NATIONAL BRIEFS

WASHINGTON: Holder slammed by GOP

Attorney General Eric Holder clashed with Republicans at a House committee hearing Thursday over demands that the Justice Department turn over more documents about a flawed gun-smuggling investigation. Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has threatened to seek a contempt of Congress ruling against Holder for failing to provide material on Operation Fast and Furious. "This has become political, that's fine," Holder said at the hearing, but there was no attempt "at a cover-up."

Hazing by Marines decried

The plea for congressional hearings on the military's efforts to prevent hazing was highly personal for one lawmaker. Rep. Judy Chu's nephew killed himself in Afghanistan last year after hours of beatings, repeated push-ups and mouthfuls of sand. Three Marines allegedly punished Lance Cpl. Harry Lew, 21, after he was caught sleeping on duty. Standing with her colleagues Thursday, the California congresswoman pressed for answers from the Pentagon on whether stopping hazing in the ranks is a top priority. Joining Chu was Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the top Democrat on the Armed Services Committee, who said the issue is a "cultural problem within the military and it needs to be examined." The cases of Lew and Pvt. Danny Chen of New York have called attention to hazing. Eight soldiers were charged in the death of Chen, 19, who shot himself on Oct. 3 after what investigators say were weeks of physical abuse, humiliation and racial slurs.

CALIFORNIA: Ex-Marine tied to 2 killings

An ex-Marine charged with killing four homeless men has now been linked to the stabbing deaths of a woman and her son, Anaheim police said Thursday. Investigators determined there is an association between the ex-Marine, Itzcoatl Ocampo, and Eder Herrera, who is charged in the deaths of Raquel Estrada and her son Juan Herrera in October in Yorba Linda. Police would not elaborate on that association.