On the recordJune 28, 2012
I thank the gentleman. Mr. Speaker, we are here today because of an ill-conceived, dangerous, illegal, gun-running scheme called Operation Fast and Furious. This operation has resulted in the death of at least one--maybe two-- Federal agents and in the deaths of hundreds of Mexican nationals; yet we still cannot get a straight answer from the Justice Department as to what happened. The Attorney General says he doesn't know who authorized this nonsense, but he won't let Congress help him find out the facts. In December of last year, Attorney General Holder testified before the House Judiciary Committee and told me that Operation Fast and Furious was ``flawed and reckless'' and that it was ``probably true'' that more people were going to die. Now, isn't that lovely? Why is the Attorney General being so obstinate? After months of delay, delay, delay, today is the day of reckoning. This administration claims to be the most transparent administration in history. So why won't the administration let the American people know what happened during Fast and Furious? What are they hiding? This contempt resolution is about one thing. It's about finding out how such a stealth and dangerous operation could ever be authorized by the Government of the United States. Why would our government help smuggle guns to our neighbor and put them in the hands of the enemy of Mexico and the United States--the violent drug cartels?…
