Recommending that Attorney General Eric Holder Be Held in Contempt

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. QUAYLE. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, today's vote is long overdue. For months, my colleagues and I have worked to uncover the truth about Operation Fast and Furious, which cost the life of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in my home State of Arizona.

Congressional efforts to get to the bottom of this tragedy and bring accountability to those responsible were met with derision by Attorney General Holder. At hearings, when we questioned Mr. Holder, he evaded. When we requested documents, he obfuscated. When I questioned Mr. Holder on June 8, he looked me in the eye and stated plainly that there was nothing whatsoever in the wiretap applications that suggested the existence of a gunwalking program. Yet, all I had to do was review those same applications to see that what the attorney general had said to me, my colleagues, and to the American people, was nothing but a boldfaced lie. Mr. Speaker, I will repeat that again. It was a boldfaced lie.

Today, let Congress' vote be a signal to Mr. Holder that dishonesty on the part of administration officials will never be tolerated.

Today, let this vote be a signal to President Obama that the security of the American people must always come before his own job security and the job security of his Cabinet officials.

Let this vote be a reminder to Mr. Holder and to President Obama that despite their executive overreach, there are, in fact, three coequal branches of government.

Let this vote demonstrate that Congress has not forgotten its right or its responsibility to provide oversight and to bring accountability.

I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying resolution.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source