Ron Fournier of the National Journal is out today with a piece discussing yesterday's interview on CNN of Darrel Issa. Issa, of course, is the chair of one of the House committees investigating the latest IRS misconduct. Even though Fournier seems to admit that the IRS was guilty of massive misconduct, he still cannot miss the opportunity to take pot shots at Issa. After all, Issa is a Republican, so he has to be a target. Here is how Fournier starts his piece:
In one brief and repugnant interview, the GOP's chief congressional investigator into Internal Revenue Service abuses cherry-picked evidence, overstated his case, and violated the sacred American principle of presumed innocence.
It amazes me to see this kind of statement despite the actual facts being something totally different. Let's look at Fournier's claims. First he bashes Issa for "cherry-picking" evidence. This is a reference to Issa's dissemination of portions of the initial interviews with IRS field agents involved with the persecution of conservative groups and individuals. The amazing thing is that the interviewer (Candy Crowley of CNN) asked Issa why only the excerpts were made public, and Issa told her that the interviews were continuing and that the entire transcripts would be released in the next few days. That means that Fournier is upset because Issa had the temerity to quote from a statement which is being made public in its entirety. That is not cherry-picking evidence.
Second, Fournier denounces Issa for overstating his case. Issa, you see, called White House spokesman Jay Carney a "paid liar". Fournier laments that Issa did not immediately give particulars about that claim; therefore, it somehow becomes an overstatement. I guess that Fournier did not watch the entire interview. Issa pointed specifically at Carney's continuing claims that the IRS scandal is just the work of a few rogue agents in Cincinnati. That is a lie. I know it is a lie. You know it is a lie. Fournier knows it is a lie. Even Carney knows it is a lie. We already have testimony from the Cincinnati agents that they were told what to do by Washington on this matter. Indeed, one agent said that he had to send the first seven Tea Party group applications to headquarters in Washington for "special processing". That is not the work of a rogue agent; it is just a field agent following orders.
Third, Fournier hilariously attacks Issa for violating the "sacred American principle of presumed innocence." It makes me wonder if Fournier has ever had to deal with the IRS. The only sacred principle at the IRS is that the taxpayer owes money until he or she can prove to the contrary. It is a presumption of guilt. But let's forget the IRS presumptions for a moment. Issa was not announcing the criminal guilt and punishment of anyone at the IRS. He was doing his job as a Congressional overseer of the activities of the IRS at a point where all America knows that the IRS was totally off the reservation. It is a crime for the IRS to attack groups or individuals based solely on their political beliefs. It is also unconstitutional. That is what happened here. We know this because the IRS has admitted that these practices were followed. Maybe Fournier ought to try on occasion to recognize reality rather than going off the deep end to gin up some attack on a Republican.
In the 1990's, Bill Clinton's political machine made a big deal attack Ken Starr in order to distract from the president's wrongdoing. The same playbook is being brought out again to attack Darrel Issa. The problem for president Obama, however, and all the Obamacrats is that we are not talking today about a sex scandal involving only consenting adults. This time we are talking about the most obnoxious arm of the federal government utilizing its substantial power to drive political opponents of the president into the ground. This is something that all Americans understand and abhor. Attacks on Issa, partcularly inept and even silly attacks like the one from Fournier, will never change the focus of the debate.
In one brief and repugnant interview, the GOP's chief congressional investigator into Internal Revenue Service abuses cherry-picked evidence, overstated his case, and violated the sacred American principle of presumed innocence.
It amazes me to see this kind of statement despite the actual facts being something totally different. Let's look at Fournier's claims. First he bashes Issa for "cherry-picking" evidence. This is a reference to Issa's dissemination of portions of the initial interviews with IRS field agents involved with the persecution of conservative groups and individuals. The amazing thing is that the interviewer (Candy Crowley of CNN) asked Issa why only the excerpts were made public, and Issa told her that the interviews were continuing and that the entire transcripts would be released in the next few days. That means that Fournier is upset because Issa had the temerity to quote from a statement which is being made public in its entirety. That is not cherry-picking evidence.
Second, Fournier denounces Issa for overstating his case. Issa, you see, called White House spokesman Jay Carney a "paid liar". Fournier laments that Issa did not immediately give particulars about that claim; therefore, it somehow becomes an overstatement. I guess that Fournier did not watch the entire interview. Issa pointed specifically at Carney's continuing claims that the IRS scandal is just the work of a few rogue agents in Cincinnati. That is a lie. I know it is a lie. You know it is a lie. Fournier knows it is a lie. Even Carney knows it is a lie. We already have testimony from the Cincinnati agents that they were told what to do by Washington on this matter. Indeed, one agent said that he had to send the first seven Tea Party group applications to headquarters in Washington for "special processing". That is not the work of a rogue agent; it is just a field agent following orders.
Third, Fournier hilariously attacks Issa for violating the "sacred American principle of presumed innocence." It makes me wonder if Fournier has ever had to deal with the IRS. The only sacred principle at the IRS is that the taxpayer owes money until he or she can prove to the contrary. It is a presumption of guilt. But let's forget the IRS presumptions for a moment. Issa was not announcing the criminal guilt and punishment of anyone at the IRS. He was doing his job as a Congressional overseer of the activities of the IRS at a point where all America knows that the IRS was totally off the reservation. It is a crime for the IRS to attack groups or individuals based solely on their political beliefs. It is also unconstitutional. That is what happened here. We know this because the IRS has admitted that these practices were followed. Maybe Fournier ought to try on occasion to recognize reality rather than going off the deep end to gin up some attack on a Republican.
In the 1990's, Bill Clinton's political machine made a big deal attack Ken Starr in order to distract from the president's wrongdoing. The same playbook is being brought out again to attack Darrel Issa. The problem for president Obama, however, and all the Obamacrats is that we are not talking today about a sex scandal involving only consenting adults. This time we are talking about the most obnoxious arm of the federal government utilizing its substantial power to drive political opponents of the president into the ground. This is something that all Americans understand and abhor. Attacks on Issa, partcularly inept and even silly attacks like the one from Fournier, will never change the focus of the debate.
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