Holder Caught Holding Out

It was all just a misunderstanding, Holder Claims

President Obama's chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Eric Holder, misrepresented his knowledge of operation 'Fast and Furious' when he testified before a senate Judiciary Committee hearing. Holder had testified that he had first heard about Fast and Furious in April of 2011.

On May 3, 2011, Holder told a Judiciary Committee hearing, "I'm not sure of the exact date, but I probably heard about Fast and Furious for the first time over the last few weeks."

Probably not.

New documents obtained by CBS News show Attorney General Eric Holder was sent briefings on the controversial Fast and Furious operation as far back as July 2010.

In Fast and Furious, thousands of guns were purchased from US gun shops and then allowed to cross the border and fall into the hands of Mexican drug cartels. The gun shops had notified the ATF of the suspicious large purchases of weapons, but the ATF was under orders to let the purchases and transport proceed. Those guns were used in numerous crimes, including the killing of hundreds of Mexican citizens, and at least two US Federal employees.

It's called letting guns "walk," and it remained secret to the public until Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered last December. Two guns from Fast and Furious were found at the scene, and ATF agent John Dodson blew the whistle on the operation.

This is so incredibly callous, so calculating and so utterly devoid of concern for the many Mexican lives placed in jeopardy, and for what?!

The Justice Department told CBS News that the officials in those emails were talking about a different case started before Eric Holder became Attorney General. And tonight they tell CBS News, Holder misunderstood that question from the committee - he did know about Fast and Furious - just not the details.

Oh, he did know, just not the details. I'm glad we got that cleared up.

Sheesh.