House GOP Preps Civil Suit Against Eric Holder

House Oversight Committee Chair Darrell Issa says that he plans to file a federal lawsuit sometime Monday against Attorney General Eric Holder, the latest development in the ongoing standoff over documents related to the Republican investigation of the failed "Fast and Furious" gunwalking operation.

In June, the GOP-controlled House voted to place Holder in contempt of Congress after the Justice Department failed to meet all of the Oversight Committee's document requests pertaining to their investigation. As the Hill explains, the Justice Department has given the committee about 7,600 documents related to the case but have refused to obey subsequent subpoenas, claiming that releasing the requested documents would harm current department investigations.

Holder is the first sitting cabinet member to be held in contempt of Congress. The Justice Department declined to prosecute Holder, as the department doesn't believe Holder's withholding of information from Congress is a criminal act. A House resolution related to the investigation gave Issa and his committee the authority to pursue a civil case against the attorney general.

According to the Hill, the lawsuit will likely lead to a drawn-out fight in court.