Obama uses executive privilege to hide documents from 'Fast & Furious' scandal

Obama asserts executive privilege on some Fast and Furious documents
By Tom Cohen,
CNN
June 20, 2012

Washington (CNN) -- An extraordinary House committee hearing debated a contempt measure against Attorney General Eric Holder on Wednesday even though President Barack Obama asserted executive privilege over some documents sought by the panel investigating the botched Fast and Furious gun-running sting.

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California, who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said the White House assertion of executive privilege "falls short" of any reason to delay the hearing.

What happens if panel cites Holder for contempt?

However, the committee's top Democrat, Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, accused Issa of setting an "impossible standard" for Holder by initially demanding documents the attorney general is legally prohibited from providing.

Now Issa has "no interest in resolving" the dispute with Holder, Cummings said.
After more than three hours of statements by committee members, the panel went into recess to allow members to take part in votes on the House floor. Issa said the committee would reconvene later Wednesday to vote on the contempt measure.

If approved, the measure would then go to the full House for consideration.

Wednesday's developments further heightened the drama of a high-profile showdown between Issa and Holder over the committee's demand for the Department of Justice to turn over more documents about the Fast and Furious program.

The White House move means the Department of Justice can withhold some of the documents from the House Oversight Committee, which was scheduled to consider a contempt measure Wednesday against Holder.

In a letter to Obama seeking the assertion of executive privilege, Holder said the documents involved related to the Justice Department's "response to congressional oversight and related media inquiries," and that release of internal executive branch documents would have "significant, damaging consequences."

Holder also said releasing the documents would "inhibit the candor of executive branch deliberations in the future and significantly impair the ability of the executive branch to respond independently and effectively to congressional oversight..."


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