Grassley urges Issa to continue investigation into Holder

{mosads}Grassely first wrote to Holder about the operation when questions were raised surrounding the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Terry’s death has been attributed to guns involved in the controversial 2009 program, which was an attempt to track guns sold to suspected Mexican drug cartel operatives.

“We cannot stop now. Every day a new stone is turned over and new evidence [revealed],” Grassley said on Fox News. He encouraged his fellow lawmakers in Congress, where Republicans have the majority, to continue to dig. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has been pursuing the investigation with support from the House Judiciary Committee, where Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) is calling for a special inquiry into the issue.

Grassley said the goals of the investigation remain uncovering the name of the top person in the administration — “whether in the White House or Department of Justice” — who knew about the operation, and making sure this type of program doesn’t happen again.

Holder defended himself in a letter Friday against allegations that he knew more, earlier about the operation than he admitted to in a May hearing. Newly revealed documents raised questions about Holder’s testimony, in which he said he had only found out about the operation a few weeks before.

In his letter, Holder said his staff was in possession of the revealed memos, and he was not aware that they contained information about Fast and Furious.

Issa, who wants Holder to face questions again before a congressional hearing, responded to Holder’s letter by saying his “latest defense has reached a new low.”