Politics

Members to hold presser on calls for Holder’s resignation, ‘demanding answers and accountability’

Matthew Boyle Investigative Reporter
Font Size:

Several members of Congress will band together next Tuesday at 1:15 to demand “answers and accountability” on Operation Fast and Furious from Attorney General Eric Holder, The Daily Caller has learned.

The press conference will focus on those who’ve called for Holder’s immediate resignation – and why they’re doing it – in addition to calling the embattled Attorney General out for the information he’s continued to withhold from Congress.

Arizona Republican Rep. Paul Gosar, who was one of the first to call for Holder’s immediate resignation, is organizing the presser. “The goal is to heighten the awareness, and publicly ask en masse that the Attorney General step aside or be fired,” Gosar told TheDC. (SPECIAL SECTION: Full coverage of Fast and Furious)

Gosar’s office said those who haven’t yet called for Holder’s resignation are also welcome to attend to demand Fast and Furious answers and accountability.

Gosar said the events that have played out through the course of the Fast and Furious investigation since he called for Holder’s immediate resignation have proven him right. “His testimony in front of the Senate Committee showed that he’s cold and insincere,” Gosar said. “From what we’ve seen – lying to Congress in his dictations and prior comments – the audacity of this egregious injustice on American citizens as well as Mexican citizens, he’s got to go.”

Gosar thinks the White House’s and the Justice Department’s continued refusal to respond to any of the calls for Holder’s resignation – now there’s 39 Congressmen, National Rifle Association president David Keene and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin – is unacceptable. “It shows that there’s no remorse,” Gosar said. “The federal government and its agencies need to be held accountable for things that go wrong. Where is it?”

“They [government officials] are being held to a whole different level than what American citizens would be,” Gosar said. “And, that’s inappropriate. We want to make sure that there’s accountability and responsibility and that means with Mr. Holder.”

Gosar said he’s shocked that no Democrats are demanding Holder’s resignation. “They [Congressional Democrats] are playing politics,” Gosar said. “How can you explain that we allowed this to occur? This has never happened in law enforcement, never. Never, never, never.”

“They [Democrats] have tried to cloud the facts for people,” Gosar said. “I think it’s  appalling that they’re playing that type of politics – the seriousness of this issue, particularly when all of us took an oath to protect citizens in this country from enemies both domestic and foreign.”

Gosar also considers the presser next Tuesday as a way to force the mainstream media to cover this story. “The lack of big media following this is actually slowing the progression of this information out,” Gosar said. “Everywhere we go, we talk about it and people are appalled by this. It doesn’t matter if they’re Republicans or Democrats – this should be a nonpartisan issue.”

It’s unclear how many of the 39 members demanding Holder’s immediate resignation will be in attendance at Gosar’s presser. But, Reps. Allen West, Tim Huelskamp, Raul Labrador, Joe Walsh and Diane Black have confirmed they will, according to Gosar’s office. Other members have said they’ll go depending on their respective committee schedules.

Gosar’s staff said Rep. James Lankford of Oklahoma, who has not called for Holder’s resignation, may also be at the presser to call for accountability. Lankford’s staff said they’re still trying to work it into his schedule, but they’re not certain on whether he’ll be able to attend yet.

Follow Matthew on Twitter