As to the state of mind, Holder is correct in the general sense, in that laws broken without intent to purposefully and willfully do so used to be a consideration in assigning guilt; however, that is not the way the application of the law works today as regards the general public -- regardless of intent, if the law is not adhered to, no matter how obscure or stupid, you've criminalized yourself, and the DOJ and the ATF are notorious for applying this standard.
Notwithstanding, he's a lying sack of sh!t. He knew what they were all doing and it goes right into the Oval Office.