Now Issa’s on the hot seat

[DonViejo]

With the IRS scandal narrative imploding, the people who started it will face questions today

BY ALEX SEITZ-WALD

The tables have turned in the controversy over the IRS’ alleged targeting of conservative groups, as today the investigators will become the investigated when the two people most responsible for advancing the scandal narrative will face scrutiny at a hearing on Capitol Hill.

In the two months since the scandal broke in advance of a report from the Treasury Department’s Inspector General for Tax Administration, new information has deflated the notion of a White House-driven scheme to harass political enemies, giving Democrats reason to doubt the credibility of that initial report — and its author, J. Russell George. As Treasury’s top internal cop, George is used to asking people uncomfortable questions, but today it will be he who has to defend not only himself, but by extension the foundation of the controversy.

Since the scandal exploded in Washington, we’ve learned that the IRS flagged for review the application of lots of different kinds of groups, not just conservative ones, and that there’s no evidence the White House was involved in the targeting in any way. And last week, Elijah Cummings, the ranking Democrat on Issa’s oversight committee, released even more evidence that seems to undermine the proverbial prosecution’s case, as Michael Tomasky notes.

For instance, George apparently failed to disclose the fact that other investigators in his office reviewed 5,500 emails of IRS employees involved and concluded that there was “no indication that pulling these selected applications was politically motivated.” Cummings also uncovered evidence that seems to contradict George’s claim that the word “progressive” and “Occupy” were either not used or used only historically to flag applications. He found a PowerPoint presentation and another document that show the terms were used as recently as 2010 and 2012, respectively.

full article
http://www.salon.com/2013/07/18/issa_on_the_hot_seat/

[Jessy169]

1. Right where he should be

... with a bright spotlight on him and his lies and false accusations and incredulous stretches of the truth.

One good flush should take care of Issa. Hope it happens, someday.

[pinto]

2. I think Issa has little more than a passing acquaintance with ethics.

Ans sounds as though George has an "agenda" that fist Issa's to a T.

[progressoid]

3. Oh yeah, I saw this on CNN and FOX ...

NOT

[UCmeNdc]

4. Issa is a dirty crooked politician.

[John2]

5. what about the persons or people

the media pundits and republicans were calling for to resign? Chris Matthews was in the lead, blaming liberal Lefties. The Adiministration did release the Acting IRS chief over this report by the IG. The lady that took the fifth deserved to be put on leave, because she planted the story and the Media pundits ran with it.

The guy conducting the IG investigation gave daily reports about the progress of his investigation to Issa, because Issa is the one that initiated the complaint, when the IRS was monitoring these groups. Those groups were complaining to their republican representatives and Issa was the one asked the IG to look into it. So Issa is the person instigated the whole thing and tried to tie it to the White house, just he he did with Fast and Furious and Benghazi too with representative Chaffett. People should have caught on to these guys crying wolf by now. They just want to bring down the Obama Administration. The President shouldn't have jumped the gun to their accusations. It was the same with Susan Rice and other Administration people they were successful in getting to resign.

[Scuba]

6. Issa's already been investigated for ethics.

None were found.

[John2]

7. Who did the

investigation,Boner?

[Cha]

8. mahalo DonViejo!