Pat Dollard

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Daily Caller:

Arizona Republican Rep. Paul Gosar’s office announced on Thursday morning that it has 73 cosponsors on its House of Representatives resolution of “no confidence” in Attorney General Eric Holder’s ability to serve.

Between the 59 congressmen demanding that Holder resign and those who have signed onto Gosar’s resolution, there are now a total of 85 members of Congress who don’t trust Holder in his office.

Some of those members who have signed the “no confidence” resolution have not made outright calls for Holder’s resignation, but the resolution is close to an outright call. Likewise, some of the 57 demanding Holder resign have not signed onto Gosar’s resolution, either.

The resolution alleges that Holder’s actions have proven the nation’s “top law enforcement official” is not “competent, trustworthy and beyond reproach,” and that he has sought to “cover up” mistakes when they are made rather than cooperating with Congress “in disclosing the events and circumstances and transparently addressing the issues.”

The measure describes how Holder “presided over a law enforcement scheme called ‘Operation Fast and Furious’ that was ill conceived at the outset and mismanaged.”

It describes Fast and Furious as an operation that “allowed thousands of weapons of various types to be illegally sold and or transferred from the United States to violent drug cartels and known criminals in Mexico and elsewhere,” and that the operation “was not set up to catch criminals and no proper monitoring of the guns being sold or transferred was undertaken.”

The resolution also points out that Holder “further failed to inform or cooperate with Mexican authorities even though hundreds of weapons were being sent to Mexico,” and that “Mexico is under severe stress due to drug cartel wars.”

It adds that because of Holder’s “failure to properly control, monitor, or establish Operation Fast and Furious, it is likely Mexican nationals were killed or wounded by weapons sold through this scheme,” and that “the carnage resulting from Operation Fast and Furious is not limited to Mexico.”

The measure points out that “evidence further suggests that such guns have been used in the United States, and may be involved in the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.”

The resolution explains that the Obama administration and the Department of Justice, “through Attorney General Holder’s office, initially provided false information to Congress,” “retaliated” against whistle-blowers who provided Congress with information, “has redacted key information and has been intransigent, obstructionist and obdurate.”

The “no confidence” resolution is a largely symbolic measure but is nonetheless a more official move than statements from members calling for Holder’s resignation. It includes a breakdown of everything those in favor of the “no confidence” resolution allege Holder to have done to earn it. A floor vote isn’t likely to happen any time soon, unless Speaker of the House John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor — or another member of leadership — gets on board soon.

According to Gosar’s office, the members who haven’t outright called for Holder’s resignation, but have signed onto his “no confidence” resolution, are Reps. Billy Long of Missouri, Pete Sessions of Texas, Renee Ellmers of North Carolina, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, Ralph Hall of Texas, Doug Lamborn of Colorado, Bobby Schilling of Illinois, Austin Scott of Georgia, Bill Johnson of Ohio, Bill Posey of Florida, Mo Brooks of Alabama, Phil Roe of Tennessee, Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina, Marlin Stutzman of Indiana, Phil Gingrey of Georgia, Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee, Kristi Noem of South Dakota, Bob Turner of New York, Mark Amodei of Nevada, Rick Crawford of Arkansas, Dan Benishek of Michigan, Joe Barton of Texas, Todd Rokita of Indiana, Jim Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, Steve King of Iowa and David Schweikert of Arizona.

Cantor’s office and Boehner’s office haven’t returned requests for comment on the matter.

*Update 12:50 p.m.: Since publication of this story, South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson told The Daily Caller that he thinks Eric Holder should resign.

*Update 4:25 p.m.: Ohio Rep. Pat Tiberi told The Daily Caller he also thinks Eric Holder should resign.