers. Brian Terry’s family deserves answers.

“I applaud Chairman Issa’s persistence in holding someone accountable for Operation Fast and Furious. Finding Mr. Holder in contempt today is a step in the right direction to getting the answers America deserves, and I will continue to fight for transparency and justice over Operation Fast and Furious.”

Republican Rep. Tim Walberg

Rep. Tim Walberg issued the following statement:

“Today’s vote is part of the Committee’s pursuit and my personal commitment to provide the family of fallen Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, a native of Michigan, with answers on why their son was killed by guns in Operation Fast & Furious that had been allowed to “walk” into the hands of criminals. It gives me no excitement or joy, but after a series of accommodations made by the Committee, the Attorney General Holder and the Department of Justice continue to stonewall a Congressional investigation.

Despite being contrary to the Constitution and a century of case law, the Department of Justice thinks they can decide what documents we need and which ones we don’t. Attorney General Holder refuses to comply with a Congressional subpoena and won’t even give the Committee a list of the documents he is withholding. Frankly, we don’t know what we don’t know.

Next week, the House will continue its pursuit of the truth by considering this contempt resolution on the House floor. It is my hope that Attorney General Holder and the Obama Administration will realize the gravity of this matter and being complying with the subpoena so that we can bring clarity and justice to the family of Brian Terry.”