Thursday, June 6, 2013

FOXNews.com: GOP weighs options on questionable Holder testimony- Holder says he won't step down despite scandals

FOXNews.com
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GOP weighs options on questionable Holder testimony- Holder says he won't step down despite scandals
Jun 6th 2013, 14:49

Republican lawmakers are weighing their options after Attorney General Eric Holder offered a brief, after-the-deadline response to questions about suspect testimony he gave last month on reporter surveillance. 

Holder was facing a close-of-business deadline Wednesday to explain the May 15 testimony to leaders of the House Judiciary Committee. He missed it, but then submitted a brief written response later Wednesday night. 

A committee aide, though, told Fox News that the letter was "not responsive." It's unclear whether they will try to compel Holder to provide more information. 

According to a copy obtained by Fox News, Holder reiterated that he's started a review of policies pertaining to probes that involve reporters. And he vouched for a response sent out earlier in the week from the department's "Office of Legislative Affairs." He said that response "was not intended to demonstrate disrespect in any way." 

But Republican committee leaders were not satisfied by that letter, sent Monday by a lower-level official, and demanded Holder personally explain himself. 

"A letter from a subordinate that fails to answer many of our questions does not suffice," Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., wrote in a letter sent Tuesday. 

The committee wants Holder to explain his May 15 testimony. 

At the time, the attorney general said under oath he knew nothing of the "potential prosecution" of the press. Days later, it emerged that Holder was involved in his department's successful effort to obtain Fox News reporter James Rosen's personal emails -- the DOJ sought access to the documents by arguing Rosen was a likely criminal "co-conspirator" in a leak case. 

The Justice Department explained Monday in a letter to GOP committee leaders that the investigation never escalated into any prosecution of the reporter. 

"The Attorney General's testimony before the Committee on May 15, 2013, with respect to the Department's prosecutions of the unauthorized disclosure of classified information was accurate and consistent with these facts," the letter said. 

Yet the letter also acknowledged that Holder "was consulted and approved the application for the search warrant." And, while Republican leaders of the House Judiciary Committee demanded an explanation from Holder himself, the letter was signed not by him but by a "principal deputy assistant attorney general." 

This puts the question to GOP leaders whether they will aggressively pursue the issue. 

Earlier in the week, Sensenbrenner said his committee is prepared to compel Holder to explain if he doesn't make the Wednesday deadline. 

"I think we ought to subpoena the attorney general to come back and answer those questions specifically," he told Fox News on Sunday, when asked what happens if Holder misses the deadline. 

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., agreed. 

He told Fox News on Monday that Holder "absolutely" should return to the committee to explain his May 15 comments.

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