Washington, DC-(Thursday, June 28, 2012)— Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson released the following statement:

“The GOP-led Congress voted 255 to 67 to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for failing to cooperate with the gun tracking operation “Fast and Furious.” No  cabinet member has ever been held in contempt in the entire history of the United States Congress .  This afternoon’s vote was nothing more than a politically-charged effort to embarrass the Administration in the midst of a contentious election. 

The Attorney General has already submitted nearly 8,000 documents to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and has demonstrated a continued willingness to cooperate with the Oversight Committee in its investigation.

Unfortunately, House Republicans do not share the willingness to cooperate, and instead have resorted to radical and unprecedented measures in order to achieve their ulterior motive. Republicans efforts have been so flawed that Democratic members of the Oversight Committee have identified one hundred errors, omissions, and mischaracterizations in the contempt resolution itself and the corresponding Committee report.

We cannot allow the oversight role of Congress and the powers at its disposal, to be seized for political gain. For the sake of the integrity of our democracy and this institution, we must resist efforts to undermine the legitimate use of Congressional power; we owe nothing less to the American people.

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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a senior member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which, includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Oak Lawn, Turtle Creek,Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, & South Oak Cliff; all of Balch Springs, DeSoto, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Ferris, Glenn Heights and Ovilla.