House Panel Schedules Contempt Vote on Eric Holder

The House Oversight Committee will vote next week on whether to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress. It's the fourth time in 30 years that Congress has issued a contempt action against an executive branch member. The dispute arises from Holder failing to turn over documents subpoenaed on October 12, 2011 in the Fast and Furious "gun-walking" investigation. Rep. Darell Issa (R-Calif.) wrote in an announcement of the vote:

"'The Obama Administration has not asserted Executive Privilege or any other valid privilege over these materials and it is unacceptable that the Department of Justice refuses to produce them. These documents pertain to Operation Fast and Furious, the claims of whistleblowers, and why it took the Department nearly a year to retract false denials of reckless tactics.'"