(VIDEO) Cornyn to Holder on Fast & Furious: “Would you like to apologize today for this program that went so wrong?"
Today, I pressed U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder for answers on the federal “gun-walking” operation known as “Fast and Furious.” Attorney General Holder claimed he could not “be expected to know” the details of Fast and Furious, refused to apologize for U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry’s death, and acknowledged that no one has been held accountable over the deadly program. Video and transcripts of the hearing are below.
Attorney General Holder: “Cannot Be Expected to Know” the Details of Fast and Furious:
Attorney General Holder: “I have ultimate responsibility for that which happens in the Department, but I cannot be expected to know the details for every operation that is ongoing in the Justice Department on a day-to-day basis. I did not know about Fast and Furious as is indicated in the chart that you have up there until I guess, well, until it became public.”
Sen. Cornyn: “You cannot be expected to have known about the operation known as Fast and Furious despite the fact that we know you received an NDIC memo on July the 5th, 2010. You received another memo on Fast and Furious on November 1st, 2010, and you say you cannot be expected to have known about it, because of the size of your agency?”
Attorney General Holder Refuses to Apologize to Agent Terry’s Family, Claims “It is not fair”:
Sen. Cornyn: “Have you apologized to the family of Brian Terry?”
Attorney General Holder: “I have not apologized to them but I certainly regret what happened…”
Sen. Cornyn: “Have you even talked to them?”
Attorney General Holder: “I have not.”
Sen. Cornyn: “Would you like to apologize today for this program that went so wrong, that took the life of a United States law enforcement agent?”
Attorney General Holder: “I certainly regret what happened to Agent Brian Terry…It is not fair, however, to assume that the mistakes that happened in Fast and Furious directly led to the death of Agent Terry.”
Holder Admits Program Was Wrong, Holds No One Accountable:
Attorney General Holder: “I want to be clear: any instance of so-called ‘gun walking’ is unacceptable. Regrettably, this tactic was used as part of Fast and Furious, which was launched to combat gun trafficking and violence on our Southwest Border. This operation was flawed in concept, as well as in execution.”
Sen. Cornyn: “Can you name me one person who’s been held accountable for this Fast and Furious Operation? Just one in the Department of Justice?”
Attorney General Holder: “Well we have made a number of changes with regard to personnel both in the Phoenix U.S. Attorney’s Office, also at the ATF Headquarters here. I will certainly await the report that comes out of the Inspector General. And I will assure you and the American people that people will be held accountable for any mistakes that were made in connection with Fast and Furious.”