Justice is once again delayed momentarily in the failed gun running scandal known as Fast and Furious.
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa was supposed to hold a hearing today to examine the Department of Justice Inspector General’s report on Operation Fast and Furious. It has been rescheduled for Wednesday, September 19.
Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz has confirmed his attendance for the September 19th hearing where he will discuss his report of the investigation into reckless conduct in Operation Fast and Furious. He notified the Committee that his report was not ready for today’s hearing.
Horowitz, wrote that he did “not yet know the precise timing for the release of our report.”
Horowitz advised the Committee that “We also are still awaiting comments from the Department regarding whether any material discussed in the draft report is covered by the President’s assertion of Executive Privilege.
According to Horowitz, his office has also “provided a copy of the OIG’s draft report to the Department of Justice (Department). We have also made arrangements to permit individuals whose conduct is criticized in the draft report (and who also cooperated with our investigation) to review those portions of the report that relate to their conduct.”
Horowitz noted that “given that our report may contain references to law enforcement sensitive information, Title III electronic surveillance information, sealed court records, and grand jury material, as well as information that may fall within the President’s assertion of Executive Privilege, we asked the Department to conduct a sensitivity review to determine whether it believes that any information contained in the report cannot be released publicly.”
Horowitz told the Committee that “unauthorized release of Title III electronic surveillance information, grand jury material, or information contained in sealed court records is prohibited by law and could subject us to criminal release the report or discuss its conclusions until the issues arising from this sensitivity review have been resolved.”
He advised the committee that only recently did the Department provide the Inspector with its initial sensitivity review for law enforcement sensitive information, Title III electronic surveillance information, sealed court records, and grand jury material.
He reported that his office is in the process of discussing “these proposed sensitivity redactions with the Department.