House Judiciary Investigating Whether Holder Lied Under Oath

The House Judiciary Committee is looking into whether Attorney General Eric Holder committed perjury during his May 15 testimony on the Justice Department's seizure of reporters' communications, an aide close to the matter told The Hill.

At issue are comments Holder uttered during an exchange with Georgia Democrat Hank Johnson about whether the Espionage Act of 1917 entitles the Justice Department to prosecute reporters.

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"In regard to potential prosecution of the press for the disclosure of material, this is not something I've ever been involved in, heard of, or would think would be wise policy," Holder said during the hearing.

But a few days after the hearing, NBC News reported that Holder had personally sanctioned a search warrant labeling Fox News correspondent James Rosen a co-conspirator in leaking secrets about national security.

While the committee is trying to determine how Holder's comments jibe with the NBC report, Johnson, the congressman who asked the question, defended the attorney general. He said Holder's answer was specific to the Espionage Act question, The Hill reported.

The hearing concerned the Justice Department's seizure of Associated Press reporters' phone records in another leak inquiry.