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Bloomberg Offers Little On Attorney General Holder, 'Fast And Furious' Debacle

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a man not known to mince words when it comes to illegal guns, is steering clear of the controversy over "Operation: Fast and Furious" -- the botched gun-tracking program that has some calling for heads to roll in Washington.

The founder of the group "Mayors Against Illegal Guns" has refused to even offer an opinion on the future of Attorney General Eric Holder.

"If he resigns, it's a decision he makes. I can't make decisions for him," Bloomberg told CBS 2's Tony Aiello on Thursday.

"Guns lost in this operation will continue to show up at crime scenes," Holder said recently.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives allowed 2,000 guns to fall into the hands of Mexican drug dealers. It tried to track them but failed. The weapons are now turning up at crime scenes on both sides of the border.

At New York's leading anti-gun group, there's criticism for "Fast and Furious."

"The administration should take responsibility for making sure that this kind of an operation never happens again," said Jackie Hilly of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence.

However, few gun-control proponents are blaming Holder or joining Republicans in calling for his resignation.

Holder has denied a cover-up and said critics are trying to score political points.

"We cannot afford to let the tragic mistakes of 'Operation: Fast and Furious' to become a political sideshow," Holder said.

Bloomberg seems clearly willing to give Holder a pass.

"I've never been into looking at the past and trying to blame people for the past," the mayor said.

Attorney General Holder, who was born in the Bronx and raised in Queens, also seems to be avoiding much in the way of criticism here at home, but the heat is still on, with three congressional committees investigating "Operation Fast and Furious."

On Thursday one Republican said if the controversy isn't resolved quickly, Holder could face impeachment.

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