Congressman Tom Cole released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress due to his repeated refusal to cooperate with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s investigation into Operation Fast and Furious:
“Today’s vote sends the message that no one is above the law. As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, Eric Holder has a duty to the Constitution and to the American people to ensure that our laws are upheld. By repeatedly failing to supply subpoenaed documents and refusing to work with Congress to investigate Operation Fast and Furious, Holder has neglected his duty and denied justice for the family of Agent Brian Terry and the families of an estimated 200 Mexican nationals who were murdered with weapons paid for by American taxpayers.
“Operation Fast and Furious is one of the most disgraceful episodes in the history of the Justice Department. This reckless policy resulted in the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent, contributed to even greater instability on the Mexican border, and damaged the credibility of the U.S. government and law enforcement agencies.
“Bringing contempt charges against the attorney general is a serious matter, but Holder’s decision to undermine this important investigation has left Congress with no choice. It is now up to Holder and President Obama’s Justice Department to end their obstruction and work with Congress to resolve Operation Fast and Furious.”
