Influence Alley

Some high-ranking Democrats are hoping Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, will stop a House floor vote to cite U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress as part of the Fast and Furious investigation.

The vote is tentatively set to come Thursday. It would come on the heels of a contempt citation approved by the House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., in a dispute over Justice Department documents tied to the botched gun-trafficking sting operation.

Ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said he's "hopeful that Mr. Boehner will step in and talk directly to the attorney general," later adding, "it seems as if [Boehner] has delegated most of the floor authority to Mr. Issa."

But Boehner's showing no indication of pulling floor action. Asked if Boehner might consider stopping movement toward a floor vote, the speaker's spokesman, Michael Steel, said no, and that "the only person who can stop this is Attorney General Eric Holder, by turning over the documents needed for effective oversight."