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Democrats and White House go on offensive in debate over 'Fast & Furious' and Pres. Obama's executive privilege
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They white house Press Secretary Jay Carney fiercely defending his boss and going a few rounds with the news media.
How -- this operation come about.
And it refrigerate it originated.
In -- field office during the previous administration was ended under this administration by this attorney general Paul yeah.
That the operation massacres between the tactic the end previous administration -- -- the operation.
The -- subject but isn't that this that tactic began in the previous administration.
And it was ended under this one eye's view I think perhaps more than others given the interest.
In this your network knows that.
Didn't administration principally the department justice.
Has cooperated.
Extensively with congressional investigators provided extensive documentation the administration has even provided.
Document documents.
Related to.
An interest in whether or not people in the White House knew of this operation.
At that I had designed and provided that provided that let me finish please that.
And provided that.
Last fall.
-- understanding C inspector general the Justice Department has gotten tens of thousands if these numbers are 70000 -- so how can say.
Every -- turned over.
If congress has gotten about 10% well I I think you're engaging a little selective listening but the what I did say what I did say is every page related to the fast and furious.
Operation.
And it and and that is what is at issue here.
And now senator Chuck Grassley taking the Press Secretary in a memo late tonight senator Grassley writing.
-- statement that the administration has provided congress every document.
That pertains to the operation itself is hogwash.
It's an aggressive also saying the accusation that I'm motivated by desire for political scalp.
Is baseless with the political party so far apart is there any chance of compromise.
Democratic senate congressman and and Adamson shift joins us -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Okay let me ask the question I asked your colleague across the -- second up.
Do you agree with that leader Pelosi that the Republicans are using contempt as a means to suppress the vote.
In November.
You know I certainly agree that the Republicans are using this is an attempt to -- -- the attorney general discredit his work.
Not only on this issue but also Wanda voter suppression -- a whole range of issues.
The same committee members that are leading this charge -- been leading the charge attacking him on a whole range of things.
Whether it's part of a broader scheme I wouldn't go there but the frankly I think the most important point.
Is that this is say it ain't just another partisan political tool that's distracting us.
From the important work of not only -- finishing the actual investigation into the agent's death.
But also dealing with this terrific level of gun violence in this mutually destructive trade we have -- Mexico.
Where they ship ordered their drugs north and we should -- south.
Now in your former life as a prosecutor if you are provided win.
False information.
Would you not would that not spike your curiosity.
Absolutely -- and I think that the investigation was perfectly appropriate and its origins and its -- appropriate to try to get to the bottom.
A fast and furious but regrettably gotten away.
That's when I'm gonna -- -- -- says yeah but -- -- your curiosity is spike.
If your curiosity -- -- and you want the information when the next step beat either -- court orders subpoena to get that information as a prosecutor.
Or.
-- -- -- -- It would be but what the other side says okay here of the documents here all the documents contemporaneous.
With the operation that your interest sit in and -- -- and then we Willie and other Greta we will go beyond that we'll go beyond the 8000 documents that you've asked whether we've given you.
We will also in an unprecedented fashion give you internal deliberative communications.
If we can reach an agreement on this we're willing to meet you more.
Well yeah and explain just meaning that -- -- look at is that the -- comes to subpoena these documents that kind of says they want documents one to ten.
Department justice says look we're gonna give you eleven to 101000 and icing on how we -- one to ten.
And they say well unit of eleven to 101000 that should satisfy you.
Mean should they get the specific documents that they actually ask -- to.
To settle their curiosity because they previously been giving false information.
And -- they have been given those documents and here's the thing -- the the committee first started out.
Asking for and threatening content if grand jury -- -- turned over and then they realize that that was a a baseless.
Claimed to make and -- -- so we want wiretap applications.
They had to walk back from that the reality is that no matter what the Justice Department has turned over.
And no matter how far they've bent over backwards to meet -- legitimate interest of the committee.
The committee doesn't want to take yes for an answer because what the committee really wants Greta is they want to fight.
And I'll tell you how this fight's going to end because we've seen this played out before.
They're gonna take this up on the house floor because a commitment to conservative base is really demanding this it's going to be approved on a party line vote just like -- committee.
And then they're gonna sue in court you know what's gonna happen with the suit it's going to be settled and you know what the settlement is going to be.
The attorney general's office is gonna turn over the very same documents they are turned over right now.
Now here's I don't understand that -- M and really I said they have made a specific request by subpoena for certain universe of documents right.
Well they started out asking not really in the world what I would save narrow it down yes there was never again.
Mississippi universe has -- specific universe of documents.
Bent provided by the department does -- not the other ones are offering up but the specific ones that have been requested.
Well Greta of course you can't announce it that they the answer is it's been a moving target because every time the Justice Department -- -- Ask -- -- yeah I just want a piece of brilliant but Greta I'm -- I'm excellent element to the what others say the right now.
What they're saying right now is we would like internal deliberative documents that took place after fast and furious ended.
I end here as time those.
-- those documents Greta let me finish.
There's a lot but Greta because an ally despite their curiosity that's apparently they're not -- maybe false information or negligence or whatever.
But that's what -- their curiosity want those other tournaments.
No and that's perfectly appropriate -- that letter was a horrible mistake.
And the department went and gave the documents that went into how that letter came about and how the agency heads.
But that we're responsible for that operation gave misinformation to the department that has all been provided regret -- you can't I don't.
Position I don't in the spring I comes from both sides in a room and set in I had like to but both sides -- would say.
You know Republicans what documents do you watch and then turned to the department justice.
Are you willing to provide these particular documents and you got to -- moving your goalposts unless something happens in these documents against recent spikes more curiosity may end their latest.
But it's like yeah.
I -- I don't get.
I think if you got reasonable people in a room together.
They could easily resolved this and they would agree that OK some additional documents be turned over.
And some are legitimately covered by the privilege and we will agree that those should not be turned over.
The problem is we don't have reasonable parties in the room and the problem is that -- desire here among the committee leadership and among the house leadership is for the fight.
And if the -- -- why they're not -- can do I think.
To resolve it.
I think -- think -- affect my judgment resolve that in the years before prosecutor -- -- and that and congressman got his or brought.
Prospect at what I judge would do as it turned to one party -- what documents do you want.
And an attorney does -- you willing to provide these specific act it's not thousands of other pages that we know that are gonna monitor -- but these specific image that's really where -- -- That is exactly what's going to happen and I -- so it's gonna happen months from now.
And the documents need the department will agree to turn over are the same ones they're offering right now black -- I would -- again the reason why it's not resolve this both parties have to want resolution.
And right now one party wants the fight and that's why unfortunately we're at loggerheads I -- -- back what I what I.
Finally I don't unemployed had a -- -- -- point is.
That the Republicans have to concede that there are circumstances where the executive privilege is justified.
And speaker you know when I think irresponsible claim that that must show that the president is somehow implicated and that's getting I don't -- -- We're gonna go right to black c'mon back we'll talk muzzle another times a lot to talk about thank you -- -- and started --
