Bad News for Obama: Americans Not Buying His Assertion of Executive Privilege on Fast and Furious Docs

According to a new poll out by The Hill, a majority of Americans believe President Obama improperly used executive privilege last week to save his Attorney General Eric Holder from turning over documents related to Operation Fast and Furious. Obama invoked executive privilege over the documents just 15 minutes before the House Oversight Committee began debate on whether to holder Holder in contempt for stonewalling the Congressional investigation into the lethal operation. Holder was voted in contempt by the committee 23-17 and a full House vote is scheduled for sometime this week.

Sixty-one percent of independents said they disapproved of the president’s actions, and just 25 percent approved. Among Republicans, opposition to the president’s use of executive privilege was more entrenched at 78 percent.

Even 28 percent of Democrats, and 30 percent of self-identified liberals disapproved of Obama’s position.

The margins were slimmer, but still significant, when voters were asked whether they believed Obama had, in general, used executive power appropriately or inappropriately.

Fifty-two percent said Obama had used his executive authority inappropriately, while 43 percent backed the president.