Coalition Members of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights submitted a letter to House Speaker John Boehner urging Boehner NOT to seek contempt charges.
Terry Frieden, CNN Justice Producer says that 14 organizations
…which are closely allied with the Obama administration charged that to hold the attorney general in contempt for failing to turn over demanded documents on the “fast and furious” investigation “seems to be a rush to judgment intended to create a stain on the office of the attorney general.”
The two-page letter, written by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights repeats the claims made by the Justice Department in refusing to provide sensitive internal law enforcement documents. The organizations said Holder has already turned over the disputed documents to the inspector general for his ongoing investigation into the flawed gun-smuggling operation. “They reportedly include law enforcement information, grand jury transcripts, and other information that would compromise ongoing investigations and prosecutions,” the letter said
“The constituencies that we represent are eager to see our leaders focus on job creation, the continued reinvigoration of our economy, and the rooting out of waste, fraud and abuse. We urge you to reconsider this course of action. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
African American Ministers in Action
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
AFSCME
Asian American Justice Center, member of Asian American Center for Advancing Justice
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
NAACP
National Association of Human Rights Workers
National Association of Social Workers National Center for Transgender Equality National Partnership for Women and Families National Fair Housing Alliance
National Urban League
People For the American Way
Women in Federal Law Enforcement Foundation”
The letter seeks “…the rooting out of waste, fraud and abuse,” but thinks Holder should be excused.
House Republicans have repeatedly threatened to vote a contempt citation against Holder for failing to adequately respond to a subpoena issued last October.
The Justice Department has acknowledged the operation was flawed and the ATF should not have allowed illegally purchased weapons to “walk” across the Mexican border to drug cartels.
Firearms “walked” by the ATF have been found at violent crime scenes on both sides of the Mexico – United States border, and have been found at the crime scenes involving deaths of many Mexicans and at least one U.S. federal agent, Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. The “gunwalking” operations became public in the aftermath of Terry’s murder. As a result, dissident ATF agents came forward to Congress. As investigations have continued, the operations have become increasingly controversial in both countries, and diplomatic relations have been damaged as a result. During this period, Hillary Clinton’s claim that “90 percent of the weapons used to commit crimes in Mexico come from the United States…” was not true and ostensibly was an attempt to restrict the Second Amendment.
No date has been set for the committee to vote on a contempt charge, which would need to precede a vote by the full House.
“The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights” is a coalition of 200 civil rights, labor, and liberal activist groups. The ADL, SPLC and B’Nai Brith International, and other activist groups are members.
The A3P and other groups rightfully seek a complete investigation into “Fast and Furious”.
