Is Issa approaching the 'No-More-Mr. Nice-Guy' point in Fast & Furious? :: 02/17/2012

Congressman Darrell Issa yesterday sent a seven-page letter to Attorney General Eric Holder about his and the Justice Department's uncooperative posture in the investigation of Operation Fast and Furious, and there were no Valentines attached.

Clearly, Issa's frustration is showing in the letter, leading many to wonder just when the California Republican is going to stop playing "Mr. Nice Guy" and slap Holder with a contempt of Congress citation. Mike Vanderboegh at Sipsey Street Irregulars dished out some sarcasm about Issa's letter.

On the Northwest Firearms forum, they're talking about Issa right now in a thread headlined 'Hey Issa - Pull The Trigger Already!'

Maybe Issa deserves it, maybe not. But clearly, Issa, who chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, thinks the Justice Department and Holder have been less than forthcoming, and he's getting impatient, especially now that Deputy Attorney General James Cole has asked for more time to produce documents that were subpoenaed back on Oct. 12.

"On its face, the requested extension demonstrates a lack of good faith. With one exception, the Department has only produced documents responsive to the subpoena on the eve of congressional hearings in which senior Department officials testified. The Department appears to be more concerned with protecting its image through spin control than actually cooperating with Congress."-Darrell Issa, to Eric Holder

Judging from the text of Issa's letter, it is time for Holder to deliver the goods.

"Congress must complete its work. We cannot wait any longer for the Department's cooperation...

"Complying with the Committee's subpoena is not optional. Indeed, the failure to produce documents pursuant to a congressional subpoena is a violation of federal law."-Darrell Issa

The attorney general has been acting as though he believes himself to be politically and legally bullet-proof, critics suggest. His refusal to provide any Fast and Furious-related documents dated after Feb. 4, 2011 has infuriated Issa, who wrote:

"By any measure, the Department has obstructed and slowed our work."

Furthermore, Issa contended that the Justice Department has continued to change its policy to suit its own purposes. To many observers, including one source at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who contacted this column Tuesday, the Department is playing games to perpetuate its cover-up of the Fast and Furious debacle.