Holder feels 'frustration and anger' over gun bill defeat

Attorney General Eric Holder expressed frustration and anger Thursday over the Senate's defeat of gun control legislation this week, but vowed he will continue to fight for measures to prevent gun violence. 

“Despite my disappointment and, quite frankly, my frustration and anger at the filibuster in the Senate yesterday that led to the failure to adopt some of those changes, despite the fact that a majority voted for them, I and my colleagues throughout the administration remain committed to standing with the families of Newtown,” said Holder in testimony before the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday. 

In pursuing the administration’s gun control agenda, Holder told lawmakers that the Justice Department could stand to increase the number of cases it prosecutes against people who have been denied federal permission to purchase a gun because they failed to pass a criminal background check.

Many Republicans, such as committee member Rep. Andy Harris (Md.), have long criticized that the Justice Department prosecutes a small fraction of the more than 83,000 people it denies the right to buy a gun. 

Republicans argue that no new background check laws should be implemented until the department steps up its prosecutions of those who are barred from buying guns but attempt to do so anyway.

Holder defended the department’s actions, saying it prioritizes prosecutions based on who it feels would do the most harm to society if left unpunished.

“What we try to do is focus on those people who are most dangerous, who, if they did get a weapon inappropriately, are most likely to do something bad [or] harmful with it,” said Holder.

“With those people who try to get guns and then are not prosecuted, yeah, the number perhaps ought to be a little higher, I don’t know.”

“Not everybody who was denied a gun was in fact dangerous. There are a whole bunch of reasons why,” he said. “There were a host of people who, if they had gotten guns, undoubtedly would have done things that were harmful to their fellow citizens.”

Harris shot back, “But not bad enough to prosecute.” He then switched topics in his line of questioning. 

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Press corps expresses ‘frustration’ over lack of access to Obama

The White House press corps on Sunday expressed frustration with the lack of access given to President Obama this weekend, during his trip to Florida.

White House Correspondents Association President Ed Henry released a statement Sunday evening, saying that the press corps had not been given adequate access to the president and that the group would press for “transparency” in the future, according to a pool report.

"Speaking on behalf of the White House Correspondents Association, I can say a broad cross section of our members from print, radio, online and TV have today expressed extreme frustration to me about having absolutely no access to the President of the United States this entire weekend,” said Henry. “There is a very simple but important principle we will continue to fight for today and in the days ahead: transparency."

President Obama is currently vacationing in Palm City, Fla., where is staying at The Floridian Yacht and Golf Club, a private resort. Earlier today, Obama hit the links with professional golfer Tiger Woods and resort owner Jim Crane.

White House press aides only confirmed that Obama was golfing with Woods after the outing was first reported by Tim Rosaforte, a writer at Golf Digest. The press was not provided a photo opportunity.

The White House responded to the complaint from the press corps, insisting that the level of access was “consistent” with prior outings.

"The press access granted by the White House today is entirely consistent with the press access offered for previous presidential golf outings,” said deputy press secretary Josh Earnest, in a statement, according to the pool report. “It's also consistent with the press access promised to the White House Press Corps prior to arrival in Florida on Friday evening."

Obama is scheduled to remain in Florida until Monday night. The first lady and their daughters are “out West” on a skiing trip, according to reports. 

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