Politics

Issa subpoenas Justice Department over Fast and Furious

C.J. Ciaramella Contributor
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The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the Department of Justice demanding documents pertaining to the Operation Fast and Furious gun-walking scandal.

In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, released publicly Wednesday, House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrel Issa requested all communications from top DOJ officials regarding the gun tracking scandal, as well as any communications between the White House and the DOJ.

“Top Justice Department officials, including Attorney General Holder, know more about Operation Fast and Furious than they have publicly acknowledged,” Issa said in a statement. “The documents this subpoena demands will provide answers to questions that Justice officials have tried to avoid since this investigation began eight months ago. It’s time we know the whole truth.”

Operation Fast and Furious allowed firearms to be smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border with the intention of tracking their use among Mexican drug cartels.

Some of those guns were later linked to the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent, while scores of others have been found in the hands of violent cartels.

In the letter to Holder, Issa said the Justice Department has stonewalled the investigation by dragging its feet and outright denials.

“All of these efforts were designed to circle the wagons around DOJ and its political appointees,” Issa wrote.

In a press conference Tuesday, Holder said his agency would likely cooperate with the subpoena.

“We have sent thousands of pages of documents,” Holder said. “We’ll look at the subpoenas. I’m sure we will undoubtedly comply with them.”

When asked specifically about the tactics used in Fast and Furious, Holder refused to answer and walked off stage.

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