WASHINGTON — The House committee chairman leading the fight to get Justice Department documents about a troubled gun-tracking operation says there’s no evidence so far that White House officials were involved in misleading Congress or engaged in a cover-up.
GOP Rep. Darrell Issa says he hopes “this stays at Justice” and the department decides to hand over the requested material about Operation Fast and Furious.
The Republican-controlled House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has cited Attorney General Eric Holder for contempt of Congress. But President Barack Obama has invoked executive privilege to withhold the documents demanded.
House Speaker John Boehner has said Obama’s action was “an admission the White House officials were involved in the decision that misled the Congress and covered up the truth.”
But Issa was asked on “Fox News Sunday” whether lawmakers had evidence now to support that claim, and he said, “No we don’t.”