NBC reporter Chuck Todd pointed out Tuesday it was nonsensical that Attorney General Eric Holder's stated he recused himself from the the national security leak probe in which government officials obtained Associated Press journalist phone records, citing a conflict of interest, wondering how he could oversee any investigation if that was the case.
Holder said Tuesday he had ordered an investigation into the IRS scandal, in which the agency purposely targeted conservative tax-exempt organizations.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Chuck, the AP is putting out the word the Inspector General's report, which is coming, cites ineffective management, which allowed the people in the agency, in the Cincinnati office, which were tasked with doing this, to go after Tea Party groups. Ineffective management. Does that add anything to this discussion, or do we already know this?
CHUCK TODD: No. Mistakes were made apparently. I'm sorry. It's like, do any of these people -- they've all read the wrong parts of history when it comes to quote-unquote crisis management. By the way, I'm still trying to figure out, I've not gotten a very good explanation as to why Eric Holder recused himself. If he believes he cannot oversee this investigation, how does he oversee any investigation? It doesn't make any sense.
RON FOURNIER: Including the IRS investigation.
MATTHEWS: You watched the press conference. He basically said it had something to do with the administration. Any kind of investigation of this --
TODD: He just pointed out, the investigation of the IRS is the administration. It is just like this sort of blanket attempt that the Obama administration wanted to have and, frankly, other previous administrations, the journalism shield law when they would say, we want to invoke national security privilege here every once in a while. That's an umbrella.