Washington, DC - Congressman Charles B. Rangel issued the following statement after the House voted to hold Attorney General Holder in contempt of Congress:

"Today I proudly joined my Democratic Colleagues in walking out during the vote holding Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress. The vote represents a perversion of the job of the House of Representatives led by the Republican majority. When we are elected by the good people of our districts, there is an expectation that we will work for our constituents and the American people. Instead of taking that job seriously, House Republicans are engaging in frivolous political theater in an attempt to embarrass President Barack Obama in an election year.

We are not elected to do what the National Rifle Association wants.  It is a shame that the powerful Nation Rifle Association managed to capture the votes of many Representatives by putting a vote on its scorecard that really has nothing to do with gun rights.  Why are they involved in this issue? 

Attorney General Holder has worked consistently and diligently in good faith with the Congressional investigation of the "Fast and Furious" gunwalking operation. The Justice Department has turned over almost 8,000 documents, including every single document pertinent to the tactics in this investigation and the other flawed investigations that occurred in Arizona during the Bush Administration.

The Attorney General has also taken time to testify on this issue on many occasions and indicated to House Republicans that he is open to working together to reach an agreement. Instead of accepting his offer, the GOP House Leadership has rushed forward with an unjust contempt vote. After today's vote, the innocent Attorney General became the first Cabinet official to ever be held in contempt.

Republicans were never interested in a true investigation. House Oversight Committee Chairman Issa refused 10 different requests from Democrats for a hearing with Ken Melson, the former director of the ATF – the agency responsible for the 'gunwalking' operations. Additionally, the Chairman rejected Democrats' request for a hearing with former Bush Attorney General Michael Mukasey, even though there is evidence that he was briefed on the botched “gunwalking” operations. The Chairman would not even consent to a request for a private meeting with Mukasey. Instead of a bipartisan, public hearing with Democrats and Republicans calling witnesses, we have an Attorney General unjustly held in contempt of Congress.

I said previously that surely there are Republicans who do not actually believe the Attorney General should be held in contempt, but that they are held in lockstep by the party apparatus. Chairman Issa has refused to back up his claim that the gunwalking operation, which started under President Bush, was actually a roundabout way for the Obama Administration to push for more gun regulations, and the Senate Judiciary Committee has rejected the claim as well.

House Democrats and I are focused on the many people in this country who want and need good-paying work. Like I said when the House Oversight Committee voted on this issue, the Republicans are spending time on a law enforcement tactic—‘gunwalking’—that ended under President Obama and everyone agrees should not be used. They have created division where there is consensus and distracted from my number one priority and the Democrats’ main priority: jobs! We will not be distracted by Republican electioneering."