Diane Harkey was one of the first Republicans to get into the race to replace retiring California Rep. Darrell Issa, who’s endorsing her

Diane Harkey was one of the first Republicans to get into the race to replace retiring California Rep. Darrell Issa, who’s endorsing her. https://t.co/JoORS9Hbf4

— Roll Call (@rollcall) January 26, 2018

GOP retirements boost Democrats’ hopes of taking targeted House seats in California

A Record Number of House Republicans Will Not Seek Re-Election in 2018 https://t.co/CZ4CJzOSkn

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 11, 2018

More than two dozen House members are retiring. How many more will follow? https://t.co/sAjOfhTYdP

— The Weekly Standard (@weeklystandard) January 10, 2018

I don't buy that Senate control is a tossup. Their chances have improved, but people aren't properly accounting for how tough the map is for Democrats.https://t.co/ldrEb7Vd6a

— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) January 10, 2018

Retiring House #Republicans in Districts #Clinton Won:
•Issa (CA-49): Clinton +8
•Royce (CA-39): Clinton +9
•Reichert (WA-08): Clinton +3
•Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27): Clinton +20 pic.twitter.com/W5OkTwQ1Bm

— Fox News Research (@FoxNewsResearch) January 10, 2018

GOP retirements boost Democrats’ hopes of taking targeted House seats in California https://t.co/4SFOCV2a8n

— Christopher Cadelago (@CapitolAlert) January 10, 2018

LISTEN: Darrell Issa’s decision not to seek reelection is the latest sign the GOP faces an uphill battle in midterms, says @ScottWongDC https://t.co/duzohaF93H pic.twitter.com/KO4ZBZoIjh

— The Hill (@thehill) January 11, 2018

"Hard-working Californians deserve to see a tax cut too:" Darrell Issa on why he voted No on the tax bill

.@DarrellIssa says in statement he still objects the tax bill, saying he will "oppose both proposals in their current form." Issa was one of three GOP no votes on the House bill from California pic.twitter.com/53Bgpeb155

— Sarah D. Wire (@sarahdwire) December 4, 2017

.@DarrellIssa has a new op-ed attacking the House-passed Republican bill as a tax hike on Californians.https://t.co/GPu4SdV7vP

— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) November 20, 2017

...The tax plan approved this week would have made some good steps forward — simplifying the tax code, changing the corporate tax rate from the world’s highest to be more globally competitive, and bringing down the rates for individual taxpayers — but I worry that even under the reduced tax rates, many across our state could be forced to pay more, not less, and for me that is simply unacceptable.

For taxpayers in our district, being able to deduct their state and local income taxes from their federal return is the first line of defense against the tax increase factory the Democrats have built in Sacramento. Democrats in our state Capitol have worked around the clock for years, churning out tax increases by the dozen on everything from gasoline, everyday purchases, paychecks — even plastic bags at the grocery store. Taken together, our state lawmakers have put Californians’ taxes at the top of the list — highest income taxes in the country, highest sales taxes nationwide and now, thanks to the latest 12-cent-a-gallon gas tax hike, the highest gas prices anywhere in the land.

For Americans with leaders in their state Capitol less greedy than our own, eliminating the deduction makes little difference. But for us, eliminating the ability of Californians to deduct their hefty state and local taxes significantly compounds the substantial burdens already imposed on the taxpayers by our state. Even worse, eliminating the state and local tax deduction would assure that almost all of the bill’s tax cuts would be distributed to other states — leaving California with the bill.

Hard-working Californians deserve to see a tax cut too.

Jonathan Gruber’s Pants Inferno

◼ The Obamacare architect is a huge, monumental liar. - Jonah Goldberg/National Review

Let’s start with Jonathan Gruber. I have to say I was disappointed by the hearings. Oh, sure, it was good theater-as-human sacrifice of the sort Washington does so well (though I am glad they stopped short of rectal rehydration).

But this was one of those moments where they really could have put the system on trial. Gruber’s consistent answer was that he’s a shabby, shallow, little man who belittles others, including the American people, to make himself look good. “I tried to make myself seem smarter by demeaning others.”

In almost every exchange, Gruber fell back on language you’d expect from a stockbroker tied up in an S&M dungeon. I did it because I am a flea! A worm! I am no master of the universe, I am nothing! Punnnniissshhh meee!

All that was missing were some riding-crop and melted-candle-wax welts, and maybe a shorn scrotum. Hey man, it’s a defense.

But it’s not a good one. You can blame your arrogance for calling the American voters stupid, but you can’t blame your arrogance for claiming that the bill was designed to hide taxes and deceive the public. If I stab someone 34 times, the jury might want to hear about my arrogance, but whether I’m arrogant or humble, it doesn’t change what I did — and apologizing for it doesn’t clarify where the body is buried.

◼ Gruber’s Pathetic Congressional Testimony. Despite his memory lapses, the ethical problems related to his work on Obamacare are plain. - John Fund/National Review

An old Soviet joke had men carrying briefcases marching alongside tanks and soldiers in a Kremlin parade. “Why are those men in a military parade?” a boy innocently asks his father. He replies, “Those are the economists. They are the most dangerous of all.”

MIT economist Jonathan Gruber’s factually impoverished testimony on Obamacare didn’t get nearly the attention it should have, as congressional Democrats cleverly decided to release a report on CIA torture abuses on the same day. Gruber’s stonewalling about videos in which he boasted that the “stupidity” of the American people and their “lack of transparency” had been the key to passing Obamacare was buried deep inside major papers and ignored by the next morning’s network-TV shows. John Harwood of CNBC dismissed his testimony: “I’m sorry, Gruber is a nothingburger and always has been.” Mark Halperin of Bloomberg News chimed in: “This has been a sideshow. . . . It has no impact whatsoever.”

#a#Halperin will be right if journalists continue to look the other way and fail to probe more deeply into the issues Gruber has raised. The lack of curiosity many of them display about a witness who used variations of “I don’t recall” 20 times during his testimony is remarkable.

◼ Gruber subpoenaed over ObamaCare contracts - The Hill

◼ Issa wants to hear him say he's stupid one more time. - Discussion at Lucianne

◼ More Videos: Gruber Talks About Writing Obamacare;, Said Under Oath He Didn´t Write It - Katie Pavlich/Townhall

◼ Grubergate: The gift that keeps on giving.> - Discussion at Lucianne

Vitter and House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., have directed staff to look into whether the EPA broke federal law in developing the carbon emissions regulations.

◼ Sen. David Vitter, R-La., the top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, told The Daily Signal that the Natural Resources Defense Council played an “absolutely inappropriate” role in drafting the EPA’s new carbon emissions plan. - Daily Signal

Newly released emails between the EPA and the green group, Vitter said, show that the agency didn’t push to “consider all stakeholders’ opinions equally.” He added:

While both sides have denied NRDC’s improper influence over the EPA’s development of the carbon rule, these emails clearly demonstrate their beyond-cozy relationship and force the question: Who is working for whom?

Barbara Boxer re-election run looking unlikely

◼ It's not just that she has less than $200,000 in her campaign account, compared with $3.5 million at this stage before her last election fight. Some comments from those who know the 73-year-old senator are also telling. - SF Chronicle

"She is not running for re-election," said one longtime Democratic fundraiser with deep ties to Boxer, who spoke only on background.

State Democratic Party Chairman John Burton, Boxer's longtime friend and mentor, says she has not informed him of her intentions. But at a Democratic Party fundraiser in San Francisco on Thursday night, co-hosted by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Kamala Harris, Burton told the crowd, "When we meet here four years from tonight, we could be looking at one California governor and one U.S. senator."

◼ BOXER MAY DROP 'SENATOR' FOR 'MA'AM' - William Bigelow/Breitbart

...Prospective candidates on the GOP side include two candidates capable of self-funding: Rep. Darrell Issa and business executive Carly Fiorina. Fiorina lost to Boxer in 2010.

ANOTHER MYSTERIOUS ‘HARD DRIVE CRASH’ FOR THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION

◼ The freak wave of hard-drive crashes afflicting the Obama Administration – and nobody else on Earth – continues. By an amazing coincidence, the new story is about an old colleague of IRS scandal kingpin Lois Lerner at the Federal Election Commission, who in an even more amazing coincidence was also under investigation for partisan political activity. - John Hayward/Human Events @Doc_o

And so, we’re once again left with a letter from House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, (R-CA) and subcommittee head Jim Jordan (R-OH), informing another agency head that this all stinks to high heaven, especially since (April Sands — a former co-worker of Lois Lerner’s) admitted to violating federal law.

Although we recognize and appreciate the right of every citizen to participate in the political process, the Hatch Act limits certain political activities conducted by employees of the Executive Branch. In particular, the Act prohibits Executive Branch employees from engaging in partisan political activity while on official duty at a federal workplace. Certain employees, including FEC employees, are further restricted by the Hatch Act from engaging in partisan political campaigns or management. Additionally, federal law makes it a crime for a federal employee “to solicit or receive a donation of money or other thing of value in connection with a Federal, State, or local election, while in any room or building occupied in the discharge of official duties…”

As part of a settlement agreement with the [Office of Special Counsel], Ms. Sands admitted to violating the Hatch Act by soliciting political contributions via Twitter, conducting political activity through her Twitter account, and participating in a political discussion “via webcam from an FEC conference room… while on duty.” The FEC OIG sought to pursue criminal charges stemming from Ms. Sands solicitation of political contributions while on duty inside the FEC building.

But then, you know, there was that little hard drive problem, and all the evidence went away.

White House asks Darrell Issa to drop subpoena

◼ The White House is asking Rep. Darrell Issa to withdraw a subpoena of a senior adviser to President Barack Obama and is offering instead to hold a private briefing on activities in the administration’s political affairs office. - Politico

...“While I am hopeful that we can work together constructively to address your stated interests, your subpoena is not helpful to these efforts. As you know, it has been the view of administrations from both political parties that summoning the President’s most senior advisors to provide public testimony raises significant separation of power concerns,” Eggleston wrote.

But Issa’s office said there is little chance that the subpoena will be withdrawn....

DUDE! Fox News claims SEVEN-PAGE email exchange between Obama top officials over Fox News Benghazi report

◼ The #BenghaziDenier-Industrial Complex - Daily Caller

◼ DUDE! Fox News claims SEVEN-PAGE email exchange between Obama top officials over Fox News Benghazi report The Right Scoop

The email exchange, characterized as ‘stunning’, is being withheld by the State Department citing ‘Executive Branch Deliberations’.

Rep. Gowdy: 'I Have Evidence' of Benghazi Cover-Up

◼ Rep. Trey Gowdy said Friday that he has evidence of a "systematic, intentional" effort by the Obama administration to withhold documents from Congress about the 2012 Benghazi attacks that killed four Americans. - Todd Beamon/Newsmax

"I have evidence that, not only are they hiding it, there's an intent to hide it," the South Carolina Republican told "On the Record With Greta Van Susteren" on Fox News. "I can't disclose that evidence yet, but I have evidence that there was a systematic, intentional decision to withhold certain documents from Congress — and we're just sick of it."

◼ Trey Gowdy Benghazi: Witnesses Had Courage to Come Forward – Systemic Effort to Intentionally Hide Records - Maggie's Notebook

GRETA: You told me right here that you have evidence that not only are they, meaning the Obama administration, hiding it, but there is an intent to hide it. I can’t disclose that evidence yet but there is a systemic, intentional decision to withhold certain documents from Congress. Will we see those documents?

GOWDY: Well, I can’t prove to you what I don’t know. I don’t know whether the documents have been destroyed. I know this, there are witnesses that have had the courage to come forth and share with us what was a systemic effort to take certain documents — take the ARB [Accountability Review Board], for instance — does anybody believe the ARB had access to all the documents and all of the witnesses? I don’t know anyone who believes that, so that necessarily undercuts any thing they may have found....

◼ Gowdy Blasts Administration’s ‘Systematic Effort’ To Withhold Benghazi Documents From Congress - Heritage Foundry
◼ Issa: 'Disturbing and Perhaps Criminal' That WH Withheld Key Benghazi Documents - CNS News

Documents relating to the Sept. 11, 2012 terror attack in Benghazi -- released by the White House just days ago under a Freedom of Information Act Request -- should have been turned over to Congress a year and a half ago, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) told a hearing of the House Oversight Committee on Thursday.

◼ Attkisson: WH using “well orchestrated strategy to controversialize a story they don’t want to hear about” - The Right Scoop

◼ ‘This is first time we have had a president who’s an outright coward,’ says Lt. Col. Ralph Peters - Biz Pac Review

◼ Obama Adviser That Edited Benghazi Talking Points Wrote Short Story About A Character That Edits Talking Points - Patrick Howley/Daily Caller

President Obama’s national security adviser Ben Rhodes, who edited the administration’s Benghazi talking points, is a former fiction writer who penned a short story about a supernaturally gifted professional note-taker who rises through the corporate world by taking notes that make other people’s statements sound better....

The IR-SS: It really should be called Organizing Against America.

◼ Lois Lerner talked about working for Obama’s group Organizing for Action while she had official oversight over it - Patrick Howley/Daily Caller

Ex-IRS official Lois Lerner talked about taking a job with President Barack Obama’s nonprofit advocacy group Organizing for Action (OFA) while she had official oversight at the IRS over nonprofit tax-exempt groups.

The revelation was made Wednesday in the House Ways and Means Committee’s referral letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prosecute Lerner on criminal charges. Ways and Means voted to refer Lerner to DOJ.

◼ Oversight panel recommends House hold Lois Lerner in contempt - Sean Lengell/Washington Examiner

A House Oversight and Government Reform Committee report on Tuesday recommended the full House find former Internal Revenue Service official Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress for her refusal to answers questions about the agency's conservative-targeting scandal.

"Lois Lerner's testimony is critical to the committee's investigation," read the report released Tuesday by the Republican-run panel. "Without her testimony, the full extent of the IRS's targeting of Tea

Party applications cannot be known, and the committee will be unable to fully complete its work."
◼ IRS under fire: Vote for Obama stickers, campaign cheerleading commonplace - Stephen Dinan/Washington Times via Mark Levin

Even as the IRS faces growing heat over Lois G. Lerner and the tea party targeting scandal, a government watchdog said Wednesday it’s pursuing cases against three other tax agency employees and offices suspected of illegal political activity in support of President Obama and fellow Democrats.
In one case the Office of Special Counsel, which investigates federal employees who conduct politics on government time, said it was “commonplace” in a Dallas IRS office for employees to have pro-Obama screensavers on their computers, and to have campaign-style buttons and stickers at their office....

Another IRS employee in Kentucky has agreed to serve a 14-day suspension for blasting Republicans in a conversation with a taxpayer.
“They’re going to take women back 40 years,” the IRS employee said in a conversation that was recorded. The employee also said that “if you vote for a Republican, the rich are going to get richer and the poor are going to get poorer.”
That employee went on to tell the taxpayer she knew she wasn’t supposed to be voicing her political opinions, and asked the taxpayer not to say anything....

◼ Darrell Issa: Emails suggest Elijah Cummings prompted IRS targeting of True the Vote - Susan Ferrechio/Washington Examiner

“The IRS and the Oversight Minority made numerous requests for virtually identical information from True the Vote, raising concerns that the IRS improperly shared protected taxpayer information with Rep. Cummings’ staff,” a statement from the Oversight panel reads.

...Issa said Cummings and his office asked for more information in January 2013 about True the Vote, this time getting Lerner involved.

At one point, an email revealed, Lerner asked her deputy, “Did we find anything?”

When the deputy said she had not received any new information, Lerner responded, “thanks – check tomorrow please.”

Issa said Cummings had previously denied asking the IRS about True the Vote.

◼ IRS Official Who Plead the Fifth Going To Jail? It Might Happen With Or Without DOJ Involvement - IJ Review

Lois Lerner could be jailed as a result of criminal charges via the Department of Justice or from direct Congressional action. At this point, Republicans prefer the latter and just took steps towards that end.

The House Ways and Means Committee formally requested that the Justice Dept. review pressing criminal charges.

The letter to DOJ can be read ◼ here. If convicted of these crimes in a court of law, Lerner could face up to 11 years in prison.

The exciting — I mean it! — conclusion to this weekend’s mystery about whether Lerner was thinking of testifying after all.

◼ WATCH: Lerner Takes Fifth In Response to Questions About IRS Scandal - Heritage
◼ BREAKING: Lois Lerner Refuses to Answer Questions Before Congress, Pleads the Fifth Again - Katie Pavlich/Townhall
◼ Issa Asks Lerner Devastating Questions - Daniel Halper/Weekly Standard

...In October 2010, you told a Duke University group: “The Supreme Court dealt a huge blow, overturning a 100-year-old precedent that basically corporations couldn’t give directly to political campaigns. And everyone is up in arms because they don’t like it. The Federal Election Commission can’t do anything about it. They want the IRS to fix the problem.”

• Who exactly wanted you to “fix the problem” caused by Citizens United?

In February 2011, you e-mailed your colleagues in the IRS: “Tea Party Matter very dangerous. This could be the vehicle to go to court on the issue of whether Citizens United overturning the ban on corporate spending applies to tax-exempt rules. Counsel and Judy Kindell need to be in on this one please. Cincy should probably NOT have these cases.”

• Why did you think the Tea Party cases were “very dangerous”?

In September 2010, you e-mailed your subordinates about initiating a “c4 project,” but wrote: “we need to be cautious so it isn’t a per se political project.”

• Why were you worried about this being perceived as a political project?

Michael Seto, manager of EO Technical in Washington, testified that you ordered Tea Party cases to undergo a “multi-tier review.” He testified: “She sent me email saying that when these cases need to go through multi-tier review and they will eventually have to go to Miss Kindell and the chief counsel’s office.”

• Why did you order the Tea Party cases to undergo a “multi-tier review”?

◼ Video: Lois Lerner takes the Fifth again as Issa cuts off Cummings’s mic - HotAir

Riddle me this, though: Why don’t they just agree to grant her immunity for her testimony? Her lawyer’s asked for it before, and her testimony’s certainly more valuable than seeing her go to prison, especially given the ignominy she’s already suffered for her role in the IRS scandal.

◼ Cummings goes BALLISTIC after Issa adjourns Lerner hearing [VIDEO] - Daily Caller

◼ Earlier: Rep. Trey Gowdy on Lois Lerner: ‘I Think She Connects this Scandal all the Way to Washington’ - TPPN

It's a series of e-mails. And when you read them in context, what you realize is she's trying to walk back any kind of ability for someone to look at the record and say, aha, this was political targeting. And, yet, it clearly is political targeting.

◼ Who put "acute political pressure" on Lois Lerner "to crack down on conservative-leaning organizations," and why did Lerner need a "plan" to avoid "a per se political project"? - Althouse

◼ Darrell Issa: No immunity for Lois Lerner's upcoming testimony - Ashe Schow/Washington Examiner

Issa Applauds Passage of H.R. 3964, The Sacramento–San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Delivery Act

◼ WASHINGTON. D.C. – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-49) released the following statement on the House’s passage of H.R. 3964, The Sacramento–San Joaquin Valley Emergency Water Act, which will help alleviate drought conditions across California:

“Today, the House of Representatives took measures to ensure that millions of Californians receive access to much needed water during the current drought crisis. By relaxing restrictive water regulations, this Act will increase access to vital water supplies which will save crops and jobs throughout California. I applaud the bill’s author, Rep. David Valadao (CA-21), Rep. Devin Nunes (CA-22), Rep. Kevin McCarthy (CA-23), and the entire California Republican delegation for their work on this crucial measure.”

The House approved the bill on a vote of 229 to 191, with Rep. Issa supporting passage.

Responses to the #SOTU

Bobby Jindal: In his State of the Union speech tonight, President Obama said he wants every child to have same chance this country gave him. Oh really? His Department of Justice is standing in the school house door in Louisiana.

The President’s rhetoric doesn’t match his action. His Department of Justice wants to keep low-income, minority children trapped in failing schools.

Tom Del Beccaro: #‎Obama‬ ‪#‎SOTU‬ lie: "The United States is more secure." America is not more secure with al Qaeda or Iran closer to a bomb/Middle East on fire

Darrell Issa Responds to State of the Union:



◼ ‘Highest approval in the building’: Politicians anxious to meet Willie Robertson at SOTU - Twitchy, Who Said What on Twitter

◼ A Small, Incoherent State of the Union Address - Stephen F. Hayes/Weekly Standard

The speech was long, more than an hour. At times it was defiant, at others it felt almost conciliatory. But mostly the speech was forgettable, disposable – a long list of modest policy proposals that will not be remembered for much longer than their echo in the House chamber.

◼ An Instantly Forgettable State of the Union Address - Guy Benson/Townhall
◼ Re-state of the Union - John Stossel/Townhall
◼ Republicans bash Obama for overstepping bounds - Politico

Marco Rubio: “I think it’s unfortunate, I think it’s divisive and quite frankly, borderline unconstitutional on many of those issues,” Rubio said. “I understand the [legislative] process takes long and can be frustrating, but I think it truly undermines the republic.”

Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.) said the president requested more controversial pieces of legislation — like immigration reform — than he did when Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress.

“Suddenly he wants things that Republicans won’t give him that he didn’t ask Democrats to do — it seems like a lot of theatrics,” Huelskamp said. Huelskamp said he joked with fellow members that he’s going to file legislation that doesn’t require a presidential signature.
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“In letters, interviews with administration officials, hearings and reports, Congress has repeatedly asked the administration: Why has the federal government failed to issue proper consumer protection guidelines for Obamacare’s navigators?"

◼ Who are these Obamacare navigators? - Pete Sessions and Darrell Issa/Dallas News

...First, the law does not bar — or even require screening for — convicted felons, including individuals convicted of identity theft or fraud. This is particularly dangerous because navigators may have access to applicants’ personally identifiable information, including Social Security number, date of birth, address, phone number and annual income. This poorly conceived program endangers families and individuals across the country by heightening the risk of identity theft or financial loss.

In letters, interviews with administration officials, hearings and reports, Congress has repeatedly asked the administration: Why has the federal government failed to issue proper consumer protection guidelines for Obamacare’s navigators? Even as U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius admitted before Congress that the lack of federal requirements raises a “possible” problem, the administration has continued to call common-sense safeguards “cumbersome.”

Second, navigators are only required to take a five- to 20-hour online training course and pass a quiz that they can take as many times as needed. The lack of sufficient training for navigators stands in stark contrast to the requirements placed upon health care underwriters whose job it is to help people enroll in health insurance plans....

◼ Confidential Obamacare Navigator training manual uploaded online - capitolcityproject.com

While nothing within the manual seems to be out of the ordinary or raise eyebrows, it contains parts instructing Navigators how to interact with people they speak with. It also includes sections on “Identifying Personally Identifiable Information,” “IRS Data Safeguards” and “Preventing Fraud.”

However, despite sections on preventing fraud and protecting people’s personal information, Breitbart News obtained an early copy of a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee report on Obamacare Navigators that documents Navigators encouraging fraud.

The report titled, Risks of Fraud and Misinformation with ObamaCare Outreach Campaign: How Navigator and Assister Program Mismanagement Endangers Consumers, details how ill-trained the people in charge of signing Americans up for Obamacare actually are.

◼ HOUSE REPORT: ILL-TRAINED OBAMACARE NAVIGATORS ENCOURAGING FRAUD, JEOPARDIZING PRIVATE INFO - Tony Lee/Breitbart

Breitbart News has obtained a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee report on the Obamacare Navigators that will be released Monday. It has found that Obamacare Navigators have been giving Americans misinformation and, in some cases, actively encouraging enrollees to commit fraud in order to raise their subsidies. To complicate matters further, there is no way for Americans to find out whether their Navigators are properly certified.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said at a Congressional hearing that it was “possible” for convicted felons to become Navigators. The report, titled Risks of Fraud and Misinformation with ObamaCare Outreach Campaign: How Navigator and Assister Program Mismanagement Endangers Consumers, concludes that is only one of many worries Americans should have about Navigators....

Issa Charges Sebelius With “Criminal Obstruction” of Obamacare Investigation

◼ Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, charged HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius with “criminal obstruction” of the committee’s Obamacare investigation. - Jim Hoft/Gateway Pundit
◼ link - next.gov

The dispute centers around a letter the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services sent to a contractor that worked on the online health insurance marketplace, directing it not to turn over correspondence and other documents to congressional investigators and stating CMS would manage any congressional inquiries.
That letter amounted to “criminal obstruction” of a congressional investigation,” according to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif.

“Obstructing a congressional investigation is a crime,” Issa said in a statement. “The federal obstruction laws reflect the fact that Congress’ right of access to information is constitutionally based and critical to the integrity and effectiveness of our oversight and investigative activities.”

HHS Spokeswoman Joanne Peters responded that the department is attempting to comply with Issa’s investigation while ensuring it doesn’t reveal any private consumer information or technology secrets.

ONE STEP CLOSER TO JUSTICE FOR BRIAN TERRY: Judge Rejects Holder's Fast&Furious Document Cover-Up

◼ Scandal: The truth about how and why Brian Terry and Jaime Zapata and hundreds of Mexican nationals were killed with weapons supplied by this administration may yet come out as a court lets a lawsuit proceed. - Doug Ross

The most transparent administration in history suffered a defeat Monday, when U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson turned down the Justice Department's request to dismiss a lawsuit seeking "Fast and Furious" documents hidden by Attorney General Eric Holder and the Justice Department after President Obama invoked executive privilege.

The lawsuit was brought by Rep. Darrell Issa's House Oversight and Government Reform Committee after the president asserted executive privilege to prevent records about the administration's response to the "Operation Fast and Furious" gun-running scandal from being turned over to Congress....

President Obama's supposed regard for the rule of law hit a new low when, on the eve of a vote to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over these and other documents, he granted his AG's 11th-hour request to hide sought-after documents on Operation Fast and Furious using executive privilege....

ISSA DEMANDS ACCESS TO BENGHAZI SURVIVORS

◼ Darrell sent a letter to Secretary of State Kerry demanding the Department comply with the Committee’s request to interview survivors of the September 11-12, 2012 terror attacks in Benghazi to further understand what happened on the ground during the attacks. - Oversight.house.gov

Bombshell at IRS hearings today? Watch LIVE

◼ The House Oversight Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing today at 11:00am ET on “The IRS’ Systematic Delay and Scrutiny of Tea Party Applications.” - Mandy Nagy/Le-gal In-sur-rec-tion

FOX News’ Carl Cameron reported Wednesday evening on the O’Reilly Factor that major evidence is expected to be revealed at Thursday’s hearing that proves, according to House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, that the IRS targeting scandal goes “way higher up in the government” and that the IRS in DC “was ultimately calling the shots.”





◼ You can view the livestream for this morning’s committee hearing in progress - HERE - oversight.house.gov/hearing

◼ Rep. Darrell Issa: IRS Tea Party trail leads to DC - Darrell Issa/USA Today

Our inquiry has a long way to go.

WASHINGTON INVOLVED IN IRS TARGETING: Check out Darrell’s oped in today’s USA Today explaining how IRS officials in Washington were directly involved in the scrutiny of Tea Party applications.

FROM DARRELL’S OPED: “Hull [a veteran D.C. IRS tax specialist] and his supervisors explained to committee investigators that scrutiny of Tea Party applicants — and the reasons for delays and enhanced scrutiny — went beyond the routine. It involved Lois Lerner, the senior IRS official who would later assert her right against self-incrimination in refusing to answer questions before Congress, as well as the office of the IRS chief counsel, which is headed by one of only two political appointees at the IRS.”