did you delegate that express authorization in writing to mr. cole? >> no, i don't think -- there is anything in writing with regard to my recusal. >> the question was, what about the requirement in the code that you expressly approved -- you have recused yourself, but was that express authorization authority delegated to mr. cole? >> once i recused myself, he does become the acting attorney general with all the powers that an attorney general has. >> the attorney general eric holder facing a congressional hearing getting a grilling over the seizure phone records from the associated press. details from 20 different phone lines where more than 100 journalists work on various stories. gary pruit reacted. these records potentially reveal communications with confidential sources undertaken by the a.p. and provide a road map to news gathering operations and disclose information about a.p.'s activities and operations that the government has no conceivable right to know. media reacted. here is one example from the huffington post online. this story really go

was that express authorization authority delegated to mr. cole? >> once i recused myself in that matter, he does become the acting attorney general with all the powers that the attorney general has. >> the attorney general eric holder, once again facing a congressional hearing. this time getting a grilling over the justice department's seizure of phone records from the associated press. details from 20 different phone lines where more than 100 journalists work on various stories. gary pruitt, the a.p.'s president, reacted. these records potentially reveal communications with confidential sources across all of the news gathering activities undertaken by the ap during a two-months period. provide a road map to ap's news gathering operations and disclose information about ap's activities and operations that the government has no conceivable right to know. the media reacted. here is one example from the huffington post on-line. this story really got the attention of everyone in the media. >> well, it certainly got mine and it's one story that's kind o

now, may i suggest that you and maybe mr. cole people go to the trueman library and take a picture of the thing that he had on his desk that says the buck stops here? we don't know where the buck stops and i think to do adequate oversight we had better find out and find out how this mess happened. i yield back the balance of my time. >> thank you very much. >> i thank the chairman i think i will stick to three in the time i have. i have no doubt and we have been hearing much human crying about the department of justice program. accusing the administration put in front of grand juries and jailed to contempt. now it is convenient to attack the attorney general. >> we're going to monitor the q&a session. we're waiting to see whether or not anybody asks about the irs scandal. so far they have not. they have been focusing on the ap scandal. we will take a quick break and we will have market coverage for you and much more on the other side. [ male announcer ] my client gloria has a lot going on in her life. wife, mother, marathoner. but

i think mr. cole said it pretty well when he said that he had the absent confidence in the leadership of the air force to deal with this issue. but it obviously is something that has spiraled somewhat out of control, and general welsh, i would just challenge you as the new chief of staff of the air force to call on your days as the commandant at the air force academy where you had the future leadership of the air force, many of those men and women now moving through the ranks as officers in our air force, call on those days when you're dealing with leadership issues there. because this is a true leadership issue for our department of defense. but i have confidence, as mr. cole has said, that we will find the answers as solutions to the challenge. .. borden's of this issue to which event to our air force leadership and the expectations from them as commanders for not only ordering discipline but the unit climate that promotes the dignity and respect of every airman and respect for the work that every a

i didn't please call signs you're in forty years and i knew mrs cole like a big black screen kes big because as million tonnes black because this kind of coal and swings because we don't know what is it. will be researching in order to eat out of the rock coal is ever present in the christmas region and if you've not had enough of it at work you can even grab a bite to eat in a restaurant that's devoted to it. the answer that evening for your safety please take this hard had you know get a sense of the atmosphere in the cold my and let me take you to your table. surprisingly this local eatery has a very minor friendly menu. sorry your beef tongue salad with coal dust. every man johnny spare the coal mine is a real treat for me. but be warned the regulars can be pretty toolkits of progress i'm sure that's all fascinating stuff but you know i am trying to eat here more and. still there are a few house specialties which probably didn't make it into the lunch boxes of the mine as a bolt. of hard working. well mostly things the reason i scream. let's say is does that this was doing a shif

i wonder if we might also have mr. coleme before the committee since he is the one who knows this information. i did not know how long this will go on. you're not in the position to tell us. it seems seems to me the damage done to a free press is substantial and will continue until corrective action is taken. i would hope that we might be able to further pursue this and get some clarification on future action either through legislative efforts or through further revision of the regulation by the administration. i think this is a very serious matter that concerns all of us no matter our party or affiliation. i yield back. >> the committee would definitely be interested in the appearance of the deputy attorney general to answer questions regarding this matter. the chair recognizes the man from alabama. >> is deputy cole willing and able to appear before this committee and answer questions that you cannot answer? >> i'm sure he would be willing to. i'm not sure if he would be in a position to answer questions because he would

now, may i suggest that you and maybe mr. cole and a few other people go to the truman library and take a picture of this thing he had on his desk that said the buck stops here because we don't know where the buck stops, and i think to do adequate oversight we better find out and better find out how this mishap happened. i yield back the balance of my time. >> i thank the gentleman. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new york, the ranking member on the subcommittee on constitution and civil justice, mr. nadler, for five minutes. >> i thank the chairman. i thank the chairman and i want to talk about a dozen subjects but i think i'll stick to three in the time i have. i have no doubt -- and we've already been hearing much human cry about the department of justice probe of a.p. records. i think we should put this in context and remember that less than a year ago this committee's republican leadership demanded aggressive investigation of press leaks, accusing the administration itself of orchestrating those leaks. then members of

mr. cole in fact responded to the scathing letter today shedding at least some light on his decision making progress, an investigation including other investigative steps over 550 interviews and reviewing tens of thousands of documents before seeking the phone records. so, eric holder and 549 of his closest friends have been questioned all before the deputy attorney general took to secretly seizing reporter's phone records for two months. the justice department is one of those agencies from which we expegt a level of independence from the white house, right? we don't want to president deciding for instance who should and shouldn't be criminally indicted. that's a really important principle. our nation's biggest moments of abuse of presidential power have come when that separation was violated and it is possible that was the case here and if so, it is a massive and huge scandal. but that is not what it looks like at this early stage. right now, based on what we know, what we found out today, my

i wonder if we might also have mr. colee before the committee since he is the one who knows this information. i did not low -- know how long this will go on. in the position to tell us. it seems seems to me the damage done to a free press is substantial and will continue until corrective action is taken. i would hope that we might be able to further pursue this and get some clarification on future action either through legislative efforts or through further revision of the regulation by the administration. i think this is a very serious matter that concerns all of us no matter our party or affiliation. back.ld the committee would definitely be interested in the appearance of the uppity attorney general to answer questions regarding this matter -- the deputy attorney general to answer questions regarding this matter. recognizes the man from alabama. ands deputy cole willing able to appear before this committee and answer questions that you cannot answer? >> i'm sure he would be willing to. i'm not sure if you would be in a p

the, mr. colet the justice department, the deputy who signed the subpoena is saying that this followed their rules, which say that investigations, subpoena has to be very narrow, very targeted. it is hard to see how that can be true, given it is all these phone lines, four-week period, lots of employees pulled into this dragnet. >> point is there are specific ways you're suosed to go about, if you really wanted to get the information because you thought it was a national threat, there are ways to do it where the ap would know about it and come out to challenge it or imminen national security threat. seems like from legal scholars this meet that criteria. >> ap has done everything they should have. they went to the government. they held off publication because of national security concerns and this is the way they're treated. >> fred, last word. >> how am i supposed to know what cole says is true? i need to look from underneath the blankket he is talking about. i don't have to take his word. none of

. >> may i suggest that you and maybe mr. cole and a few other people go to the truman library and take a picture of the thing that he had on his desk that said, the buck stops here. >> we also learned that there is no paper trail, no paper record of the attorney general's decision to take himself out or as they say, recuse himself from the ap case. >> shep: the hearing divided, as everything is right along political lines. >> predictably so. senior democrat slammed the republican leadership as hypocrites. >> this committee's republican leadership demanded aggressive investigation of press leaks, accusing the administration itself of orchestrating those leaks. then members of this committee wanted reporters subpoenaed, put in front of grand juries and potentially grailed for contempt. now, of course, it is convenient to attack the attorney general for being too aggressive. >> earlier today the white house calling on democratic senator charles schumer to resurrect this pressure shield legislation. at the hearingness we heard suppor

i think mr. cole said it pretty well when he said that he had the absolute confidence in the leadership of the air force to deal with this issue and but it obviously is something that has spiraled somewhat out of control and and general welsh, i would just challenge you as the new chief of staff of the air force to call on your days as the commandant at the air force academy where you had the future leadership of the air force many of those men and women now moving through the ranks as officers in our air force call on those days when you were dealing with leadership issues there and because this is a true leadership issue for our department of defense and but i have confidence as mr. cole has said that we'll get to the that we'll find the answers and the solutions to the challenge. mr. secretary. >> sir i would just like to make sure the committee is aware of how much work that the chief has put into this matter. it has been of growing concern to our military leadership. it was subject that came up i

mr. cole's district and i believe he actually lives in that town. host: i think he lives in moore.uest: i think we will help. i supported t tom, who serves on the appropriations committee as the subcommittee chairman and i think tom was kind of the leader and supportive on the sandy issue, too. so i think that we will look at what we do on the house and look at tom and also congressman langford and those that -- i think this hit mr. cole's district and i believe he actually lives in that town. host: i think he lives in moore. guest: i think we will help. i supported sandy. host: in the past have you thought there would be offsets. you can.ou can these people are just going to be there and we just can't allow -- i think there is a lot of opportunity for individuals i would everyone to help. host: a lot happening on capitol this week. do you think congress can move quickly and get some sort of aid passed and out the door this week? guest: i can't say this week. host: you have been around a long time. guest: i think that congress quickly.ond host: this is a press release by office. wo

now, may i suggest that you and maybe mr. colether people go to the truman library and take a picture of the thing he had on his desk, that said the buck stops here? because we don't know where the buck stops. and i think to do adequate oversight we better find out and we better find out how happened. >> and it's not just republicans. some democrats are criticizing the attorney general as well. the ranking member, the top democrat on the committee, saying that he was deeply troubled by these reports about the associated press investigation. ashley, back to you. ashley: very good indeed. peter barnes, thank you so much. tracy: all right, now onto the other big story. new developments in the irs targeting of conservative groups. president obama is expected to meet with treasury officials on that matter today. rich edson is live from the white house with the latest. hey, rich. >> the white house says the treasury secretary tim geithner among other -- jack lew, will be here from the white house that steps should happen at the internal

yesterday saying, now even though he himself recused himself from this investigation, why he defends mr. cole did. >> i have to say this is among, if not the most serious, it is within the top two or three most serious leaks that i have ever seen. put the american people at risk. >> that's not hyperbole. it put the american people at risk. and trying to determine who was responsible for that i guessthink, required very aggressive action. >> bill: put the american people at risk? >> there is no way. there is so much energy against the department of justice and holder right now from the ap from the press in general. it's just from bystanders. i think this is one of the issues where the people simplepathize with the press. there is no way people are going to buy that argument until they come out and tell us what the actual substance of that investigation was and prove that point. >> yeah. find it hard to believe. it seems to me the response would have been, aren't our intelligence agencies doing a great job? we've picked up the game here we were able to find out about this and inc. felt at any r

the judiciary committee will be communicating with mr. coleand -- we will be looking to hold hearings on this matter in the future as well. lots of questions. the code of federal regulations provisions for news organizations to be notified when a subpoena is being issued that affects them. while i am sure that there are exceptions to that, it is hard to understand why there would need to be an exception here, he cut the records being sought are not held by the ap but being held by a telephone company. therefore, the organization, knowing it was taking place, not at least in initial view -- have compromised the investigation. secondly, there are reports that the associated press contacted the administration a week before they used the news information regarding the matter in yemen that was the subject of the underlying leak investigation. clearly they were attempting to be cooperative with the administration and give them an opportunity to let them know why they should not have released that information. so, in this instance, certainly the admi

so i had to recuse myself from the case, pull out mr. cole.nfortunately, we in the media now understand what other americans have understood in terms of the abrasion of constitutional rights in this country. now the first amendment is being affected and the ministry people i can't is -- main stream media is squealing and they should be. >> brian: next up, are you a tomboy and don't like being girlie? is that normal or nuts? dr. keith ablow will be here and he's going to define all what a tomboy is. first on this day in history, 1976, "boogie fever" by the silvers was the number one song. and it's number 3 for steve [ male announcer ] in blind taste tests, even ragu users chose prego. prego?! but i've been buying ragu for years. [ thinking ] i wonderhat other questionable choices i've made? [ club scene music ] [ sigh of relief ] [ male announcer ] choose taste. choose prego. the day building a play set begins with a surprise twinge of back pain... and a choice. take up to 4 advil in a day or 2 aleve for all day relief. [ male announcer ] that'

the judiciary committee will be communicating with mr. cole, and we will be looking to hold hearings on this matter in the future as well. lots of questions. the code of federal regulations provisions for news organizations to be notified when a subpoena is being issued that affects them. while i am sure that there are exceptions to that, it is hard to understand why there would need to be an exception here, he cut the records being sought are not held by the ap but being held by a telephone company. therefore, the organization, knowing it was taking place, not at least in initial view -- have compromised the investigation. secondly, there are reports that the associated press contacted the administration a week before they used the news information regarding the matter in yemen that was the subject of the underlying leak investigation. clearly they were attempting to be cooperative with the administration and give them an opportunity to let them know why they should not have released that information. so, in this instance, certainly the admin

the judiciary committee will be communicating with mr. coled we will be looking to hold hearings on this matter in the future as well. lots of questions. for newsevisions organizations to be notified when a subpoena is being issued that affects them. i am sure that there are exceptions to that, it is hard to understand why there would need to be an exception here, he cut the records being sought are not held by the ap but being held by a telephone company. therefore, the organization, knowing it was taking place, not -- at least an initial view -- have surmised investigation. secondly, there are reports that the associated press contacted the administration a week before they used the news information regarding the matter in yemen that was the subject of the underlying leak investigation. clearly they were attempting to be cooperative with the administration and give them an opportunity to let them know why they should not have released that information. so, in this instance, certainly the administration has the right to investigate leaks, but

coal coal complacency in -- mr. cole: complacency by the c.i.a. that the postwas in danger -- post was in danger. incompetence it preparing for a potential attack in a region in turmoil and the place where we had multiple military assets and on a day where we had ever reason to believe trouble would occur. and an attempted coverup of a successful terrorist attack with talk about videos and spontaneous riots from the state department, the c.i.a. and top officials in the administration knew the truth. mr. speaker, it's time for the administration to take responsibility, come clean, and dismiss those associated with this debacle that cost the lives of four brave men -- americans. with that i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? without objection, the gentleman from california is recognized for one minute. >> mr. speaker, i rise today during asian-pacific heritage month to celebrate the life and achievements of congressman nalip sin

mrs. perry is the sponsor for. she's the sponsor for the u.s.s. cole and i want to welcome you, lee perry, here this morning and thank you for all you've done and supporting your husband and his marvelous career. thank you, ms. perry. (applause) >> our speaker this morning, the former secretary of defense william perry, i first met when he was the deputy secretary of defense, and he and mrs. perry came to korea where i was the c5j5 and i was assigned to escort them around. and i had a lot of those kinds of duties while i was assigned to korea. but it was the most pleasant experience i had and i say that honestly, to get to know these two people. and he then became our secretary of defense. and many of us that have served thought that he was one of the best secretary of defenses we've ever had. he's currently a senior fellow at the hoover institute and a freeman foley institute of international studies. he is the michael and barbara bavarian professor at stanford university and serves as co-director of the nuclear risk reduction initiative and preventiv

the tornado that rolled through congressman tom cole's district in oklahoma from new castle, through moore, across the southern part of oklahoma city. mr. lucas: congressman cole is not with us today because he is still in oklahoma addressing the needs of and working with his fellow citizens and community members as they try to put themselves back together after this strike by an f-5 tornado. moore is particularly important to our colleague, congressman cole, because not only does he represent the community, he was raised there. his family's buried two generations in the cemetery there. so it's a community that's important to him in many, many ways. with that said the good folks in moore and the other communities will over the coming days pull themselves back together. they'll finish sifting through every pile of rubble. they'll have made a determination that there's no one left to be saved as they work frantically to try to do that. and they'll begin the process of laying to rest those who were lost. and put their entire community back together. while many folks are well aware of the importance of fema and the federal response, moore

mr. speaker, it's with great sadness that i rise today to extend sympathy to the people of oklahoma, to our colleague, congressman cole, for his -- and his constituents who have been affected by the tornado. we just heard our president talk and our our prayers deeds are with the people of the community. we just heard mr. larson talk about our acting immediately to provide the assistance to the people there, to the extent that congress can act quickly upon that. we should. we have seen natural disasters come and go, and they are all terrible and the loss of life is tragic, and the loss of belongings and the rest is saddening, and it's very hard to see how people can be made hole. but we are always hopeful that they will be. that hope springs -- people say where do you find hope in a situation like that? well, it sits there comfortably between saying we believe and therefore we have hope and the charity of others that we can work together to come through this. referencing other earthquakes in california, or storms in the northeast, whatever it happens to be, hurricanes in the south and katrina, etc., it's always, always

cole asking a series of questions about that. so we want to know what the attorney general's involvement was in the issue of the search warrant. bill: understood. >> for mrn and we're going to follow this until we get the answers. bill: here's another pointed question. how can you claim to have never been involved in the potential prosecution of a member of the media but you were admittedly involved in discussions regarding mr. rosen's e-mails? those discussions is that where he tripped up? >> that raidses the very question that goes to the heart of our letter and the question regarding the truthfulness of his testimony before the committee. it also goes to the heart of the concern that many of us in the congress have regarding the attorney general's overall willingness to take responsibility for his department. bill: just to be clear, sir, i apologize about the interruption but when talked the discussions is that where he tripped up? >> well, certainly he has acknowledged in that that he has been involved in discussions with regard to the rosen matter and if he in his testimony before the committee said that he had never heard of the idea of possible pr

mr. speaker, further, i have had so many people hell with this -- helped with this effort that the availtor at the time of the crash was phillip cole. he has joined in this effort. and i read what he said. there is a rush to blame pilots and to cite facts that relate to pilot performance. rather than cite the true root causes of accidents. the design and detail in an aircraft or vehicle is often the root cause of an accident and a particular make or model of an automobile that is crashing too often say toyota or chevrolet, they wouldn't blame the drivers but say something is wrong with the automobile. the marine corps has always seemed to blame the pilot. mr. speaker, this is why this has become a passion for me personally and i couldn't be where imtoday without so many experts who have joined me. i want to mention jim schaffer. jim's call name was trigger and was in the air at the time of this plane crash and saw his friends go down and burn. mr. speaker, this is not right for these two wives to carry the pain now almost 13 years, april 8, 2000. we have already passed april 8 of 2013. all they are asking from the marine corps is a

mr. rene? >> before we leave today i would like to say something to rich van cole. dave left years ago and he had been running the alcoholic department. dave was extremely knowledgeable and level headed and fair and rich who i believe is leaving the department. he's one of these guys who is leaving with a big exodus. he has done an amazing job. i would like everyone to give him a round of applause because he has been [ applause ] a real friend and out there every time and always trying to reach solutions and i hope that we can get somebody in those positions that will continue with that where he see's the need for entertainment and public safety and he's always trying to balance and he's done it really well. thank you. >> we are slight looking constrained for time and although i wanted to ask a question of all of you about late night food, instead i will say that i would like to offer you all some food in our breakout session. a couple of pieces of business before we go. one, please be sure to pick up these and come to our breakout sessions. we are in the rooms out