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House Republicans investigating Operation 'Fast & Furious' file lawsuit urging Justice Department to release documents
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-- -- just got faster and more -- just over a month ago the house held attorney general Eric Holder in contempt but today.
Just get revved up even more the house oversight committee find a civil suit against attorney general holder.
Lawmakers asking a federal court to step in and force the Justice Department to turn over documents in the box a gun running operation.
House -- -- -- -- -- joins -- Venus served.
Good evening Greta how are things in Washington.
Well I don't know I'm in Wisconsin but so I'm back can I report how they are here in that was abstinence a beautiful weather here but they seem well -- -- -- -- state you -- would take you -- -- -- what would take -- Wisconsin this time of year was there some great event that we're all happy about.
Well I'm I don't know -- just have to watch a show to find out well I'm there's a tease you a little bit it's not my -- community had that one to six weeks ago.
I now doubting your -- -- are okay so what's.
It was so so what is this -- have filed you still haven't gotten the documents is about any discussion since the house contempt.
Order -- and a fine -- got nothing for the government.
Not at all the attorney general as good as his word which was he was only gonna give us a couple hundred more documents if we agreed to close the case.
He would let us see them before.
We agreed to take them and if we didn't take it there'd be nothing in there's been nothing and we of course waited to see if the US attorney would do his job he didn't.
And so were credibly we've had to follow this alternate course and we have filed.
I now I've looked at certain I'd given my dad said of the mathematics in my head about out filing deadlines for for how to proceed and knowing a little bit about the docket.
In federal court in DC out and looks like this will not be resolved in no ordinary course of business before Election Day is that.
Is that what -- your lawyers have have indicated to you.
That's correct Greta and and this -- never been about an election year remember this started within days of my being sworn in in 2010.
This really.
-- -- -- it started in 2010 and all through 2011 and now 2012.
We pursue this from the time I became chairman on behalf of senator Grassley so.
It just happens that there's an election coming up.
But -- an investigation in which your stonewalled for nearly two years is inevitably gonna have an intervening election.
Now I doesn't doesn't feel give free legal advice in light of this.
Because this does have political ramifications because the other some people say that they abide mr.
nations high documents and it's good to keep them sort of hot not to dry on this until the election they weren't.
You can sort of cast a suspicion suppose that they're not withholding any at all.
And -- still got to deal with a politically itself.
In light of that in light of the fact of the Bryan Terry family really should get answers.
Why don't -- -- expedited consideration by the judge.
And the Justice Department can join -- and Elliott just get a fine from the Justice Department answering yours and -- judge simply has to decide this case there's no reason should take more than a month.
That way it won't be involved in a political aspect and the Terry -- gets its answer.
What we've just been assigned to judge we believe she's there she is an Obama appointee but she's got a very good track record in both public and private life.
And our hope is that we will get expedited consideration because it Terry family has waded through this investigation for a rate -- month.
And are you Arab are the facts.
I think even Greta we had been there in no hurry unless you ask for it.
Greta we will be using every attempt to get discovery as soon as possible I will take your free legal advice it's always been good advice so -- Discovery but you don't even get -- even need discovery that sees it used to mean then the government of Eric Holder has not turned it turned -- says he's protected by the executive privilege.
Either either a big second privilege does protect it or not you don't need discovery you don't need anything you just didn't judge to make a decision US for expedite relief.
The government agree as well -- and hopefully the judgment of the same and it gets decided quickly executive privilege yes or no.
Well you know Greta you're exactly right but in our in our filing.
We make it very clear there is no stated executive -- as you know what they did was a stonewalled us simply saying will give you what we want to we won't give you what we don't we've already giving -- things others wouldn't give.
We'll give me a little more as long as you go away.
Candidly.
Executive privilege was simply a tactic in the final hours as we were voting.
Contempt there was never any question that.
That they're trying to create this new deliberative privilege but let's understand something Greta and I think this is the important thing we all understand.
They lied to congress.
They then covered it up for ten months and that's what they're claiming privilege.
Much of what we're asking for is who lied to us who produced the document behind the scenes.
Did they know or didn't they know they're providing it that's a very simple standard -- the Nixon standard are you entitled.
To cover -- I -- your own I won't do it let.
But I don't think the last -- but judge gets to make that call whether you're right or the justice to bar -- -- polarized and it -- would like to get faster and and get it all behind us whatever we added we are would be hit and -- but -- and that.
We tried to last but the fact is though that that Nixon.
Would decided this a generation ago you cannot commit crimes including lying to congress and and then cover it up and expected to be covered by executive privilege.
But we can I get adjusted to decide that -- you Greta.
And I gotta I gotta go -- thank you --
