Congress is preparing to drop the hammer on Attorney Gen. Eric Holder over his role in the Fast and Furious scandal, according to Politico.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R., Calif.) circulated a draft contempt order against Eric Holder on Thursday for a "refusal to cooperate" in the investigation of the Fast and Furious gun-walking operation.
"This briefing paper and draft contempt report explains the case, to both Members of the Committee and the American people, for holding Attorney General Holder in contempt of Congress," the House Oversight Committee chairman said in a statement. "In describing the results of the Justice Department’s refusal to cooperate — including the hardships the family of a fallen Border Patrol agent have faced in seeking the truth, and retaliation against agents who blew the whistle on gun-walking — this briefing paper provides the facts, on which decisions will be made."
Operation Fast and Furious began in 2009. Federal agents allowed more than 2,000 firearms to be purchased by straw buyers and smuggled across the U.S. Mexican border. The intent was to track the weapons to drug cartels. However, the ATF soon lost track of the weapons.
Guns trafficked into Mexico under Operation Fast and Furious were linked to the death of U.S. Border Patrol agent Brian Terry in 2010, setting off a wide-reaching investigation into the Justice Department’s role in facilitating the operation.
Holder has dodged the scandal thus far and President Barack Obama has not reprimanded Holder. Issa hopes to change that:
"For over a year, the Department has issued false denials, given answers intended to misdirect investigators, sought to intimidate witnesses, unlawfully withheld subpoenaed documents, and waited to be confronted with indisputable evidence before acknowledging uncomfortable facts," the briefing paper reads, accusing the department of not providing many of the documents the committee has requested.