Influence Alley

Rep. Scott Rigell, R-Va., one of the only two House Republicans who voted Thursday against holding Attorney General Eric Holder in criminal contempt of Congress, is promising soon to explain why.

Rigell says a lengthy written statement will be released by his office later today.

"It's a serious topic and I gave it three days of deliberation," Rigell does offer, for the moment.

While Rigell continues to craft his explanation, the other Republican to vote no, Rep. Steve LaTourrette, R-Ohio, has already put out this statement:

"To be clear, I absolutely believe that AG Holder has no justification for withholding properly subpoenaed documents. How to get him to comply is another matter. By voting to ask a court to order production, Congress can achieve its goal of getting to the bottom of Fast and Furious without turning Holder into a martyr for the Left," he said.

However Rigell explains his vote, at least one group - Fairfax, Va.,-based Americans for Limited Government - is not happy with it, and apparently thinks voters in the congressman's district should not be, either.

In a statement, ALG president Bill Wilson said: "Rep. Rigell simply has no excuse for protecting Eric Holder, who has refused to turn over subpoenaed documents to Congress related to the Fast and Furious scandal that got a Border Patrol agent and hundreds of Mexicans killed.

"Rigell is okay with allowing Obama and Holder to cover up what may have been a criminal act committed by government officials. Every one of Rigell's constituents needs to know that he stands against the rule of law, and is nothing more than a lap dog for Eric Holder and the Obama Administration," says Wilson.