WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - Executive privilege means that the president or other members of the Executive branch may stonewall a case, compelling a prosecutorial body to show that the information being withheld by the executive is essential to doing justice. 

Specifically, Obama has given the privilege to Holder whom Congress recently ordered to turn over documents related to the case. Thanks to Obama, Holder will not have to turn those documents over -- for now. 

The announcement comes as the House Committee on Oversight and Government reform meets to discuss whether or not to charge the Attorney General with contempt for failing to hand over the documents. The original subpoena for the documents was issued on October 25, 2011. 

Obama's order now makes it illegal for Holder to cooperate with Congress by handing over the documents. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) called the order "untimely." 

Issa has indicated that the committee is ready to respond to the orders. "I claim not to be a constitutional scholar but the House is working to figure out what assertions may in fact arrive and we will take notice of them," Issa told reporters. 

The entire affair is ironic because it is the Democratic party that frequently lobbies for stricter gun laws. Meanwhile they are criticizing the enforcement of current laws by house Republicans against an alleged gun-running president. 

It is made more ironic by the fact that the President and Attorney General are entrusted to uphold the law, not circumvent its enforcement. 

According to The Blaze, executive privilege has been asserted 25 times since Ronald Regan. They also published this list. 

President Barack Obama: 1

President George W. Bush: 6

President Bill Clinton: 14

President George H.W. Bush: 1

President Ronald Reagan: 3


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