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Holder in the Hot Seat

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    Chris Stirewalt and Susan Ferrechio discuss Eric Holder's day on Capitol Hill.

  • Duration 8:40
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Ranking member Grassley -- distinguished members of the committee.

Appreciate the chance to appear.

Before you today to highlight some of the accomplishments that have distinct distinguish.

The department's work under this administration.

And that is what Eric Holder would have much rather talked about today.

In his testimony.

Before the senate Judiciary Committee.

As he answered questions about the fast and furious investigation.

National security leaks.

Voter identification.

And all of the other unhappy -- things facing his department and for him -- attorney general this is power -- welcome back welcome back to -- preach you know senior congressional correspondent for the Washington examiner -- watch exit he -- newspaper in Washington.

So let us now bring in some more congressional correspondent.

With my friend and colleague Mike Emanuel big Mike how we go ahead.

-- -- -- Better than Eric Holder is my -- today.

Fairly a fairly rough run over there for the attorney general.

He Chris he has been taking heat on a variety of topics and of course this comes just after yesterday when chairman Darrell ice the house oversight.

And Government Reform Committee said he was gonna move forward with the contempt of congress vote.

In that committee next Wednesday.

Today holder made it pretty clear that.

He wanted to try to hold off what he called a constitutional crisis was willing to sit down with the ice with speaker Boehner with anybody who wanted to talk to him.

To try to come up with some type of solution on the fast and furious investigation we know ice in a lot of the Republicans.

Haven't frustrated and asking for more emails more documentation.

Related to fast and furious that.

That this happened in terms of gun running.

Across the southwestern -- that led to the death.

About border agent Brian Terry.

In so.

The Republicans are saying we've been waiting since October the twelfth when we ask for this information.

And -- not.

Comply with the subpoena and so they've been pressing for more so holder said he wanted to sit down -- and try to iron that out.

On the leaks investigation there is pretty spirited moment a short time ago.

We're senator Lindsey Graham was pointing out that during the Bush Administration.

Senator Obama -- Senator Biden were among those jumping up and down saying we need an independent counsel special counsel.

To look into leaks in the Bush Administration.

He said this time around it's a pick to US attorney's.

They are too close to the administration.

To do this and so he's calling for special outside prosecutors.

Some Democrats push back a bit.

Like Graham said when she was on the other -- you guys were very vocal about this and -- He pushed them hard hearing continuing at this moment and we'll see where else goes from here.

So Mike what's the forecast that we expect to see -- right now.

Still have a vote on the house oversight committee on this contempt charge.

-- -- -- told me yesterday that you know he can make this go away if he's cooperative between now.

And next Wednesday and so holder today said he was willing to do what it takes to avoid a constitutional crisis.

But it's not clear whether -- ideas of cooperation and will match up whether -- -- that is -- whether this committee will go forward a week from tomorrow with -- vote.

I did it okay Mike Emanuel you're very kind to make time for us today for the -- thank you sir thanks very much.

All right Susan so the Republicans have rocks in their jaws.

Over a bunch of stuff with Eric Holder and as -- listed there at that outset.

You've got the voting rights there did do Justice Department is trying to prevent the state of Florida.

From purging their voter rolls of individuals that they say are illegal immigrants or.

Deceased.

And the Justice Department is trying to stop that and -- -- you know this and at Florida could be big deal in the fall.

And so the Republicans don't like that.

They're very upset about fast and furious stuff and now they are outrage over the national security leaking about.

Presidents kill list and a computer virus that the president -- the New York Times that the president directed to be unleashed on Iran.

So does this really goes someplace where does this just rattle around.

Well and it -- Voters are focused on economies of transient time and a -- voters say consider on -- lot of talk about computer viruses or an independent -- exam weeks the way White House.

Probably they still -- going to focus on the price at the gas pump to inflation in the grocery store the fact that they can't find jobs.

And number of -- other really important economic issues and so in that sense it it it is absolutely.

Rational.

That the Republican leadership right now.

-- secretly trying to avoid these contempt charges against whole team battled -- when they're dealing with all these other -- -- And and you know a lot about this you've written -- variants actually about.

The way that John Boehner is the speaker of the house has run things as opposed to his predecessors.

Is -- -- In the past is certainly -- who was who had it totally iron fist with her conference she she ran it Boehner on the other hand.

Function is he says let the let the house work its will that's his race now on this one it's -- we'll ask -- -- -- -- as little as it was.

The house where it's well until it was as right it would work -- willing to you people are driving me crazy you know -- a sign off but I'm back but on this one he's now reverted back to that and basically said to myself.

The Republican from California who runs that answers like many.

Basically said -- you'll never vote.

-- -- -- -- is that the committee now.

Right to hold Sony content niece who voted on by the entire house and that's that's up to him right up to ban on ice -- I was vote not pass up seeing a little bit with Wimbledon it's embarrassing no lawyer no attorney general wants to have -- contempt charge against them it certainly motivates him to try to bring some lord of the table.

And if you read between the lines on these varying statements from the leadership and I sent the doors will.

You -- prefer content and yeah now the question it raises the one you just mentioned here talking to Mike Emanuel.

Wouldn't it what is his version of a compromise right there aren't thousands of pages of missing documents.

And you have Republicans were already pretty angry over learning through or whistle -- last week that.

Holder had been keeping from them.

Some information that showed that top people in the depth Department of Justice new fast if yours despite the claims that contrary to -- -- not easy lying idiot proof that there's.

That he was lying and hiding it from them.

So it this stakes are higher now for hold if he's -- -- some of the table he just can't start -- -- action redacted this we got and it's could be something good.

We know this routine.

Once when I was -- actually working reporter we know this routine can something.

But.

Yeah basically asked for information and they say you want documents that.

It would give you documents look back semi truck up to the front of your newspaper we will dump.

Reams of paper and then we'll paint you a bill this is the other front part and one injury bill for 101000 dollars.

Allowed under the Freedom of Information Act.

For the copy and then you end -- -- All right nevermind and so holder to this point is basically tried to do that with a bazooka blasts of documents but the Republicans still say they don't have the right ones that are the ones that.

Yes he's gonna happen -- he sits down talks and they can't get it down to brass tax we want this this this that they don't even need to -- the whistle and it's in this teeny affidavits for the -- the six of them indicate that somebody knew about this high level.

-- -- -- united previously he's gonna have to turn over more what they want and believe me he's committee staffers can get very specific.

And so they ask for stuff and he's gonna have to show they gave it dates they gave you parameters of what they're looking for.

If clues unwilling to turn I don't I don't forget today's mentioning it's gotta be constitution only wants to witness agrees he -- -- you know the hearing lies the problem if they can't agree on that we could still come to a committee vote.

Would I separate from -- It's anyone's guess -- isn't real tough position -- he brings -- the house floor.

Because there -- people in his own caucus was saying if he doesn't do this he loses not -- speaker.

In the next congress and that's a big deal.

-- ratio you read her at Washington examiner dot com because she's very good we thank you for making -- -- it's okay I will get the last word here to Greg tree and you know him as live bash.

And he says constitutional crisis more like individual liberty issue.

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