President Obama expressed confidence in Attorney General Eric Holder while distancing himself from the "Fast and Furious" controversy.
Obama offered his complete confidence in Holder, whom some Republicans say should resign over Operation Fast and Furious, a federal gun-tracking program in which guns were sold to suspected straw buyers for Mexican drug cartels.
At the same time, Obama said he "certainly" had no knowledge of the program run by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
Obama said that Holder has "been very clear that he was not aware about what was happening with Fast and Furious — certainly I was not" and that he was glad that the attorney general had been "very aggressive in going after gun-running."
He said he has "complete confidence in Attorney General Holder."
Republicans pointed to memos this week that they said suggest Holder knew more about the Fast and Furious program than he had previously told Congress.
Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has called for Obama to appoint a special counsel to investigate Holder's conduct.
