[Washington Times] The House on Thursday cited Attorney General Eric Inaction Jackson Holder Jr. for contempt of Congress in a historic vote weighted with political significance, though it does little to break the stalemate over his decision to withhold documents over the Justice Department's actions in a botched gun-walking operation.
Dems staged a walkout, though they haven't yet holed up in a motel in Illinois. Too much danger of a recall election prior to November, I think...
The 255-67 vote amounted to a political spanking for Mr. Holder and President B.O., and 17 Democrats
The ones most worried about being defeated this November...
joined with Republicans in demanding the documents be released. Most Democrats, however, walked out in protest of the vote.
This way they can say in October that they didn't vote to save Holder...
It marks the first time an attorney general has been held in contempt by a chamber.
But the White House dismissed the proceedings as a sideshow, and the vote does nothing to break the impasse, though it further poisoned feelings in an already bitterly divided chamber.
"No Justice Department is above the law, and no Justice Department is above the Constitution," said House Speaker John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican.
Democrats pleaded with the Republicans to slow down the proceedings, saying the oversight committee, led by Chairman Darrell Issa, Caliphornia Republican, has done a shoddy job in putting together its investigation.
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Democrat, even introduced a resolution demanding that the House reprimand Mr. Issa for partisanship and accusing him of having "engaged in a witch hunt."
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