Have I mentioned lately that Democrat Elijah Cummings is a hack?

Elijah Cummings (D-MD), if that is his real name, is the ranking member on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. For nearly a year-and-a-half, Cummings has witnessed Eric Holder's Justice Department commit perjury, stonewall and otherwise impede the committee's investigation into "Operation Fast and Furious".

The DOJ gunrunning operation, which allowed guns to flow to Mexican drug cartels unimpeded, has thus far resulted in 300 dead. Among the victims: Border Patrol agent Brian Terry and the brother of the Chihuahua state attorney general.

Seven months ago, DHS head Janet Napolitano stated that she couldn't comment on the case because Justice was awaiting the results of the Inspector General's investigation. We're still waiting. And even interim results have been unlawfully withheld from Congress.

Finally, it would appear, the House has had enough. Committee chairman Darrell Issa has drafted a contempt order against Attorney General Eric Holder.

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) circulated a draft contempt order against Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday for a “refusal to cooperate” in the investigation of the Fast and Furious gun-walking operation.

“In describing the results of the Justice Department’s refusal to cooperate — including the hardships the family of a fallen Border Patrol agent have faced in seeking the truth, and retaliation against agents who blew the whistle on gun-walking — this briefing paper provides the facts, on which decisions will be made,” the House Oversight Committee chair said in a statement... The briefing paper sharply criticizes the Justice Department’s response to the committee’s investigation of the botched gun program, alleging that the department failed to provide many of the documents the committee requested.

...“For over a year, the Department has issued false denials, given answers intended to misdirect investigators, sought to intimidate witnesses, unlawfully withheld subpoenaed documents, and waited to be confronted with indisputable evidence before acknowledging uncomfortable facts,” it reads. “’Operation Fast and Furious’ outrageous tactics, the Justice Department’s refusal to fully cooperate with the investigation, and efforts to smear and retaliate against whistleblowers have tainted the institutional integrity of the Justice Department.”

The stonewalling, intimidation and lies have been copiously documented, blatant and -- plainly -- outrageous.

If Democrats had an ounce of integrity among them, they would be likewise demanding an explanation from Justice and some measure of comfort for the 300 killed by Holder's operation.

But the modern Democrat Party has no integrity as evidenced by the words of ranking member Elijah Cummings.

“Holding someone in contempt is one of the most serious actions Congress can take, but it is being used in this case as part of a partisan election year witch-hunt,” Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said in a statement. “Unsurprising these draft contempt documents were leaked to the press and Republican House leaders before Committee Members ever saw them, and are based on an investigation characterized by repeated claims that turned out to be false.”

...Issa spokesman Frederick Hill brushed away the accusation, promptly shooting back, “It’s disappointing, but not altogether out of character, for ranking member Cummings to dismissively ignore the struggles of fallen Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry’s family to learn the truth about his death.”

The Justice Department has repeatedly defied House subpoenas by withholding or redacting nearly all of the requested documents. They claim -- which has no basis in fact -- that Executive Privilege (which the administrative state does not possess) allows their inspector general's investigation to complete before presenting documents to Congress.

Did I mention that Holder's I.G. used to work for him and that her investigation has now gone on longer than the Warren Commission's investigation into JFK's assassination?

So a legitimate inquiry into DOJ actions -- which has resulted in the deaths of more than 300 people -- is now positioned by hacks like Cummings as a "partisan witch-hunt".

I'm going to love it when Republicans are in power of all branches of government and follow precedent: using all of the pathetic Democrat tactics against them.