Steny Hoyer signaled yesterday that some Democrats may defect and join the GOP in voting to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress when the House holds its vote on Thursday. CNN Reports:

Hoyer immediately pointed out that the NRA has “weighed in on this issue” and acknowledged “there are some members who will consider the recommendations of the NRA.”

“Whether they think those recommendations are founded or not I don’t know at this point,” Hoyer added.

Democratic leaders are urging rank and file members to stick together and oppose the resolution, according to a senior House Democratic aide. The vote in the committee last week was a party line vote, but that came before the gun lobby formally registered its support for the contempt resolution. Rarely has any pro-gun rights Democrat representing a rural and southern district broken with the NRA’s position on key votes, especially in an election year.

Meanwhile, Doug Mataconis highlights the shifting views of the New York Times on the censure of Administration officials, who wholeheartedly supported holding Harriet Myers and Josh Bolten in contempt, but condemned the move by the GOP this month.