As part of an effort led by Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX), 20 Republican congressmen on Thursday signed onto articles of impeachment against Attorney General Eric Holder.
The other 19 co-sponsors include Reps. Larry Buschon (R-IN), Blake Farenthold (R-TX), David Roe (R-TN), Randy Weber (R-TX), Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), Roger Williams (R-TX), Ted Yoho (R-FL), Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Bill Flores (R-TX), Mark Amodei (R-NV), Jim Bridenstine (R-OK), Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Sam Johnson (R-TX), Steve Stockman (R-TX), Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Thomas Massie (R-KY).
Olson charged that Holder has been uncooperative and deceptive.
“For nearly five years, Attorney General Holder has systematically deceived Congress and destroyed the credibility of the Justice Department in the eyes of the American people,” Olson said in a statement. “Last year, the House voted to hold Mr. Holder in contempt of Congress, making him the first sitting cabinet member to ever hold this dubious distinction. Still, he continued mislead and thwart congressional efforts to bring the truth to the American people.”
Olson’s articles claim that Holder did not cooperate with the Fast and Furious congressional investigation and lied about the investigation of James Rosen, a Fox News journalist who reported information from leaked documents about North Korea’s nuclear program.
Olson also said that Holder did not enforce certain laws like the Defense of Marriage Act, and that the attorney general didn’t prosecute Internal Revenue Service officials who targeted political donors during the 2012 election.
These actions give Congress reason to consider impeaching Holder, according to Olson.
“Mr. Holder’s behavior clearly falls under ‘high crimes and misdemeanors,’ offenses that the US Constitution explicitly defines as grounds for removal of a Senate-confirmed cabinet official through impeachment,” the Olson statement reads.
The House voted in 2012 to hold Holder in contempt after he decline to provide Congress documents related to the Fast and Furious investigation.
