Contempt Vote Was Nothing But a Political Maneuver

Hilary O. Shelton is the Washington bureau director and vice president of policy and advocacy for the NAACP.

Last week's contempt vote against Attorney General Eric Holder was a divisive, disingenuous, and ludicrous political maneuver that does nothing to advance justice. This is just another example of politicians valuing cable news sound bites over sound governing.

Attorney General Holder has been candid about the botched Fast and Furious program. He has handed over more than 7,000 documents related to the operation—a program nearly identical to Operation Wide Receiver, which was botched under the Bush administration. Attorney General Holder has also testified in front of Congress more than eight times on this issue.

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It is disappointing that this sitting attorney general and distinguished legal advocate is being attacked by some in Congress for what seems to be partisan political gain. Eric Holder was confirmed as one of the most qualified attorneys general in our nation's history. Originally nominated to the Superior Court by President Reagan after serving as a U.S. Attorney, he also served as deputy attorney general under Janet Reno, and then as interim deputy attorney general during Attorney General John Ashcroft's transition period.

The reality is that many of the same politicians behind these charges also tried and failed to add riders to the Department of Justice's appropriations that would restrict resources necessary to fight racial profiling and enforce voting rights and labor rights, among other constitutional protections. We can only hope that this overzealous and misguided attack on Attorney General Holder is not another attempt to distract the Department of Justice from protecting and enforcing the civil, labor, and voting rights of all Americans.