By Tom Curry, National Affairs Writer, NBC News
Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters Tuesday that he recused himself last year from any involvement in an investigation of national security leaks, and said the administration has no policy of targeting the news media. Holder reminded reporters that he’d testified to a congressional committee last year that he had recused himself to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
NBC's Andrea Mitchell talks to a political panel about how Congress should respond to the IRS and AP investigations.
The Associated Press reported Monday that phone records of its reporters and editors had been subpoenaed and seized in that leaks probe.
Holder said decisions in that investigation were being made by Deputy Attorney General James Cole. “I am confident that people involved in this investigation followed all of the appropriate Justice Department regulations …,” Holder said.
He added that it “certainly not the policy of this administration” to target reporters. What has been done in the leaks investigation was “not as a result of a policy to get the press.”
Holder also announced that his department has launched an investigation into revelations that the IRS singled out conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status. "I have ordered an investigation to be done" to see if criminal activity took place in the case, Holder said.
This story was originally published on Tue May 14, 2013 2:27 PM EDT
Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters Tuesday that he recused himself last year from any involvement in an investigation of national security leaks, and said the administration has no policy of targeting the news media. Holder reminded reporters that he’d testified to a congressional committee last year that he had recused himself to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.
NBC's Andrea Mitchell talks to a political panel about how Congress should respond to the IRS and AP investigations.
The Associated Press reported Monday that phone records of its reporters and editors had been subpoenaed and seized in that leaks probe.
Holder said decisions in that investigation were being made by Deputy Attorney General James Cole. “I am confident that people involved in this investigation followed all of the appropriate Justice Department regulations …,” Holder said.
He added that it “certainly not the policy of this administration” to target reporters. What has been done in the leaks investigation was “not as a result of a policy to get the press.”
Holder also announced that his department has launched an investigation into revelations that the IRS singled out conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status. "I have ordered an investigation to be done" to see if criminal activity took place in the case, Holder said.
This story was originally published on Tue May 14, 2013 2:27 PM EDT