美国国会议员就国内丑闻质询司法部长
时间：2013-05-17 05:49:10
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CAPITOL HILL — U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder1 faced tough questions from members of the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Wednesday, about the Justice Department's gathering2 of phone records from Associated Press reporters, and on the Internal Revenue Service's targeting of conservative Tea Party groups. This has turned out to be a rough week for the attorney general and for President Barack Obama.
President Obama is facing questions on two developing domestic scandals, and the pressure on top members of his Cabinet is beginning to heat up on Capitol Hill.
Republican and Democratic lawmakers have expressed
outrage3 that Internal Revenue Service employees targeted conservative Tea Party groups that
applied4 for tax-exempt status for special
scrutiny5. House Speaker John Boehner suggested there may have been criminal conduct.
“The IRS admitted to targeting conservatives, even if the White House continues to be stuck on the word ‘if.’ My question isn't about who is going to resign. My question is who's going to jail over this scandal?,” Boehner said.
At a
previously6 scheduled House hearing, Attorney General Eric Holder promised that his department would be dispassionate in its
investigation7 into the IRS and go after whoever did wrong.
"The facts will take us wherever they take us," Holder said.
Though the Justice Department has
subpoenaed9 two months of AP reporters and editors' telephone records, Holder told lawmakers he could not answer any questions because he recused himself early in the investigation of who leaked sensitive national security information about a foiled terror attack in Yemen.
"I am not familiar with the reasons why the
subpoena8 was constructed in the way that it was because I am simply not a part of the case," Holder said.
Some Republican lawmakers said they detect a pattern with the Obama administration when it comes to scandals. Republican
Congressman10 James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin.
"There does not seem to be any acceptance of responsibility, in the Justice Department, for things that have gone wrong," Sensenbrenner said.
A number of Democratic lawmakers and civil rights
activists11 have said the
seizure12 of reporters' phone records could have a chilling effect on freedom of the press. Democrat Zoe Lofgren of California.
"The damage done to a free press is substantial," Lofgren said.
Lawmakers say they will continue to push for answers, which will likely mean more tough weeks ahead for the President and his Attorney- General.
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