Congresswoman Jackie Speier On Contempt Vote

Statement

Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) made the following statement after the Republicans of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform voted to recommend that Attorney General Eric Holder be held in contempt of Congress.

"Operation Fast and Furious and "gun-walking" are indefensible, so is the Republican Caucus' effort to politicize this important issue. The evidence has shown that Attorney General Holder had no knowledge of Fast and Furious and has worked to determine how it happened and how to prevent such irresponsible actions from happening again. The Committee should be looking into the culture at the ATF that allowed these operations to happen with no input from senior leadership.

"Every day guns are crossing our border and arming drug cartels because of loopholes in our already weak gun control laws. No one needs an AK-47 or other assault weapon for hunting or sport, and yet in Arizona they can be purchased in unlimited quantity.

"Chairman Issa and his Republican colleagues have been uninterested and unwilling to address the ease with which criminals obtain such weapons. The contempt of Congress vote today had nothing to do with justice, accountability or process.

"I want the Committee to have access to all the information it needs to get to the bottom of Fast and Furious and by submitting more than 7600 pages of documents, Attorney General Holder has shown a willingness to provide it."

Source