Shane Goldmacher
NationalJournal
6/27/2012
The Congressional Black Caucus has called a members-only “emergency” meeting on Thursday to plot a “walkout strategy” ahead of the scheduled contempt vote of Attorney General Eric Holder later in the day.
The plans, detailed in an email from the executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus obtained by the Alley, include circulating a letter disapproving of the vote and having lawmakers walk out of the Capitol to hold a press conference during the roll call.
(RELATED: Holder Contempt Vote Going to the Floor)
The letter, a draft of which is being circulated for signatures, accuses the GOP leadership of “rushing recklessly to a contempt vote.” The letter is being circulated among the Black, Hispanic, Asian and Progressive caucuses, among other.
(RELATED: Holder to Attend Congressional Picnic–Awkwaaaard)
“We cannot and will not participate in a vote to hold the Attorney General in contempt,” says the letter, in which the signers urge that “all members of Congress to stand with us during a press conference on the Capitol Building steps during this appalling series of votes to discuss our nation’s most significant priority–creating jobs.”
The House is expected to vote on Thursday hold Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to release certain documents related to the failed “Fast and Furious” gun-running program.
(RELATED: Dreier Hearts Dick Clark)
At moments, the fight has taken on racial undertones, most notably when Holder, who is African American, told the New York Times in December 2011 that he served as a stand-in for GOP attacks on President Obama. “This is a way to get at the president because of the way I can be identified with him,” Holder said, “both due to the nature of our relationship and, you know, the fact that we’re both African-American.”…
A copy of the letter is at NationalJournal.
H/T Kevin Jackson, The Blacksphere, who wrote:
It REALLY is about race now, isn’t it? It can’t POSSIBLY be, in this lifetime or any other, that a black man (or woman) could ever, EVER do anything wrong, or illegal or unscrupulous? No, no, no, no …. They’re perfect in every way. I mean … c’mon people … how stupid can white folk be? 🙂
Related: Cowardly Obama Suppresses Fast And Furious “Smoking Gun”
Under questioning by Senator Charles Grassley, Attorney General Eric Holder testified that a handful of emails written to Department of Justice officials by former ATF Acting Director Kenneth Melson are being withheld illegally from congressional committees as a result of Barack Obama’s claim of executive privilege. Kept now under lock and key thanks to the June 20th order,  the emails have been described by Melson as “smoking guns” in that–contrary to Holder’s testimony to Congress–they “show senior DOJ officials knew about and approved the gun walking tactics in Fast and Furious.”…
Update: Carney: President Believes Holder Contempt Vote ‘Political Theatre’
Headline corrected
