Darrell Issa vs. Obama

The Creeping Fascism of American Politics

FOCUS: States Unite Against Citizens United

Dimon's Deja Vu Debacle

Cut It Out: An Open Letter to Black Bloc Anarchists

This Is What Tyranny Looks Like

Intro: "Darrell Issa, the congressman about to make life more difficult for President Obama, has had some troubles of his own."

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) speaks to the media during a news conference on Capitol Hill, 05/28/10. (photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Comments

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+12 # Richard Schmidt 2011-01-21 05:11

So this is "set a thief to catch a thief"??

+35 # rf 2011-01-21 05:31

Typical Republican...if you don't get caught then it is legal.

+25 # tomo 2011-01-21 06:30

Issa is good at weakening things. He "weakened" Gray Davis right out of the governership of California--and left us with Schwarzenegger, who managed to move the California economy from a "troubled" category (where it had gotten with a little help from the Texans at Enron) to put it on the critical list. In everything but name, California is now bankrupt. Has Issa ever apologized for the recklessness? He seems a man ill-disposed to apologizing. He prefers to just go on "weakening." It's hard to imagine how Issa can weaken Obama's presidency beyond the damage Obama has already done to it, but I'm sure Darrell will try. His resume reads like what one might expect if Ryan Lizza had managed to interview and profile Tony Soprano. God help us!

+44 # Todd Williams 2011-01-21 06:32

And this man is going to investigate Obama? Has this country gone completely mad? Obviously the inmates are running the asylum. He has been either very lucky or very lawyered up or both. He will make the perfect Republican hatchet man because he lacks ethics, is ruthless, and is ambitious.

+34 # peterjkraus 2011-01-21 07:13

It's not so much the inmates running the asylum as the Mafiosi running the House of Representatives .

In the Nineties, we Californians laughed at the Republicans for letting a loser like Issa ("in Arabic, my name means Jesus": he really said that)into their club. Two decades later, we're up shit's creek with this guy running the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

God help us all.

+8 # giraffe 2011-01-21 11:58

Peterjkraus -- I'm in CA and see the bigotry and crime against the non-WASP population rising- we're becoming like the Southern states with their White Supremist (called religios right) - although they don't know what religion means.

Look at the governor who OPENLY tells the world "either be Christian" or you don't belong here (sister/brother)

Even g-d can't help us --- we are rising to the level of Nazis - only it's against black/Muslim/Latino - the Jews won't escape either. If you look white - join a Christian church - just to save yourself when these maniacs (Bigots/criminals/etc) come after the non-Christians

+33 # granny 2011-01-21 07:15

No, the country has not gone completely mad, but a cabal of crooks has deceived even the rightest of the right wing - and the country will pay dearly for the results. Darrell Isa and his ilk may well do even more harm to America than Bush, Cheney and their cohorts.

+18 # giraffe 2011-01-21 11:52

WHY can't our "justice" system do its job and put the criminals away?

Look at the US Supreme Court! Scalia should be taken down for mental incompetence or somebody MUST see who is paying him off.

Issa is but one of the crooks stupid Americans elect to run this country

And the Issa's are so lawyered up - they can rape what is left of our LIBERTY - OMG

+32 # Heartbeatt 2011-01-21 07:25

Good article. Simply mind-boggling that people like Issa have wormed their way to power. He spotlights all the weaknesses in the US system where buying, bullying and lying your way to the top is increasingly the norm. Who would want a man like this to represent them? Have all the attributes - honesty, empathy, belief in human rights and equality, intelligence and erudition, and respect for due process - one would expect of a leader, become redundant? Is this the kind of man ypical of the Republican Party (there seem to be more than a few who falsify details of their past to make themselves look better)?
I heard him speak recently and it was all gobbledigook. Made no sense at all.
Let's hope he goes back to where he came from. One has to laugh though....it seems the famous line "please step away from the car" was coined for Issa and his brother.

+4 # FatCharley 2011-01-24 03:37

"Bad politicians are elected by good people who do not vote."

I heard this saying a few decades ago and it seems to have eternal verity...

+18 # AML 2011-01-21 07:29

Thank you, Ryan, for this edifying piece. Issa should watch his P's and Q's, not wasting tax dollars on witch hunts. Let's hope he's not completely controlled by the Rovian clan.

+25 # bigkahuna671 2011-01-21 08:01

I hope no one holds their breath waiting for Issa to actually represent the people of San Diego. He's in it for the power and is willing to do anything he has to, even if it's illegal, in order to accomplish his goals. I think, perhaps the Justice Department should initiate an investigation of Issa's 'exploits' in his prior years and then indict him for fraud.

+17 # giraffe 2011-01-21 08:34

Was Issa elected legally or did he buy votes? Or are the people who willingly elect him also psycho?

+6 # lola 2011-01-21 14:57

I think they used the electronic voting machines you know, that's the republican way

+18 # edgar valderrama 2011-01-21 10:23

What a 100% unadulterated prick!
Trained all his life for political leadership.
Let's see if the country survives his leadership. A heartless conniving opportunist is just what the Dr. ordered for the Reps.

+24 # PatriotPaul 2011-01-21 10:57

As a 24 year resident of San Diego many of us found Mr. Issa to be a vindictive, mean man hiding behind his own proud facade. He reigns from one of the wealthiest and most conservative areas of S.D. He helped orchestrate the recall of Calif. Gov. Gray Davis and in return we got stuck with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Why is it that all the law and order types go in to the closet whenever it's a Republican who breaks the law? Where is the accountability regardless of one's political affiliation? How many times have I heard from conservatives the statement, "If you're not guilty then you have nothing to hide." It's time for Mr. Issa to come clean.

Paul Harris
Author, "Diary From the Dome, Reflections on Fear and Privilege During Katrina"

+3 # robhood 2011-01-21 16:18

I'm more concerned that Obama may find "common ground" with Issa.

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