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Eric Holder: House Oversight Committee Vote 'Unwarranted'

06/21/12 08:03 AM ET  AP

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says a vote by a House of Representatives committee to hold him in contempt was "unwarranted, unnecessary and unprecedented."

Holder says he believes that a negotiated solution can be found, and the assembly "has to consider (...) what they will do and we'll see how it works out. "

The White House reacted sharply Wednesday to the party-line vote that came after President Barack Obama invoked executive privilege in refusing to turn over documents related to Operation Fast and Furious, which sent illicit arms into Mexico. A vote by the full House could come next week.

Holder spoke Thursday on the sidelines of a meeting with European Union officials in Copenhagen, Denmark, which holds the rotating EU presidency.

Here are some photos from the vote:
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  • From left, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Md., Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., Rep, Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., right, and many House Democrats walk out of the Capitol during the vote to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt, Thursday, June 28, 2012, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

  • House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., left, and the committee's ranking Democrat Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., go to the House Rules Committee, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 27, 2012, to argue procedures as the House of Representatives prepares to vote on whether Attorney General Eric Holder is in contempt of Congress because he has refused to give the Oversight Committee all the documents it wants related to Operation Fast and Furious, the flawed gun-smuggling probe involving Mexican drug cartels. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

  • Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., left, stretches out her hand to get the attention of Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, as the panel considers a vote to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 20, 2012. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the ranking member, sits between them. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

  • WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 20: House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) (C) talks with raking member U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) (L) during a mark up hearing on Capitol Hill June 20, 2012 in Washington, DC. Issa and the committee Republicans called the hearing to vote on holding U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to hand over documents the GOP says are key to their investigation into the failed Fast and Furious operation. Before the start of the hearing, the White House asserted the documents are protected by executive privilidge. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

  • Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., center, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, confers with an aide as the panel considers a vote to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 20, 2012. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the ranking member, second from left, speaks with Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., who authored an amendment in support of Holder. In a showdown with President Barack Obama's administration, House Republicans had pressed for more Justice Department documents on the flawed gun-smuggling probe known as Operation Fast and Furious that resulted in hundreds of guns illicitly purchased in Arizona gun shops winding up in the hands of Mexican drug cartels. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

  • Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, center, debates Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., as the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee considers a vote to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 20, 2012. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

  • The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, led by Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., right, considers whether to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 20, 2012. Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the ranking member, speaks at left. In a showdown with President Barack Obama's administration, House Republicans are pressing for more Justice Department documents on the flawed gun-smuggling probe known as Operation Fast and Furious that resulted in hundreds of guns illicitly purchased in Arizona gun shops winding up in the hands of Mexican drug cartels. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

  • WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 20: House Oversight and Government Reform raking member U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) (R) hears from U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) during a mark up hearing with June 20, 2012 in Washington, DC. Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) and the committee Republicans called the hearing to vote on holding U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to hand over documents the GOP says are key to their investigation into the failed Fast and Furious operation. Before the start of the hearing, the White House asserted the documents are protected by executive privilidge. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

  • Attorney General Eric holder speaks to reporters following his meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 19, 2012. Holder wants a House panel to drop plans to try to hold him in contempt of Congress, and the panel's chairman wants more Justice Department documents regarding Operation Fast and Furious, a flawed gun-smuggling probe in Arizona. Holder and Rep. Issa met in an effort to resolve their dispute over the investigation of Fast and Furious by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that Issa chairs.(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

  • Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., speaks to reporters following his meeting with Attorney General Eric Holder on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 19, 2012. Holder wants a House panel to drop plans to try to hold him in contempt of Congress, and the panel's chairman wants more Justice Department documents regarding Operation Fast and Furious, a flawed gun-smuggling probe in Arizona. Holder and Issa met in an effort to resolve their dispute over the investigation of Fast and Furious by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that Issa chairs. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

  • Attorney General Eric Holder speaks to reporters following his meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 19, 2012. Holder wants a House panel to drop plans to try to hold him in contempt of Congress, and the panel's chairman wants more Justice Department documents regarding Operation Fast and Furious, a flawed gun-smuggling probe in Arizona. Holder and Rep. Darrell Issa, a California Republican, met in an effort to resolve their dispute over the investigation of Fast and Furious by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee that Issa chairs. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

  • Attorney General Eric Holder walks through Statuary Hall to speak to reporters following his meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

  • FILE -In this Dec. 8, 2011 file photo, House Judiciary Committee member Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., left, shakes hands with Attorney General Eric Holder on Capitol Hill in Washington. Holder is proposing to meet with Issa by Monday to settle a dispute over Justice Department documents the congressman is demanding on a flawed gun-smuggling probe. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says a vote by a House of Representatives committee to hold him in contempt was "unwarranted, unnecessary and unprecedented." Holder says he b...
COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says a vote by a House of Representatives committee to hold him in contempt was "unwarranted, unnecessary and unprecedented." Holder says he b...
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02:39 PM on 06/29/2012
Holder should be in Jail!
12:46 AM on 06/25/2012
Pending approval of the Huff Post is the same as pending approval from Obama
02:38 PM on 06/29/2012
LOL
12:43 AM on 06/25/2012
Send him to jail
02:40 PM on 06/29/2012
That's what I think too!
02:04 PM on 06/22/2012
What I don't understand if why are the Repubs making such a big deal now. The fact that a border patrol agent was killed is irrelevant. If they thought that the hole Fast & Furious program was wrong why didn't they make the same fuss during the Bush Admin.
04:36 PM on 06/25/2012
Because Fast & Furious didn't exist under the Bush administration. It was a similar, but also distinctly different program. Gunrunner was performed with the knowledge and cooperation of Mexican authorities, unlike this disastrous programs.
12:10 PM on 06/26/2012
Firstly, the issue here is the fact that this office has lied about known information on this program. Holder blamed the last attorney General General and he has attempted to wash his hands of this ordeal, but if you were news savvy Stephanie, you would know that recent information has come out stating that Mr. Holder had full intelligence of this program and that he did indeed develop it. If it is true that he and this administration had nothing to hide, then why not turn over the documents? The logic is very simple here...this administration is dealing from under the table and they are duplicitous. Furthermore, this administration (Mr. Obama, and Mr. Holder) is refusing to carry out immigration laws created by Congress, siting this as executive privilege. This office, and especially including Mr. Holder have contempt for the law and the Constitution the very documents that they as executives are in office to uphold. The answer here Ms. Weakley, is blatant corruption and radical contempt of the rule of law. That is why Mr. Holder needs to go!
01:20 PM on 06/22/2012
Democrats are a criminal enterprise.
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08:31 AM on 06/22/2012
Mukasey learned about problems with these gunrunner programs with the Hernadez case in 2007. He and Republicans were too busy defending torture to pay much attention and they funded these programs like Operation Gunrunner in 2008!
12:15 PM on 06/26/2012
Gunnrunner had full compliance of the Mexican administration and it was different. FAst and Furious was developed by Holder-- who has in the past stated that he had no knowledge of the program until it blew up in his face. Holder is a liar, Holder is corrupt, and he has contempt for the rule of law. Something quite unusual for someone that is in charge of executing the laws of the land. This radical fool needs to go. By the way Mike VA, read a little more and maybe you would get your information straight!
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01:48 PM on 06/26/2012
I have my information straight. You set of conspiracy trash funded the program. Issa, your felon car thief, wrote the check.
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01:52 PM on 06/26/2012
You all are sad. The once mighty "conservative" movement has become the conspiracy nut movement. You've nominated Bishop Romney as your evader-in-chief. The new worthless, evasive phony movement. These gunwalker programs didn't work in 2007. Republicans were to busy defending torture to pay attention. You even wrote the check to fund this new set of billions to Mexico. You all talk a good game on government. You are big government, incompetent, felon car thiefs like Issa.
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12:51 AM on 06/22/2012
President No-Balls will surely throw him under the bus, just as he does everyone else the right doesn't like.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cza2129
12:27 AM on 06/22/2012
Hes gonna go the 573 miles from there to Amsterdam next so he can bring back some of the good stuff that he and BARRY smoke.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cza2129
11:27 PM on 06/21/2012
Holder if YOU or Obama are NOT responsible for F&F and had NO knowledge of it till AFTER the deaths of the 2 agents as you BOTH CLAIM...SIMPLY turn over the documents and tell EVERYONE who was responsible...WE'RE WAITING.
12:08 AM on 06/22/2012
He will have the most transparent admin,

Lie Number 2,543,678,892,876
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cza2129
12:23 AM on 06/22/2012
LOL...You know how we have that debt clock you always see withh the numbers going up all the time? We need a LIE clock for this Administration.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cza2129
10:35 PM on 06/21/2012
Holder, YOU and now OBAMA owe the parents and families of these 2 dead Border Agents Terry and Zapata the IDENTITY of the PERSON(S) at the DOJ responsible for the HORRIBLE Fast and Furious Operation...it's that simple. tell the committee who HAS the LEGAL right to oversight WHO is responsible. When you refuse to do so and Obama takes the action he did, we are left to ask...What are you HIDING?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Tony Blass
said it wasn't a tax but it was
09:53 PM on 06/21/2012
Holder has already admitted to lying TWICE before Congress. No deal.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Vikingdave
Treat friend like it's your last time together.
08:07 PM on 06/21/2012
Eric Holder: House Oversight Committee Vote 'Unwarranted'
Why did'nt Issa call former AG Mukasey to testify? Who's Mukasey?
Holders predecessor.
On August 12, 2008 Mukasey told American Bar Association annual
meeting delegates that "not every wrong, or even every violation of the
law, is a crime", with "only violations of the civil service laws"
being found among hiring practices during Gonzales' tenure as Attorney
General. And who was Mukaseys predessor? This guy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIgbJSrIvWc
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cza2129
10:38 PM on 06/21/2012
Gonzalez and the Bush Administration for that matter were NOT hiding WHO was responsible for the MURDERS of 2 Border Patrol Agents...Holder is. Nuff said.
OK-4NOW
NO OBAMA 2012
12:45 AM on 06/22/2012
They just don't seem to GRASP that concept.
07:16 PM on 06/21/2012
Eric, your continued service is "unwarranted"!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Vikingdave
Treat friend like it's your last time together.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
idisVA
06:58 PM on 06/21/2012
Eric Holder wi not be intimidated. He stays to enforce all US laws, including the Voting Rights Act. We have seen 2000 when the presidential elections were stolen in broad daylight. Never again.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
SPQR1775
09:20 PM on 06/21/2012
President Obama is POTUS, but Holder has the Power and the GOPT knows it, but they are messing with the wrong black guy or we would say nicca!
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Fan of America
06:07 PM on 06/21/2012
This should prove once and for all, that Holder and Obama are criminels! Be sure to vote out in November!
07:01 PM on 06/21/2012
what will prove they are criminals? You mean the actual criminal Issa?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Tony Blass
said it wasn't a tax but it was
09:54 PM on 06/21/2012
The two admitted instances of PERJURY
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cza2129
10:44 PM on 06/21/2012
He means that when the documents ARE revealed and they will be, that Holder and Obama will be found out for what they are hiding. We know now by his retracting of his testimony 2 times now that Holder LIED or "misinformed" LOL Congress.
07:14 PM on 06/21/2012
how does a ridiculous vote by a bunch of idiot prove criminality of the president at the AG?