House GOP Starts Longshot Move to Impeach Holder

Ten angry men and Michele Bachmann have launched a longshot bid to impeach Attorney General Eric Holder. The group of conservative House Republicans plans to formally introduce the articles of impeachment today, calling for Holder's removal for refusing to turn over documents in the Operation Fast and Furious scandal, failing to enforce laws on same-sex marriage and drug sentencing, and for not prosecuting an IRS official for allegedly targeting conservative political activists, Roll Call reports.

"This was not a decision that I made lightly," said Rep. Pete Olson, who drafted the articles. “Since the House voted in 2012 to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt, the pattern of disregard for the rule of law and refusal to be forthright has only continued," said Olson, one of six Texans in the group of 11. But there's little chance of Holder actually being impeached: There is no sign John Boehner or other GOP leaders will back the measure, Politico notes, and even if it does pass the House, there would have to be a trial in the Senate before Holder was removed. A former top aide to Holder called the impeachment laughable. "I can’t believe they didn’t include Benghazi and the Black Panthers because this is a list of every other Republican bugaboo and conspiracy theory," he scoffed. (More Eric Holder stories.)