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Washington, DC – Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) voted today to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress in response to the Department of Justice and Obama Administration’s refusal to turn over subpoenaed documents related to Operation Fast and Furious, a failed effort in which 2,000 firearms were allowed into the hands of Mexican drug cartels. These firearms have been linked to the murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.

Congressman Guthrie said, “The Attorney General has, at best, misled Congress and the American people. At worst, his involvement in Operation Fast and Furious has jeopardized the safety and security of our southern border.”

The Attorney General was not forthcoming with specific information requested by Congressional subpoena. Congressional investigators raised concerns with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) in February 2011 upon word from whistleblowers that Administration officials had deliberately allowed weapons to fall into Mexican drug lords’ hands, and that some of these weapons were used to murder Agent Brian Terry. In response, ATF assured Congress that these whistleblowers’ concerns were unwarranted and that no guns had “walked,” a position that the Department of Justice formally retracted ten months later when further Congressional investigation made it impossible for them to continue their cover-up of Operation Fast and Furious.

“The Attorney General has given misleading and inconsistent testimony to Congress and provided only a fraction of the documents required by subpoena. The vote today to hold Attorney General Holder in contempt is a direct response to his continued stonewalling and failure to cooperate with Congressional investigators.”

In December 2011, Congressman Guthrie called for Holder’s resignation based on his handling of Fast and Furious. ###