Fresh DOJ loss in ‘Fast and Furious’ docs fight

[ChezC3]

A federal judge has rejected Attorney General Eric Holder’s attempt to keep the courts from wading into the “Fast and Furious” documents dispute that led to him being held in contempt by the House last year.

In a ruling Monday night, U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson turned down the Justice Department’s request to dismiss a lawsuit brought by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee after President Barack Obama asserted executive privilege to prevent some records about the administration’s response to the “Operation Fast and Furious” gunrunning scandal from being turned over to Congress.


“This case presents the sort of question that the courts are traditionally called upon to resolve,” Jackson said in her 44-page decision, issued more than five months after lawyers argued the issue in her packed courtroom and more than a year after the House committee filed suit. “Dismissing the case without hearing it would in effect place the court’s finger on the scale, designating the executive as the victor based solely on his untested assertion that the privilege applies,” she wrote.

Fresh DOJ loss in


Glad to see the underhanded tactics of this Administration aren't allowed to run completely unhindered...

 

[Ockham]

Fresh DOJ loss in


Glad to see the underhanded tactics of this Administration aren't allowed to run completely unhindered...

Basically the judge said that the DOJ cannot simply exercise "privilege" with impunity and rejected the call for dismissing the case. At least the case gets to be heard and the arguments put out there.

 

[CycloneWanderer]

So, what does it mean? Executive priviledge to keep records from congress is being challenged?

edit: nevermind, see post above.

 

[penn1954]

Fresh DOJ loss in


Glad to see the underhanded tactics of this Administration aren't allowed to run completely unhindered...

Good for her!

However we're gonna think Dean Smith is back-doing the 4 corners stall when it comes
to doing as ordered.:2razz:

 

[ChezC3]

Basically the judge said that the DOJ cannot simply exercise "privilege" with impunity and rejected the call for dismissing the case. At least the case gets to be heard and the arguments put out there.

Right, depending on who gets the docket this could be big. But at least it's on the books that "No, because I said so" is no longer an acceptable answer.