Washington, DC--Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY-17) condemned the House Republican Majority for its contempt vote against U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.  Rep. Engel was one of the many Members of Congress who walked out of the chamber in protest rather than take part in the vote. 

“This was an unprecedented, politically-motivated witch hunt against the Attorney General, aimed at firing up their base and securing Tea Party frontier justice.  There was nothing to be gained from this other than taking a pound of flesh from the Attorney General.   

“The Attorney General’s office provided thousands of pages to the Committee.  The Attorney General himself has testified nine times.  Democrats have wanted a full investigation into ‘Fast and Furious,’ but have had ten different requests denied for a hearing with former ATF Director Ken Melson and other Bush Administration officials.  Not one Democratic witness has been permitted during the Oversight Committee’s 16 month ‘investigation.’ Shamefully, some of the material requested by the Committee includes wiretap transcripts and grand jury testimony, which would make the Attorney General criminally liable if he turned it over.

“This is simply a political maneuver and an embarrassment to the Oversight Committee and the House of Representatives.  They should know better.  We wasted hours of the people’s time today arguing over this rather than over a jobs bill, energy policy, gun control, or reforms to our education or immigration system.  For that, the American people are going to hold the Republican Majority in contempt when all is said and done.”

XXX