White House Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler and Justice Department officials met Tuesday afternoon with aides to House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and showed them roughly 30 documents requested by Issa as part of an ongoing investigation into Operation “Fast and Furious,” according to several administration and congressional officials.

But the GOP aides declined to accept Ruemmler’s offer that the Obama administration hand over the documents in exchange for Republicans permanently dropping plans to hold a contempt vote, the officials said. …

“This was a good faith effort to try to reach an accommodation while still protecting the institutional prerogatives of the Executive Branch, often championed by these same Republicans criticizing us right now,” said Eric Schultz, a White House spokesman, said in a statement Tuesday night. “Unfortunately Republicans have opted for political theater rather than conduct legitimate Congressional oversight.”