Cong. Gosar Calls for Holder’s Resignation

The Daily Caller – Sep 19, 2012Arizona Republican Rep. Paul Gosar has doubled down on his call for Attorney General Eric Holder’s resignation over Operation Fast and Furious in the wake of the release of the internal Department of Justice Inspector General report detailing its take on the scandal.“This report confirms what I have firmly believed and said since information about Fast and Furious came to light — officials at the Department of Justice, under Attorney General Eric Holder, acted with a reckless disregard for the lives and safety of Americans and Mexicans alike,” Gosar said in a statement. “The report shows a lack of accountability and transparency at main Justice, which has been the basis of congressional inquiries.”DOJ Inspector General Michael Horowitz is scheduled to testify before the House oversight committee on Thursday morning about the report.Gosar, who has led the charge against Holder in the House with an official resolution of “no confidence” in him, was the third congressman to demand Holder’s resignation over this scandal in October 2011. Now, 130 House members want Holder to resign, as do eight senators, two sitting governors and GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney.“We must not forget what this report was about. The consequences of Fast and Furious are higher crime and more deaths,” Gosar said. “I remain committed to seeing justice brought for Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry and the hundreds of Mexicans who have lost their lives.”“This report relied on approximately 100,000 documents and 130 people who were interviewed, many of which were not made available for congressional inquiry,” Gosar added. “The American people deserve better from their attorney general which is why I voted to hold him in contempt, and why I am sponsoring a House Resolution of No Confidence in him (H. Res. 490). Attorney General Holder must resign, and President Obama must insist upon the agency’s full cooperation during the remainder of our investigation.”Two senior DOJ officials — Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jason Weinstein and former acting Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives director Kenneth Melson, who was promoted into DOJ leadership post-Fast and Furious — have already resigned after the release of this report. It’s unclear whether Holder will do the same.