Holder agrees to Issa meeting

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WASHINGTON, June 18 (UPI) -- U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said Monday he is willing to meet with Rep. Darrell Issa Tuesday, a day ahead of a possible vote to find Holder in contempt.

The chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, a California Republican, has been pushing with other Republicans to have Holder release documents regarding the Justice Department's botched gun-tracking program known as Operation Fast and Furious. The department has turned over some documentation but has resisted for months turning over everything Issa has requested, setting the scene for a possible contempt vote Wednesday.

The committee has indicated it would delay a contempt vote if the Obama administration was willing to release certain documents, Politico reported.

Last week, Holder forwarded a briefing on the documents, but Issa expressed doubt they would be adequate and suggested a meeting with Holder.

In a letter to Issa Monday, Holder agreed to the Tuesday meeting and suggested Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the ranking member of the panel, and Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, also attend, The Hill reported. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, will also attend.

The location of the 11 a.m. meeting hadn't been released.

"The department has offered a serious, good faith proposal to bring this matter to an amicable resolution in the form of a briefing based on documents that the committee could retain," Holder said in the letter agreeing to the meeting. "We expect that this extraordinary accommodation will fully address the remaining concerns that you and House leadership have identified in your written and oral communications to the department over the last few weeks."