Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King hasn’t called for Attorney General Eric Holder’s resignation over Operation Fast and Furious because he thinks Holder still owes the American people answers and explanations about “gun walking,” and that there’s a better chance they’ll get them from a sitting attorney general than one that has resigned.
In an interview with The Daily Caller on Thursday, King alluded that he thinks there’s a possibility President Barack Obama knew about Fast and Furious, and that a Holder resignation would prevent the American people from getting answers on that front. (SEE ALSO: Complete coverage of the Fast and Furious scandal)
“I’m not calling for the resignation of Attorney General Eric Holder because I want to keep him around so we can get all the answers that we need,” King told TheDC. “He’s a lot handier in doing that if he stays on as attorney general.”
“He’s an anchor on the president right now,” King added. “I’d like to know how high up knowledge of Fast and Furious went in the attorney general’s office. I’d like to keep him around until we can get the answers we need.”
According to Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar’s office, King is one of the 73 cosponsors on his “no confidence” resolution in Holder. There are 57 congressmen demanding Holder resign, and many more who have expressed disgust in how they say the attorney general has handled the congressional investigations into Operation Fast and Furious. Most of those 57 have also signed onto Gosar’s resolution, but not all.
Nicole Flotteron contributed reporting for this story