The Law : O bama's Executive Privilege and Holder's Contempt: “Operation Fast and Furious”

In his first use of executive privilege, P resident B arack O bama on J une 20, 2012, denied C ongress access to documents related to the “Fast and Furious” operation carried out by the Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms ( ATF ) agency. The program permitted more than two thousand assault guns to leave the U nited S tates and enter M exico, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Mexicans. Initially, the Justice Department denied that ATF ever intended to have guns flow to M exico. Ten months later the department conceded that its statement was “inaccurate.” Congressional efforts to obtain agency documents resulted in a House contempt citation against Attorney General Eric Holder, prompting O bama to invoke executive privilege.