Rep. Baca's Statement on Walkout During Holder Contempt Vote

Statement

Congressman Joe Baca (D-Rialto) released the following statement, after he joined his colleagues from the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) in walking off of the House floor in protest of the misguided vote by Congressional Republicans to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress:

"Last week, I was proud to take a stand with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), and the Congressional Asian-Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), and walkout in protest during the misguided vote to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress. This sham vote was an unprecedented and blatant political stunt orchestrated by the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, and I walked out to voice my strong opposition to the vote being brought forward."

"It is obvious that the investigation into Fast and Furious was politically motivated and not a serious attempt to get at the truth. The fact that Republicans did not grant one Democratic witness request in 16 months of investigation, combined with their refusal to hear testimony from the Bush administration officials about their roles, goes to show that Republicans were seeking nothing else than political attention."

"Last week's vote marks the first time in history that Congress has ever imposed a sanction on a sitting member of a president's cabinet. I am embarrassed that the Republican majority would so willingly trample over the spirit of our Constitution, and the separation of powers between the Executive and Legislative branch that it calls for. With real problems affecting Americans, Congress needs to focus on creating jobs, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and not scapegoating the Obama Administration."

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