As a member of Congress, Tim Walz was one of just 17 Democratic lawmakers who voted to hold then-Obama Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt over refusing to comply with a subpoena related to the Fast and Furious scandal. Walz emphasized the importance of Congress having access to all necessary information to make informed decisions on behalf of the American people.
Walz's decision to vote for holding Holder in contempt was consistent with his past actions, as he had previously voted to hold President Bush's Administration officials in contempt. He believed that there were too many unanswered questions surrounding the Fast and Furious operation, and that transparency was crucial for the American people.
Walz's district's political landscape likely influenced his decision, as he successfully flipped his seat from Republicans in 2006 only to see it flip back when he left Congress to become governor. Interestingly, Holder, who was held in contempt by Walz, had been involved in the vetting process that led to Walz emerging as the Democratic party's vice presidential nominee.
The Fast and Furious scandal involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives tracing weapons from legal gun dealers to low-level buyers suspected of acquiring them for Mexican drug cartels. Nearly 2,000 firearms from the program went missing, with some being linked to violent incidents in Mexico and the death of US Border Patrol agent Brian A. Terry in Arizona.
