White House Spokesman Jay Carney said Friday that there is longstanding precedent against prosecuting Attorney General Eric Holder for contempt of Congress, and the Justice Department declined the Congressional request.

"It is an established principle, dating back to the administration of President Ronald Reagan, that the Justice Department does not pursue prosecution in a contempt case when the President has asserted executive privilege," Carney told reporters.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Thursday held Holder in contempt of Congress for failure to turn over documents related to a failed gunrunning sting. The White House declared the same documents protected under executive privilege earlier this month.

According to US press reports, Justice Department has already declined to prosecute Holder.

The Justice Department announced their decision in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner. Citing long-standing administrative practice, the department said it will not refer the contempt charge to a grand jury and that it will take no other action to prosecute Holder.