Attorney General Eric Holder has been the first cabinet member to be held in contempt of Congress.

The vote was pushed by house republicans who demanded holder hand over all documents concerning an investigation of operation Fast and Furious, a failed gun tracking operation.

Civil rights leaders were outraged by the vote, and house democrats stood behind the country's first African-American Attorney General.

Holder had his own comment to the proceedings, "Instead of trying to correct the problems that led to a series of flawed law enforcement operations and instead of helping us find ways to better protect the brave law enforcement agents like agent Brian Terry, who keep us safe, they have led us to this unnecessary and unwarranted outcome."

The National Rifle Association also pushed for a vote against the Attorney General.