you got to understand a year ago i had a nephew who was slaughtered and shot with a g n gun. i see it in my district and i see it in my city. i see what guns can do. and i am determined to do that. but you got to understand something, chris. this contempt proceeding has nothing to do with the murder of brian terry. what we are dealing with is and chairman issa has made it clear what we are dealing with now some documents where there is an effort to, number one, figure out how this false document was submitted to senator grassley and keep in mind that there was false information, chris, that was sent to the legislative department of the department of justice from the folks down there in phoenix that is the t atf. these are the same people, by the way, many of them who were carrying on operations like
in february of 2011 a little over a year ago, the justice scalia tick a little over a year ago the justice department sent a letter to senator grassley saying there had been no gun walking operation where they let guns go over the board. in december of 2011 they had to send another letter to congress saying that wasn t true, retracting the letter. that is why february of 2011 is a big date. cockmacongressman issa you talt finding the truth but refused to hold public hearing with the people at phoenix atf who ran the operation. you refused to hold a public hearing with the former head of atf, kennell son th ken nelson. he has testifyd that he he never told the higher ups at justice department about fast and furious. no, chris chris: he testifyd that he did tell them. well, we will get to that in a second. and you also in the case of these letters you are seeking
told you about that, i told lanny brewer, head of the criminal division or holder got that member ho memo on that da. how is it going to change anything regarding the atf agent is the question. congress is manifestly entitled to investigate the internal processes that led to a false letter and the aftermath of it. they are investigating two things. what happened that led to the agent s death and what happened in the aftermath. both of legitimate questions. we already know what happen that led to the agent s death. it was this program. they are trying to pin it on eric holder. that is all they are trying to do. it is not about whether the program was good or bad. the program was bad. is was stupid and has been shut down and it has been investigated. a false letter was written. how did that come about? it came from the atf. chris: you worked in the bush white house and they got into a battle with a democratic house who were seeking documents about the firing of u.s. attorneys
we have not refused. chris: has he testified before the committee? he testified for two days. chris: in a public hearing? no, in a private gathering with republicans and democrats under oath. our lawyers were asking those questions. from that we asked for documents. our in te intention is to havem back on a panel along with dennis burke and others. chris: i hate to interrupt but you we have limited time. congressman cummings does that satisfy you? no, i have asked the chairman to bring the atf director nelson before us. he has refused to. we asked for witnesses to come before the public hearing. he has refused to do that. all i m saying is i the chairman in me has a willing partner if we are really going to be about the business of keeping our promise to the terry family. i want to do that. that is so very, very importa t important. but i can tell you that again and i think and i have said it before, chris, i think with
in february of 2011 a little over a year ago, the justice scalia tick a little over a year ago the justice department sent a letter to senator grassley saying there had been no gun walking operation where they let guns go over the board. in december of 2011 they had to send another letter to congress saying that wasn t true, retracting the letter. that is why february of 2011 is a big date. cockmacongressman issa you talt finding the truth but refused to hold public hearing with the people at phoenix atf who ran the operation. you refused to hold a public hearing with the former head of atf, kennell son th ken nelson. he has testifyd that he he never told the higher ups at justice department about fast and furious. no, chris chris: he testifyd that he did tell them. well, we will get to that in a second. and you also in the case of these letters you are seeking