Eric Holder had one answer and one answer only on Wednesday when it came to the Justice Department's investigation into the Associated Press: I don't know.
The Attorney General recused himself from the leak investigation that wound up targeting the AP, so he had a handy way to avoid answering any questions about it when he was called before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.
"I was not the person involved in that decision," he told Bob Goodlatte, the chairman of the committee. "I was recused in that matter."
Nearly every time he was asked a question about the AP, Holder found some way to dismiss it. A sample of his answers:
"I am not familiar with the reasons why the subpoena was constructed in the way that it was because I'm simply not a part of the case."
"I do not know, however, with regard to this particular case, why that was or was not done."
"I simply do not have a factual basis for answering that question."
"Again, Mr. Chairman, I don't know."
"I assume he was, but I don't know."
"I don't know what has happened in this matter."
“This is both an ongoing matter and an ongoing matter about which I know nothing.”
Holder also said he did not know "precisely" when he had recused himself from the investigation.
This did not stop the attorney general from professing his full faith in "the people who actually were responsible in this case."
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