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Subscribe to RSSNBC News has obtained a copy of a seven-page letter from House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa to Barack Obama that raises the stakes in the stand-off between Congress and the attorney general.
In the letter, Issa challenges the president's assertion of executive privilege over documents sought by the committee in the "Operation Fast & Furious" investigation.
Issa requests the president provide a formal, legal justification for the privilege claim and a list of specific documents covered by it.
Issa points to case law that maintains executive privilege is reserved for direct presidential decision-making.
The California Republican ratchets up the pressure by stating that either the president's "most senior advisers were involved in managing Operation Fast & Furious ... and the fallout" or the White House is asserting "a presidential power that you know to be unjustified solely for the purpose of further obstructing a congressional investigation."
The letter includes the president's own public statements that neither he nor Holder knew about or authorized the operation.
Issa asks why and the attorney general was offering certain documents last week with the condition that the contempt citation be dropped but the next day those same documents were shielded by executive privilege.
The chairman says there has been no explanation for how Holder could tell the president that releasing the documents would result in "significant damaging consequences" only hours after saying he could provide them to congressional leaders if contempt was off the table.
Rep. Issa: No evidence of White House cover-up in 'Fast and Furious' gun-running case
The chairman goes through the history of the case, the death of border agent Brian Terry and reminds the president that Attorney General Holder provided false information to Congress on Feb. 4, 2011 in a letter that denied the gun operation permitted illegally bought weapons to cross into Mexico.
The Justice Department retracted that denial months later. Issa pointedly states that lying to Congress is a crime itself and says the subpoenaed documents pertain to Holder's denial and internal communications that brought about the subsequent correction.
In a new request, Issa also asks for any communications between the White House and Justice between the date of the false denial and June 18, 2012, the day before privilege was asserted.
Issa rejects criticism that the contempt vote is purely political. He complains that Holder referred to the committee's action as an "election-year tactic."
Issa writes that "nothing could be further from the truth. This statement not only betrays a total lack of understanding of our investigation, it exemplifies the stonewalling we have consistently faced."
Still, the House Oversight Chairman tells the president he is "hopeful the Attorney General will provide the specified documents so that we can work towards resolving this matter short of a contempt citation."
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We continue to have retoric from the right, and the whiney liberals from the left. Blame Bush, blame Obama, all the while both sides of the aisle get away with insider trading that the rest of us would go to jail for. And keep in mind, the Senate didn't pass a single bill for three years but they all drew thier big salaries and benefits while insider trading. And of course lets not forget the really important issue Pelosie brought to light. We should pay for sandra fluk's birth control pills! Wow Nancy, that's earning your pay!!
The sad thing is all the right wingers and whiney liberals are so blinded by "Party", that they can no longer find or judge good character. When November comes, if you leave the Senate the way it is, and the White House the way it is, you will continue to prove our ignorance to the world!
obozo flooded mexico with guns, knowing they would be used in crimes so he could go for the 2nd amendment
truebro, atta way slick, spoken like the true trailer trash red neck, low informed idiot. Who is obozo?
Sally Ann...here you go again. Where did you get that mouth?
To the pathetic ignoramuses (or is the plural form ignorami?...whatever) that support the GOP and clowns like Issa: you folks have controlled the House of Representatives for 1 1/2+ years now....what have you done to create jobs in this country? Obstructing anything that comes through congress is NOT what you were sent there to do.....why aren't the people who voted these people into office asking the same question of them?
You are an ideological idiot. This post is not about jobs creation moron. YOU are exactly what is wrong with the nation.
I cant decide what makes this guy more of a loser, that he believes the government can create jobs or that government can take care of him
Your post defies your name - A logical person looks at all sides and in this case - both sides - Both parties are playing the game and have been for a long time. For example Harry Reid hasn't allowed one bill from the house to make it to the floor of the senate and the House is playing the same game.
You get the Moose Award for your idiotic response...
msn...
Right, my asking a simple question is "what is wrong with the nation"? I suppose you were out of school the day they taught the freedom of speech....and quite to the contrary, asking questions is EXACTLY what we should be doing. Only I believe, you don't just ask questions of your opposing party like many of your ilk do.
You're right, this is NOT about the topic I mentioned. However, it gets to the core of the folks who are "investigating".....they don't want to improve the nation or make things better for you and I, it is a simple game to them. And there are stupid idiots that follow them....because that is what they are told to do. I feel sorry for these people that they feel so insecure in their lives and in their intellect that they have to told what to think....it is sad.
So my guess is given you people don't have an answer for the jobs question, you're simply going to disavow it as a 'stupid question' and not answer it. Sounds typical.
I suggest this....even if you don't want to answer it now, you should be wondering and asking your reps about it.
Just as I stated people like you are the problem. YOUR side is the one that is "right" the other side or other views are always "wrong". YOUR side NEVER does anything stupid, or wrong, ONLY the other side.
Divisiveness is NOT unity and people that create it are despicable and those that promote it and encourage are even worse.
The irony post of the day:
msnidiots says, "Divisiveness is NOT unity and people that create it are despicable."
Don't tell him to read his own posts. You should stop now, you're embarrassing yourself. But, it shows the intellectual shortfalls of many of these people....they actually believe when others that don't agree with them have an opinion, it is destructive divisiveness...but when they do it, it is okey dokey and being American.
How do you converse with people like that?
I'm greatful Issa challenges this guy's every move as no one else has the courage. Obama's above the law and I fully understand his motives What I don't understand is why so many americans just lay down and let him walk all over our constitutional rights and even consider voting for him again...it only means there are more slackers than workers
Your comments show that you personally don't like the President... This is just a witch hunt to embarrass the President. Issa admitted on fox news that there is no evidence that the White House and President was involved in the Fast & Furious...
Richard, will you be grateful when Obama resorts to what is called "Chicago Politics", which the GOP accuses him of playing, and Obama starts the hard ball rolling? Lets see, Bush, Cheney, Rice, Powell, Rummy, and a bunch of others being arrested for war crimes, and shipped to the world court.
Think it can't happen. Ever stopped to think Obama is giving the GOP enough rope to hang themselves? It wouldn't surprise me one bit if he was, and good old Issa is too stupid to realize it.
And while Obama is following a bunch of the policies Bush put into practice, the GOP complain about everyone is "blaming Bush." Well hell yes, if Bush but the policy into practice, (GOP never complained then), and now you are complaining that Obama is doing the same thing, YES BUSH WILL BE BLAMED. Talk about the hyprocritic's on the right wing side, you guys and gals take the cake for that.
Gerard, I'm not trying to defend him, just pointing out some things that just might happen.
Now to this constant "bush did it" may to you, sound stupid. But when Obama continues a policy that Bush started, and no GOPer/tea bagger said a word against it, and now complain that Obama is doing it and it's wrong.
Really stop and think a minute how stupid that makes people look. It was fine for Bush, but not fine for Obama? Care to explain why you wasn't complaing when Bush was doing it, and now that Obama is, you are complaining? And this so called answer "well I did complain when Bush was doing it" is PURE MANURE.
If President Obama is a socialist/marxist/fascist/ideologue and he has continued Bush's policies, does that mean that Bush was a socialist/marxist/fascist/ideologue as well?
" If I could just get rid of fox news, no one would know about this" -obozo 2012
Reading some of the comments on this post show americans have a memory of a goldfish and many choose to ignore what truth. Issa admitted on Fox news that there's not connect to President and not connect to the White House. Here's the link...
Where is the link? You said it was there!...didn't remember to post the link? Must be your portion of the goldfish memory issue!
Wasn't there another "Guns for drugs" congessional party several years ago? George Sr. was the mastermind behind that one. Ollie took the fall for it and coined the phrase "I have no recollection of that conversation". Same game, just different players.
Rock on John. The right wingers have a TOTAL double standard. One for Obama. One for their own batch of jerks and crooks. I'm still waiting for an explanation as to why there are a few thousand DEAD Americans sent looking for WMD? There's blood and plenty of it on the hands of their Texas drunk and his rat coward Veep. Where's Issa's outrage and investigation?
Yankee Boy - WMDs - ask James R Clapper - Obama's National Security Adviser - If you remember your history the Clapper was the one who said that there were WMDs and that Iraq moved them to Syria right before the invasion. Obama loves him and trusts him - so you can too
Kirk, you had to much, way too much manure for breakfast, quit spewing it out please.
Sally - you don't read much do you - I bet you don't get out much either - I suggest going to your local community college and work on that GED
No...no one died!!!!
Hey didn't see the GOP bitching when Cheney claimed it for his MILLIONAIRE energy friends?..... Too bad GOP.... and by the way when is someone going to investigate that GOP Rep for all the unethical stuff he has done in his district - using government funds to enrich himself and his cronies?
maybe sometime after the maxine waters things are dealt with.she really needs to go to prison.
This felonious nut job camera hog is "challenging" the President? What a loon. As they say on the streets Issa, don't threaten me, just DO IT. See what you get. Go ahead. Stop pussyfooting and just do it you little dope.
Impeach Obama and be done with the worthless ass!!!!!
WOw, many non legal experts in here and alot of people who have no clue what anything means except to what someone tells them it means. here are some facts. Congress is not the courts. so if they wish to make some laws they better do it. they are not judge and jury. Issa is is on the verge of overstepping his oversight clause. He is treading on thin ice. Now while isaa is not a judge and his subpoena is not the same as a judge issuing one. for one congress subpoena must deal with "a valid legislative purpose" now while this congress has made several statements about trying to damage the president i will come to the conclusion that congress is not a judicial branch and can not arrest anyone they please. Holder made it clear you dont want to go there because it is a constitution nightmare and congress will loose. Arent they suppose to be getting jobs for us americans and performing legilature manners to help the country.
For most of you you only know executive privi to be someone hiding something. congress hides attributes from citizens everyday. Holder is apart of the executive branch and can for a matter of national security not show congress extra attributes they want to see, which mind you is not what they wanted to see in the first place. Issa knows how to lie and sometimes he knows how to manipulate his story of what he is trying to do. Issa is overstepping here trying to bully and while Issa likes to play innocent. ask him why he doesnt want the whole truth out about this scam. why doesnt issa want the former people who created this program to testify. Remember all those people bush appointed before he left office. well their main job was to wait until called on to make trouble for the president. They cant attack him directly so they will attack his administration to make it seem like he isnt in control. Its called character assassination people. Issa is a disrespectful bully who is dragging the name of a dead border patrolman to further his goals of the above attribute. Will he issue new gun laws that have been asked for by many police and federal agents. no he wont. will he make it tougher for gun running. Nope. has a bill been made by his office to further gun control and its dangers. Nope it has not.
This is a circus where congress is acting like a bunch of asses and the democrats in office cant even come to the floor with once voice to speak. To many of them are just off message and do not have the tongue of speech.
This has nothing to do with National Security. Executive privlege is not needed for this in any way, shape, or form. This is not about Russia invading the US. It is about government covering up an illegal activity by government that resulted in people being KILLED!
If this was an industry where a worker got killed by an accident there would be a full investigation. This is about getting to the facts and nothing more. You people want to politicize everything instead of accomplish anything. Politics is destroying our nation and people that do not want truth and laws are behind it all.
what we really need is thousands of more "jobs bills" or laws. Or way bigger government. that will save the world for sure
Maybe spend another Five Trillion while he is at it also.....LOL.
truebro...
Are you serious with some of your posts? A "jobs bill" often winds up shrinking government though tax incentives or other means. Seriously, think about what you're going to type before doing so.....
lets see government was 100 billion when reagan left office...now its 4 trillion.
US-
Here we go....the spending thing again. I would love for you to explain to me HOW he was supposed to reduce spending when he was paying for two wars, tax breaks passed under Bush, a Medicare drug program, AND try to stop a recession. I know you folks don't like admitting it, but, just because Bush stepped out of the White House doesn't mean we get to stop paying for the **** he rolled up.
Once you are able to answer that, we can have an intelligent conversation....but until then, you are nothing more than another ideologic wing nut that hates Obama because that is what he told he/she should do.
trubro-
You cannot be serious?!? I refer you to my response above to US.....do you actually believe Obama could snap his fingers and reduce the deficit like that when he is still paying for all the **** left to him? That is so beyond silly it is beyond words.
trubro-
You cannot be serious?!? I refer you to my response above to US.....do you actually believe Obama could snap his fingers and reduce the deficit like that when he is still paying for all the **** left to him? That is so beyond silly it is beyond words.
Do you know the prices for what you speak of? Because for some Reason he has spent more Money than all of the president combined?
I see there still a few numb nuts using still using Bush as a distraction. This current fraud of a Prez and his entire staff which includes flip flop Holder are the worst thing that has ever happened to this country. Obama is out of control becoming increasingly arrogant and delusional with power.
Even some Democrats whose election chances are shaky are already distancing themselves from Obama as he continues to step in his own poo defeating himself. One boondoggle after another as he desperately panders for votes from groups hoping to benefit from his false promises and lies. They will find out as others they just are disposable wipes in his bid for reelection which will never happen.
uh uh I know nothing!!! uh uh bush did it....uh uh I stopped it before I knew about it...uh uh
Like a damn broken record for this inept admin. Blame someone else for your vast incompetencies
Just like "Unknowns that are known & knowns that are unknown" "WMD's in trailers" Truebro, what was the budget when Clinton left office? Seems like your rants stop just an iteration short of demagogy! Time for your nap?
uh uh we have nothing to hide ...uh uh so we are hiding everything
Issa is like knife cutting through this Administration's Bull....(Lies) and Deception, It is only Obvious that they are hiding something, Maybe it is that "Under the Radar"Operation the President was talking about when asked about what he was Doing about Firearms in this Country?
@ left wing nut job:
Yes but I do remember the democrats stomping their feet and whining when bush did it. So that phrase turn about and all...
Regardless the action of executive privilege does raise questions, was Obama being briefed or not about the gun running. the Privilege is only to cover those who are giving advice to the president, Nixon tried to expand that - he lost.
As for the program it was dumb. NO tracking devices, no heads-up to the Mexican government, no ability to make arrests? when bush shut down a smaller version in 2007 he had RFID tags tracking the guns, informed the Mexican government, and made 1400 arrests - they still decided the program was a failure and ended it long before Obama came along. If he (obama) was the one You have been waiting for then HE should of used better judgement. Like it or not it was a program with no oversight little planning and undefined goals, yet real people died. Someone has to answer for their deaths - Think of it this way Left wing nut job.. the 300+ Mexicans that died at the barrels of these guns could of been potential undocumented workers that you like and want to support - change your attitude or does your ideology only fit the circumstances?
The bottomline is, if there wasnt anything to hide, obama wouldnt have used his executive priveledge. Anyone defending the action is just a typical political hack who will always believe their party under any circumstance.
Brian Terry died and now obama is helping to cover-up the accountability (which i know is an evil word to libs).
I challenge barack to do something good for America..just once! Pretty simple. He can't...or won't. If you hated America as much as he did, you would do your best to destroy our country as well! I am for boobs...and beer and all things non Al Qaida like Obama
Fail: So President Obama ordering UBL killed...that was not good? You can rant all you want about it was the Seals, it was info gathered under Bush....but bottom line the President makes these decisions and he gets the credit of blame....and President Obama made the call and it was successful.
How about President Obama Oking a loan to GM which saved thousands of jobs and small businesses that support GM....is that not good.
Your hatred of President Obama is very obvious in your comments....you are blinded with hatred.
He made an Obvious good call? That any President would of Made, Good Job Mr. President, OK Now give up the Documents.
Obama Fail...
That is the single, most idiotic post I have seen on here.....and there is a lot to choose from! Could give me any evidence of why Obama "hates America"?
Plus, if you are non Al Qaeda....you should love Obama because he has wiped out almost the entire group.
US-
Any President would have made!! Sure, just like GW? If you had any credibillity before you made that ridiculous statement, it'd be gone. Don't worry, you didn't have any to start with.
Get your head out of the Clouds Lib, Intel did not tell the Bush Adminstration where he was, Only the Clinton and Obama Adminstrations had Chances to kill him?
I was obviously being slightly sarcastic. Inflections that are sometimes not picked up on here. But honestly, whether he wipes out UBL or not, his policies are still destroying our nation. I do hate our president and most of what he stands for. He is a liar..he is a coward...and he is obviously pandering for votes at this point. He has done little of what was promised, and though I didn't vote for him, I can see why some might be fooled into voting for him. But it is clear now after his "reign" that his policies and ideals are a miserable failure. The majority of the US will display their feelings by voting. I do hope that it is a profound and resounding defeat for him. I would like to hear back from you after the election as well.
Valerie Plame....how many Americans died because Cheney outed her as a CIA agent...we will never know how many died.
In his press conference of October 28, 2005, Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald explained in considerable detail the necessity of secrecy about his grand jury investigation that began in the fall of 2003 — "when it was clear that Valerie Wilson's cover had been blown" — and the background and consequences of the indictment of then high-ranking Bush Administration official Lewis Libby as it pertains to Valerie E. Wilson.[16]
Bushes Executive privilege got over ridden and at least somebody was held Responsible?
uh...plame was outed by her boss richard armitage to bob woodward, who then told bob novak who then wrote an op-ed piece
armitage admitted being the original leaker of plames identity.......plame later called him "foolish" and accepted his apology
it's on you tube "richard armitage admits being plames original leaker, wolf blitzer,CNN" if you want to see it.
(this is why plames lawsuit against cheney was thrown out of court)
you have to admire obozos loyalty. Holder is making one mess after another and obozo still stands by him
big max, it's a shame no one is standing by you. With your statement, you come across as a low informed, redneck trailer trash type of person, especially when you have to resort to calling the President "obozo". Why don't you just come out and call him by your favorite word for him? You know, the word that starts with a "N".
Obama is a traitor, plain and simple. He oversteps his authority and power and that is a danger to this very fast dying land of freedom. He should be tried as a traitor and punished as a traitor.
You're an idiot, plain and simple.
You are an idiot, Obama works for the average American, your hero Mittens can't even spell average. Simple minded republicans.
New book, we concur. Ken has an IQ less then his shoe size.
How about some specific details to support your accusations, Ken?
i dont think he is a "traitor"
...i do think he wanted fast and furious started up after bush cancelled it in 2007.
...and obama is ultimately responsible for death of a federal agent for fast and furious.
i can see obama getting arrested for this.....but i can also see obama getting pardoned by the next president.
There is literally zero proof that President Obama "wanted fast and furious started up after bush cancelled it in 2007". As even Issa has acknowleged. The reality is this screwup occurred at the departmental level (ATF) not the Executive level. It is not the first departmental screwup for ATF (Waco ring a bell).
And realistically these type of screwups occur on a regular basis. Be it CIA, FBI, NSA, or whatever.
Issa is an arsonist plain and simple. The slime ball up'd the fire insurance on the building he occupied and then torched it.
It is well documented and this jack-ass should have gone to prison.
Where in HELL is the forensic proof that any federal agent was killed by one of the "F&F weapons? Produce same or STFU about it!
Arrested for what exactly? If thats the case then every president should have a criminal record. Presidents make decisions all the time that result in deaths, like in wars. So republican azzholes like yourself are all wet to think this or any other president is personally responsible for the death of a law enforcement officer in the line of his duty.
The rightwing lunatics just keep getting crazier and crazier. The reason we libs keep bringing up previous administrations is because you people seemed to have no problem with what was going on then. Where was your outrage back then? Executive privilege eight times for Bush? Where were all you people? It's quite clear from literally day one, the GOP was and is hellbent on sabotaging this President. From the meeting on inauguration night up until now, that has been the agenda.
Even though everyone should feel bad about the death of the border agent, where's the outrage for the deaths of over 4400 men and women who were killed in Iraq? You know, that war that Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld lied about. Where were all you rightwing nuts?
Fast and Furious started out as Operation Wide Receiver under.....let's say it all together....Bush. Where was your outrage? Oh yeah, there wasn't any, because nobody knew about it until this administrations stopped it.
Morons.
the gun walking program under bush was cancelled in 2007.....by the bush administration.
fast and furious was started in 2009 under the obama administration.
where is your outrage DEE ?, lol
but isnt this the HOPe and Change president, so to bring up past administrations to say well they did the same thing so it is ok, kind of says he had no intention of hope and change
keck...
This is a lie. The gun program absolutely was NOT cancelled in 2007....this is a right wing lie that is trying to be spread. Check your sources!
Gerard - I don't have to TRY to find facts....everything I said is factual. You rightwing nuts just refuse to admit the truth.
Ask - Talk about bringing up the past. Yes, it's hard to change the way DC is, especially when the GOP has no desire to help change it.
Dr. Logic - Thanks for reminding keck he's a liar. Seen it before from keck.
no sorry
operation wide receiver WAS cancelled in 2007 when the bush administration could not track the weapons...they cancelled the gun walking program
(this was on c-span, testimony on capital hill 2 years ago...look it up)
fast and furious was started up by the OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IN 2009. (you can google this and it's on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, NPR, PBS, BBC....these are my sources )
Operation Wide Receiver began in 2006 UNDER BUSH. The vast majority of gunds were lost during that time. Under the Bush administration no arrests or indictments were made. After Obama took office, the DOJ reviewed Wide Receiver and found that guns had been allowed into the hands of gun traffickers. Indictments began in 2010. As of 10/4/11, 9 people had been charged.
The Klan, excuse me, Republicans, know they've lined up a loser in Willard Mitt and are desperate for anything to hang on O'bama. They know that they'll have to double-down in their efforts to deny a re-elected O'bama any wins if they can't stop him before November and that would be a big blow to their predator class handlers' bank accounts. If Grand Kleagle Issa should manage to destroy O'bama Willard Mitt could wind up facing Hillary and good luck with that....
Much ado about nothing. Investigation into the republican party and its rich benefactors would absolutely find more criminal activity then a failed attempt to try and suppress the drug cartels. But oh well, tea baggers own the house for a few more months and then they are gone.