Boehner Is Stalling Holder Contempt Citation On Fast And Furious

May 14, 2012 By Doug Book / The Western Center for Journalism

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If Darrell Issa has any thoughts of the full House voting on his Oversight Committee’s citation of contempt against Eric Holder, he will first have to clear the idea with the Attorney General’s staunchest allies and political defenders—Republican Speaker John Boehner, Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Republican Majority Whip, Kevin McCarthy.

Upon the Speaker’s office being provided a draft of the citation last week, a spokesman for the Republican leadership said “While there are very legitimate arguments to be made in favor of such an action, no decision has been made to move forward with one by the Speaker or by House Republican leaders.” (1)

But now it appears these stalwart souls have finally made that decision. They will “…slow [Issa’s] drive to hold the attorney general in contempt over the controversial Fast and Furious program…” for a period of “a month or even longer…” Apparently a year’s worth of testimony and documentation linking Obama Regime operatives to hundreds of deaths and the walking of some 2000 weapons across the Mexican border just haven’t been sufficient to convince Speaker Boehner that something is amiss. (2)

Republican leaders “…still don’t think the case is ‘rock solid…’ ” said an aide to Representative Issa. Of course, the fact that Attorney General Holder has refused to honor subpoenas demanding he turn over an estimated 8000 pages of Fast and Furious documentation might have something to do with Mr. Boehner’s feelings of uncertainty about adequate proof. (2)

But a far more credible reason for the Speaker’s nervous stomach is “…fear [of] negative political fallout from citing the U.S. attorney general with contempt of Congress in an election year.” Boehner, Cantor and McCarthy are “…worried about both the legal and political implications of the move, especially six months before what is already expected to be a razor-close election.” (2)

In fact, that’s the reason GOP leaders are now pressing Congressman Issa to bring Democrat House members on board. Boehner and the others believe it will reduce the political risk to Republicans if a number of Holder’s own party members are willing to make the contempt citation a bipartisan effort. And no doubt to Issa’s chagrin, that now appears to have become a prerequisite “…before [Republican leaders] let it come to the floor for a vote.” (2)

In short, John Boehner is demanding that Democrat members of the House exhibit more courage in betraying their own Party than he and other Republican leaders are themselves willing to display by holding a corrupt attorney general responsible for disobeying the law!

And why should Democrats join Republicans, either in the contempt process or in a call for Eric Holder to honor House subpoenas? After all, GOP leaders have shown no stomach for pressing the issue beyond the occasional committee hearing or threatening letter to the Department of Justice.

For 3 months, Coach is Right has warned readers about a disgraceful lack of courage on the part of John Boehner to honor his oath of office to defend the Constitution by bringing criminal charges against Eric Holder. Many have accused us of being unfair to the Speaker by inventing unsubstantiated tales of his unwillingness to take a stand.

To read more use these links:
(1) http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57423017-503544/republicans-prepare-contempt-citation-against-eric-holder-over-fast-and-furious/

(2) http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0512/76135.html