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What happened when Holder met with GOP leaders?

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    Sen. Grassley not satisfied with amount of documents offered

  • Duration 5:21
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Back to our top story now what exactly happened inside that meeting with the attorney general -- congressional Republicans my next guess was inside that meeting.

Senator Charles Grassley the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee -- -- welcome here to America's Newsroom.

Thank you -- forty minutes is not a long meeting especially by Washington standards what happened.

Well basically we expected documents to be produce because we've -- those documents have been subpoenaed.

And I've been trying to get him before the subpoena over a period of about eighteen months now.

We've got relatively few would -- -- quantify it about 6000 out of 80000 pages.

We know exists.

And the documents -- were not produce the meeting was supposedly to resolve that to avoid any art contempt citation.

By the house representatives which maybe could come out -- committee.

Within the next couple hours those documents could still be Purdue's but I doubt if they will be I'm guessing that I'm guessing that you asked the attorney general where the documents.

And if you did he said why.

Well basically.

There was -- an offer for.

-- briefing.

But not necessarily.

To give the documents to us and obviously that's where this standoff is.

We're functioning as a congress honor our constitutional responsibility of oversight.

And we believe that these documents are very important to finding out what happened in the murder of -- Border Patrol agent.

Terry.

Why that -- were sold illegally in the first place who made the decision at the highest level of government.

And so basically we're trying to uncover.

What appears to be a cover up.

Or stonewalling he came to negotiate -- and you do not like the terms.

-- -- -- Very definitely and it was beyond negotiation there's no question about.

The ability under the constitution of the congress or require information to make sure that the laws are faithfully executed.

In this case to get to the bottom of a murder that nobody's been arrested for and why the cover up.

And all of it's it's really good -- public information is made public.

Because that's order transportation.

Transparency brings accountability.

And really what does the attorney general have -- you he said that the ball's in your court.

And just quoting here we made what we thought was an extraordinary offer.

-- we subpoenaed documents.

We get a subpoena and offer.

We -- a subpoena.

A conference a meeting like we had.

We thought that document should be produce and they are produced.

Of course I'm not in the house representatives was my understanding.

That congressman I said is going to move ahead and speaker Boehner -- Boehner bring it to the floor.

And the president's or the attorney general's will be held in contempt and it's gonna be turned over the US attorney -- you support that contempt charge there.

Oh definitely definitely -- in fact I have ever reason to have more of excuse for.

This sort of our approach and even the -- -- -- community does because I started this -- A document request two or three months before I asked them to help through subpoena and secondly.

I held up at -- -- deputy attorney general's.

Nomination -- you're going around for about two months we had a conference just like this.

With the attorney general then we were supposed to get documents -- -- -- it.

Deputy attorney general I did that and the they did not keep their into the market -- states -- except.

Double I think your quote was I'm not going to buy a pig in the -- And I think that comes right out of your your home state of Iowa.

-- I think he's hiding.

We feel that they feel that there's political consequences.

During an election year -- the truth gets out.

So can you Stonewall for five months until after the election then.

I hope not I hope that if the house goes ahead with -- contempt and the US attorney does his job.

Then obviously.

It's pretty serious for an attorney general.

Not to come be complying to the constitutional responsibility of congress to get information from the executive branch.

To do our job.

To see under checks and balances to see that the -- and laws are faithfully execute it now remember this whole thing involves a -- -- -- Border Patrol -- it involves.

The Justice Department.

Going ahead with selling guns illegal in America have added up to 2000 guns to -- these guns were found that the murder scene.

The guns weren't followed across the border no -- Drug cartels -- -- arrested as a result of but it was just a block.

Got a -- program from day one and it ended in murder and we -- even know about today airports awards hadn't come forward.

Thank you for your time today Chuck Grassley we'll see whether or not there is movement on this because there is still time.

On behalf of the attorney general Chuck Grassley my guess now thank you senator thank you want.