Video: Holder held in contempt of Congress

>>> eric holder today became the first united states attorney general ever to be held in contempt of congress. the vote was a result of a dispute over a botched federal anti-gun trafficking operation known as fast and furious . some of the guns ended up in mexico. two of them were found at the scene of a fatal shooting of a u.s. border patrol agent. house republicans say holder misled them about the operation and that he is withholding documents. they're accusing the justice department of a coverup. we get a late report tonight from nbc's kelly o'donnell.

>> reporter: in a rare act of protest, most democrats walked off the house floor, refused to vote, and headed out the capitol door.

>> shame on you! shame on you. shame on you.

>> reporter: they insist the attorney general eric holder is being treated unfairly.

>> this is not about oversight. this is about overkill.

>> reporter: inside the chamber --

>> i don't take this matter lightly, and i would, frankly, hope it would never come to this.

>> reporter: -- house republicans joined by more than a dozen democrats voted to sanction the attorney general. they say holder failed to turn over subpoenaed documents that might explain why the justice department gave congress false information.

>> whoops, sorry. that's not good enough.

>> we were lied to. we were lied to repeatedly and over a ten-month period.

>> reporter: after the vote, holder responded with pointed language toward republicans.

>> today's vote may make for good political theet innater in the minds of some but it is at base a crass effort and grave ser disservice to the american people .

>> reporter: tonight the white house dismissed the contempt against holder calling it a politically transparent stunt. the president injected himself last week by claiming executive privilege over some of these documents shielding them from congress. house republicans say they will continue to fight for access and fight for answers. brian?

>> kelly o'donnell after an eventful

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