In a bid to circumvent the House effort against Attorney General Eric Holder over the “Fast and Furious” program, President Obama asserted executive privilege over the documents hours before the vote was held. It was Obama’s first use of executive privilege in response to a congressional investigation. Democrats have called the reprimand of Holder a political stunt. The Oversight Committee’s ranking Democrat, Elijah Cummings, said Republicans were uncooperative in seeking a resolution.

Rep. Elijah Cummings: “It did not have to be this way. It really didn’t. We could have postponed today’s vote, accepted the attorney general’s offer and worked with the department to obtain additional documents and information. Instead, by not honoring the Constitution’s charge to seek accommodation when possible, the position and prestige of this committee has been diminished, and the result should concern us all.”

The contempt charges against Holder will now go for a vote before the full House.