GOP plans wave of White House probes

[sabra]

Source: Politico

If President Barack Obama needed any more incentive to go all out for Democrats this fall, here it is: Republicans are planning a wave of committee investigations targeting the White House and Democratic allies if they win back the majority.

Everything from the microscopic — the New Black Panther party — to the massive –- think bailouts — is on the GOP to-do list, according to a half-dozen Republican aides interviewed by POLITICO.

Republican staffers say there won’t be any self-destructive witch hunts, but they clearly are relishing the prospect of extracting information from an administration that touts transparency.

And a handful of aggressive would-be committee chairmen — led by Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and Lamar Smith (R-Texas) — are quietly gearing up for a possible season of subpoenas not seen since the Clinton wars of the late 1990s.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/41506.html#ixzz0xoZBzslN

[bluestateguy]

1. to which executive privilege will be declared again and again

along with the necessary citations of Bush Administration precedents for doing so.

[JuniperLea]

4. Maybe this is why he left so much of the Bush BS on the books...

Maybe he thought he might need some of the dirtier tricks?

I hope he takes the gloves off with these asshats.

[sakabatou]

2. The party of "NO!" strikes again.

[peacetalksforall]

3. Bailouts? Are they that stupid? It's going to expose themselves as well! Especially

the origins of it.

Maybe the 'investigation' will reach back to the barons and their plans for the world - thei rone world.

[CanonRay]

10. No, the only witnesses allowed will be those targeting Dems

You watch, they'll control the evidence. Does the name Ken Starr ring a bell?

[cstanleytech]

21. Aye, it will be funny if they

are the ones that open the can of worms that then come back to bite them on the ass.

[The Stranger]

5. Yet the Pelosi Disaster was afraid to investigate the Chimp when he was a lame duck.

Why they don't make Democrats like they used to.

[shanti]

6. issa

the one who brought us GAShole! :grr: he's a piece of shite!

[musette_sf]

26. +a brazillion!

And don't forget Vampire Cheney and the secret "energy" meetings to which said grade-C actor was (seemingly unaccountbly) invited to....

[flamingdem]

7. These cretins will do all they can to destroy Obama and our lives

What more do you need to know?

[CBHagman]

8. They've learned nothing at all since 1994.

Or perhaps they're just willing to risk running out the clock. The multiple investigations during the Clinton years, which the media just ate up with a spoon, cost used up millions of dollars but didn't prevent Clinton from being reelected, nor did it keep Newt Gingrich in power. In fact, Clinton's approval ratings went up.

One thing about this strategy of the GOP's: It might work with elements of their base, and of course the media will be wetting its collective pants with joy at the prospect of anything they can paint as a scandal, but neither group should overestimate the American public's attention span and/or list of priorities, including the economy.

[CBHagman]

9. They've learned nothing at all since 1994.

Or perhaps they're just willing to risk running out the clock. The multiple investigations during the Clinton years, which the media just ate up with a spoon, cost used up millions of dollars but didn't prevent Clinton from being reelected, nor did it keep Newt Gingrich in power. In fact, Clinton's approval ratings went up.

One thing about this strategy of the GOP's: It might work with elements of their base, and of course the media will be wetting its collective pants with joy at the prospect of anything they can paint as a scandal, but neither group should overestimate the American public's attention span and/or list of priorities, including the economy

[AndyA]

11. Keepin' the powder dry, eh Democrats?

Gotta move forward, right Obama?

We could have had so many investigations going into the GOP, that they'd be afraid to open their damn mouths at this point. But no...we gotta be bipartisan, forgive and forget, and move forward.

The GOP is about to drag your sorry asses backwards, Dems. Good job. :eyes:

[ixion]

25. Yep... the Dems always seem to play softball to the GOP's playing hardball

which is why the GOP always seems to be driving the narrative.

[GETPLANING]

12. The Difference between Democrats and Republicans

Democrats view Republicans as the political opposition.

Republicans view Democrats as the enemy.

I just wish the leadership would wake up to this fact.

[gateley]

14. You nailed it. nt

[defendandprotect]

23. Unfortunately, I don't think this is about "waking up" ...

Obviously, they understand quite well what they're doing --

[nyy1998]

24. +1

[doc03]

13. I'll bet they even try to impeach Obama . Reason? They don't

need one they will just make up shit. Pelosi said impeachment of Bush and Cheney was off the table, just watch what happens now.

[glinda]

16. Yes. You are dead on. Dems have made a HUGE mistake not taking Repubs down.

[gateley]

15. I think this must break the hearts of the older members of Congress --

those who remember the days when they would fight like dogs and cats on the Floor, but were FAIR in their attacks. And there seemed to be a respect for those on the other side of the aisle, and friendships!

It's become so ugly. I hate these people.

[DBoon]

17. I think "former car thief" Issa could use some investigating

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, the driving force behind the effort to recall Gov. Gray Davis, was prosecuted with his brother in San Jose in 1980 for allegedly faking the theft of Issa's Mercedes Benz sedan and selling it to a car dealer for $16,000, according to court records.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/06/25/ISSA.TMP

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Darrell Issa says that during the Vietnam War he served with an elite Army bomb unit, traveling with then-President Richard Nixon to protect him from harm.
...
The records show that Issa's service on what he terms an "Army security team" amounted to less than six months on a bomb-disposal squad in 1971. That's scant experience to qualify him for presidential security duty, former GI bomb experts say.
...
According to records and interviews, Issa's service on the bomb squad was marred by a bad conduct rating, a demotion and allegations that he had stolen a fellow soldier's car.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/e/a/1998/05/29/NEWS12714.dtl

In 1972, Issa and his brother allegedly stole a red Maserati sports car from a car dealership in Cleveland. He and his brother were indicted for car theft, but the case was dropped.<7><8> That same year, Issa was convicted in Michigan for possession of an unregistered gun. He received three months probation and paid a $204 fine.<9>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darrell_Issa

[No Elephants]

18. They have to take the House first. I don't think they will. Extending tax cuts for the rich is all

they've offered so far. It's not a winning platform.

[defendandprotect]

19. Remember that Conyers had to conduct 2004 election investigation in basement????

[aggiesal]

20. And, they still turned off the lights and ...

the Mikes.

Nothing to see here.

Go home.

[defendandprotect]

22. Wow . . . I watched some it ... and

I didn't know that they turned off the lights, mikes, etal!!

Unbelievable -- and I can't think of an investigation more important than

into the computer steals --

IMO, there was never a "Southern Strategy" -- there was only ever computer steals!!

These things began coming in during mid-and-late 1960's -- also the large ones used

by MSM. They were first -- mid-1960's -- until then they could only report ACTUAL

vote tallies! These things are crystal balls now -- they can predict and call winners

and losers -- states' elector college votes -- and presidential winner!

What we saw in 2000 was simply a reversal of those new powers.

[unkachuck]

27. so why....

....aren't we out there looking to crucify some repug ass while we still have a chance?

....expose those fascist repugs to a little sunshine and we might grow some votes in November....

[shanti]

28. methinks it's about time

to do a little mole-seeking. :eyes: turnabout's fairplay, eh?