House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa (right) listens to ranking member Elijah Cummings during a committee hearing concerning Attorney General Eric Holder's cooperation with a Congressional investigation into the Justice Department's botched gun-smuggling operation. The department's Office of the Inspector General is expected to release a report on the matter soon.
Since Republicans began tormenting him almost two years ago over a botched gun-smuggling investigation, Attorney General Eric Holder has wielded it as a shield.
"It" is a forthcoming report from the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General on exactly what happened in Operation Fast and Furious, in which agents for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives allowed hundreds of powerful assault guns to "walk" to criminal networks.
When facing down hostile GOP lawmakers in antagonistic Congressional hearings, or refusing to disclose subpoenaed documents, Holder has pointed to the report as evidence he wants to get to the bottom of the scandal.
"I am . the attorney general who called on an inspector general to look into this matter, to investigate this matter," Holder said to Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), moments after Cornyn called on Holder to resign in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this summer.
Now, Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz's report will be released imminently, posing a potential danger both to Holder and to his GOP nemesis, House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.).
By putting such emphasis on the report, Holder has elevated its importance, leaving him no room to complain about its findings if they reflect poorly on his or his top subordinates' conduct.
But to the extent the report exonerates, or does not discuss, the role of Holder and key top lieutenants such as Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer, it could be used to dismiss any further inquires into their conduct.
GOP lawmakers have expressed come concern whether Horowitz has conducted a thorough or aggressive investigation. Reps. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) and Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) met with him in July.
When Breuer, whose criminal division approved the Fast and Furious wiretaps, was up for confirmation in the Senate, Horowitz wrote a letter of support saying that based on knowing Breuer for "several years," he would make an "outstanding leader" of the DOJ's criminal division.
The two are said to be friends. A call to Horowitz's office was not returned Friday.
In a Wednesday letter to Issa, Horowitz said a draft version of the report is in the hands of the DOJ officials whose conduct it concerns.
"Consistent with the longstanding practice of our Office, we have provided a copy of the OIG's draft report to the Department of Justice (Department). We have also made arrangements to permit individuals whose conduct Is criticized in the draft report (and who also cooperated with our investigation) to review those portions of the report that relate to their conduct," the letter said.
Lois Lerner, director of exempt organizations for the IRS, arrives for a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on the investigation of the IRS' targeting of political groups. Lerner invoked her Fifth Amendment right to not testify and caused a protest from some committee members when she offered an opening statement and engaged in dialogue with members before invoking the right.
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