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STEVEN ENGELHARDT (314) 504-4029

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

Clay Calls Contempt Citation Against U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Partisan

Says Committee Action Exploits Tragedy

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay (D) Missouri blasted a partisan contempt citation issued by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee today.  In his opening statement Mr. Clay said:

“With sensational charges, reckless accusations and by exploiting a tragedy, the Majority tried to create the scandal they were looking for.

When one starts out with the presumption of guilt, of a cover-up – as the Majority did when they began this investigation – it’s extremely difficult to admit when one is proven wrong.

And that’s how this began: with the presumption of guilt on the part of the Administration, and in particular on the part of the Attorney General.

Not because of any evidence of wrongdoing. Not because of any facts that would warrant such an aggressive and partisan “investigation.”

But because the Majority came into this Congress accusing the president of being the “most corrupt president in history.

They majestically promised seven investigatory hearings a week.  

They predicted scandal after scandal after scandal would be uncovered and examined and confirmed. 

And, one by one, the Majority held hearings on these so-called scandals.  And, one by one, these so-called scandals turned out to be anything but.”

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