In The News

U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga has no faith in Attorney General Eric Holder due to 'Fast and Furious' program
MLive
Nate Reens
June 21, 2012

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Zeeland Republican Bill Huizenga, who in March co-sponsored a no confidence resolution against embattled Attorney General Eric Holder, will vote next week to hold the country’s top law enforcement leader in contempt of Congress.

The vote comes after the Committee on Government Oversight and Reform signed off on the charge Wednesday afternoon. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Cascade Township, voted with other Republican legislators in the 23-17 vote along party lines.

Holder is in hot water for withholding documents sought by legislators in an investigation of the “Fast and Furious” gunwalking operation that resulted in the death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.

Congressional members have been probing operation since February 2011, and authorities say the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives deliberately allowed criminals to smuggle more than 1,000 guns into the hands of Mexican drug cartels.

"Attorney General Holder and the Department of Justice have clearly been stonewalling this investigation for over a year and have been given countless opportunities to deliver documents they admit they could have delivered,” Huizenga said.

“For the President to now invoke executive privilege, a policy he has openly criticized, demonstrates the White House knows far more than they are saying or are deeply involved in the cover up of an operation gone awry resulting in the death of Agent Terry."

The legislation sponsored by Huizenga never advanced beyond the committee level despite having the backing of 115 lawmakers.