Rep. West charges Black Caucus of supporting Holder because of ‘the color of his skin’

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) on Thursday blasted his fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) for staging a walkout on a contempt vote by the House against Attorney General Eric Holder.

“Today the Congressional Black Caucus and other liberal Members of Congress judged the Attorney General by the color of his skin, and not by the content of his character,” he wrote on his Facebook page. “I am disappointed my colleagues would rather engage in a political stunt to distract the American people from knowing the truth behind the Attorney General’s disregard of the law and disrespect of congressional oversight to provide requested documents.”

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee last week moved to hold Holder in contempt, charging he had not cooperated fully with the committee’s investigation into the controversial gun-tracking operation known as “Fast and Furious.” The full House voted 255-67 on Thursday to hold Holder in contempt, but House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and many other Democrats joined the (CBC) in staging a walkout during the vote.

Pelosi tweeted that it was a “hyper-political contempt vote.” Democrat leadership has called it a "political witch hunt" against the administration.

West, an outspoken freshman congressman and a Tea Party favorite, is the only Republican member of the CBC. He voted in favor of the contempt resolution.

“Lady Justice wears a blindfold because she represents objectivity — in that justice is or should be meted out objectively, without fear or favor, regardless of identity, money, power, gender or race,” he wrote.

Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) tweeted a picture of the group of Democrats standing outside after the walkout.

Standing with my colleagues after walking out of the vote to hold AG Holder in #contempt. #Holder twitter.com/RepGwenMoore/s…

— Gwen Moore (@RepGwenMoore) June 28, 2012

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