Decorum Breaks Down at House Hearing

[SecularMotion]

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON — A House committee hearing into the structure of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau disintegrated into heated accusations of lying to Congress on Tuesday, with the panel’s chairman accusing Elizabeth Warren of giving misleading testimony at a March hearing and of lying about her agreement to testify this week.

Representative Patrick T. McHenry, a North Carolina Republican who is chairman of a subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee, told Ms. Warren, who is directing the start-up of the consumer agency, that he believed she misled Congress with testimony in March about her role in settlement talks between federal and state authorities and mortgage servicing companies.

Ms. Warren denied Mr. McHenry’s charge, saying that she clearly stated in March that she had provided advice to officials of the Treasury and Justice Departments about their investigations of fraud among mortgage-servicing companies and about their settlement discussions with the companies.

After an hour in which Ms. Warren repeatedly parried efforts by Mr. McHenry and other Republicans to nail her down with “yes or no” answers to questions concerning her testimony in March and about the bureau’s powers and responsibilities, Mr. McHenry moved to temporarily recess the hearing to allow members to travel to the House floor for a vote on an unrelated matter.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/25/business/25consume.html?hp

[DJ13]

1. F the Republicans

[barbtries]

20. i am so gawd damned sick of them.

fuck them.

[freshwest]

49. +1,000

[LaydeeBug]

59. perfect post. seriously. nt

[damntexdem]

2. Not news. Breaking news would be: "Decorum Breaks Out at House Hearing."

Repukes don't like "de" things: whether Democrats or decorum. ;-)

[joeybee12]

3. I hope she made him look like the fool he is...nt

[arcane1]

4. He better be careful...

Warren is NOT someone I want to have pissed off at me!!

[24601]

86. Not sure what you mean - does she have a record of going postal

with an M-16? It's never a winning strategy to go to war with those who appropriate and authorize budgets.

[pampango]

5. demonstrated the level of frustration that some Republicans apparently feel over the consumer agency

"The argument, an unraveling of the decorum that usually characterizes discussions among even the most fervent opponents during Congressional hearings, demonstrated the level of frustration that some Republicans apparently feel over the consumer agency, which was established as part of the Dodd-Frank Act that followed the financial and mortgage crisis."

[Old and In the Way]

15. Why do Republicans hate consumers?

I know they want to level the playing field so that it pits the average busted consumer against corporations, but aren't there Republican voters who are also consumers?

[Beavker]

54. I wonder that too sometimes

Who is going to buy their products when the majority of the country is destitute? The Chinese I guess...?

[JHB]

73. Consumers are not their constituents...

...reliable campaign donors are their real constituents, no matter what it says after the (R).

And those are people who want as few constraints as possible on squeezing every last dime from people.

[The Doctor.]

77. That is exactly it.

The sad part is that even though we can point straight to the causes and connections, even though we can show very clearly that corporations own all Republicans and many Democrats, and even though we can prove beyond a doubt that Republicans are acting against the people in the interest of corporations and the uber-rich, the teabagging, wingnut, Faux Noise, ditto-heads won't believe a word of it. Not because it's not true, but because they've been programmed to ignore anything but the corporate media that brainwashes them.

It's very frightening.

[lark]

82. They don't give a shit about consumers

no matter which party. They use the religious right to achieve their own corporatist ends and probably laugh about the suckers. They only care about the mega rich and their rich corporations because they are the ones that fund their campaigns and slush funds and all they care about is staying in power to continue raking in the $$$$$$$$$.

[coalition_unwilling]

6. Give 'em hell, Liz! - n/t

[Blue Owl]

7. What's that -- Santorum Breaks Down?

Better Google it.

[UnrepentantLiberal]

Ewwww

http://www.google.com/search?aq=f&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=santorum

[ncrainbowgrrl]

60. re: Santorum..."Getting to know you....", eh?

:hi:

[crim son]

30. Heh.

Indeed.

[onethatcares]

8. you can tell the pukes are upset with any reigning in of the financial industry

although both parties are ass kisser of the first degree when it comes to the big banks, the pukes have it down to a science.

[russspeakeasy]

71. a science and an art.

[JDPriestly]

9. I fully support Elizabeth Warren.

These Congresscritters are way, way out of place. They are just trying to find some reason to reject Elizabeth Warren. She favors consumers too much. They want a corporate shill in her job.

Shame on them.

[Plucketeer]

10. That pretty much sums it up! nt

[dmr]

13. I agree, and I'm sure they're hoping if they bully enough she'll walk away out of frustration

I don't think she will. She's made of good toughness - which of course, they are afraid of. She's exactly what this nation needs.

As an aside, I'm sure The Daily Show will show this bullshit for what it is.

[RhodaA]

11. Here is the video - you have to hear it to believe it

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/24/978861/-%28UPDATED%29-Warrens-Outrageous-Treatment-at-Oversight-Subcommittee

[pfitz59]

35. Rep Cummins was cool

the Chair was an asshat!

[elleng]

62. He was very cool.

Pleased he's from MD.
See her expression?!

[CTyankee]

68. Hi Ellen!

My thoughts exactly. That expression was SO telling!

these repubs are nothing more than a bunch of schoolyard bullies...

[Metta]

12. Smoke and mirror thug tactics. Not going after the criminals who stole our $$

but going after the sheriff who wants to hold them accountable. Typical, despicable R tactics. They routinely do this when they have nothing of substance to say.

[Faygo Kid]

14. They fear Elizabeth Warren. Plus, no doubt their handlers told them to do this.

No doubt the word went out clearly to the GOP from the banks and billionaires: You're bought and paid for. We expect our return.

[klook]

84. Exactly.

She represents everything the corporate puppetmasters fear and loathe.

[dennis4868]

16. Obama's fault?

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Why do they hate her so?

I don't get it. :shrug:

[MichiganVote]

25. Female, does what she says she will do, knows where their $$ skeletons are buried.

[CTyankee]

69. Plus, she makes good, common sense when you hear her speak.

The repubs are scared sh*tless when they hear her...

[harun]

44. She's enemy number one to their masters.

[mwb970]

48. They hate anyone who wants to do anything to help ordinary Americans.

Doing anything useful for anyone but the rich and powerful is absolutely forbidden by republican dogma and orthodoxy. I am so sick of their un-American words and deeds that I could scream.

[madamesilverspurs]

18. Lying liars accusing others of lying.

Second verse same as the first.

Sometimes I think that being a Republican is the same as being a felon.

How fucking sad.


-

[Lorien]

72. What repugs do best is PROJECT. nt

[HughBeaumont]

19. Patrick T McHeiney is a nothing penis yard gnome, just like Grover Norquist.

In fact -



Both have right kickable faces, to be honest.

[renate]

21. "...a nothing penis yard gnome..."

I love you.

:rofl:

[benld74]

22. gop hates liz cause she threatens their friends

[GreenTea]

23. Republicans have never cared about consumers nor workers repugs care only to protect corporations

and the rich through deregulation....Republicans use every lie possible to allow corporations to do as they please through deregulation and they say fuck you to the consumers and workers!

[wryter2000]

24. He's the a-hole

who referred to Valerie Plame Wilson a "glorified administrative assistant."

[XanaDUer]

26. I tired to write him but I'm not in the 10th district

anyone who is - in NC - can you write him to express your displeasure?

https://writerep.house.gov/htbin/wrep_findrep

[eridani]

40. You can still drop him a postcard

Those get through the inspection a lot faster, not needing to be opened.

[xxqqqzme]

66. go to project vote smart

http://www.votesmart.org/ - search mchenry
click on complete biography and along the right margin you will find district addresses; use one of those zip codes. I make up an address but use the zip code and it works for me.

[XanaDUer]

85. Thanks!

:)

[toddwv]

27. The Republicans hear "consumer" and "protection" and go on the attack.

Shocker.

[KamaAina]

28. Patrick McHenry (R-Accessory to Murder?)

http://www.southalabamian.com/news/2007-08-30/News/030.html

A Republican political consultant who had a hand in an infamous "Adam and Steve" flier that agitated a local legislative race has died in an apparent double murder-suicide in Orlando, Fla.

Ralph Gonzalez, 36, president of the Strategum Group, was found dead at his Orlando home last Thursday, Aug. 23 along with his roommate, David Abrami, 36, and a friend, Robert Drake, 30. The shooting happened two days before on Aug. 21.

Police say Gonzalez and Abrami were killed by Drake, a former U.S. Marine, who then turned the gun on himself. Police said they did not know what the motive might have been....

Gonzalez designed and mailed a flier, which described how Democrat Gloria Dolbare of Bigbee had not signed a Christian Coalition pledge to support a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages in Alabama.

Drake, it turns out, has close ties to McHenry:

http://patgobyebye.blogspot.com/2007/08/more-on-ties-between-florida.html

What caught my eye in the locally-oriented NCC article was the last paragraph and I'll quote it here:

Sources tell The North Carolina Conservative that Drake volunteered on several Republican campaigns in western North Carolina, and was an associate of Congressman Patrick McHenry. Gonzalez is also believed to have been associated with McHenry in the past. Since being elected, McHenry has attempted to insure that all elected officials in his district are his supporters and cronies. This has caused a very nasty political war of attrition in the 10th District. Sources say that Drake worked on these campaigns as a surrogate of McHenry.

Pat Go Bye Bye readers will recall that I wrote of the McHenry connection last Friday. I have two off-the-record sources tying Gonzales to McHenry (and one wacky dude.) At the time I didn't have the information that Drake had ties to Rutherford County. (I've since read where he was coming there to be buried but can no longer find the link.)

[SpiralHawk]

70. Republicon Family Cesspool Values

as usual

[lobodons]

29. Has he heard of the google machine?

Something tells me the google machine will help straighten this thing out. I am just amazed at how the GOP forget about this new google machine.

[Mrs. Ted Nancy]

31. Campaign for America's Future

has online petition. Wants POTUS to have recess appointment for Warren.

http://action.ourfuture.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=140

[SleeplessinSoCal]

32. Recess Appointment. We've got to demand it. They're trying create an issue where none exists.

[JEB]

33. The GOP

no longer pretends to be anything other than the thugs and low life scum shilling for corporations that they are. Fucking soulless money grubbing pieces of shit.

[marmar]

34. I cannot stand that smurf Patrick McHenry

nt

[FLAprogressive]

36. Time for the Patrick McHenry gay rumors to be publicized.....

[zazen]

39. is there any substance to this?

I don't care if he's gay. I care that he's part of an anti-gay party, and thus he deserves all the outing he can get, especially in that part of the state. Do you have a link or something?

[SomeGuyInEagan]

81. To borrow a FOX News technique, "Some poeple are saying..." n/t

[RyanPsych]

37. I'm not sure what's worse

the blatant disrespect of Warren by the Republicans, or Obama's lack of courage to nominate her

[starroute]

38. McHenry and the lending industry go way back together

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/03/12/474935/-NC-10-McHenry-Smears-Responsible-Lending-With-Right-Wing-Front-Group

Mar 12, 2008

NC-10 McHenry Smears Responsible Lending With Right Wing Front Group

I've realized that Patrick McHenry has been a water carrier for banking interests. What I hadn't realized was how low McHenry, along with Dick Armey's army, would go.

According to Credit Union Times:

Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has written Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), Chairman of the House Financial Services, seeking a hearing on the issue of individuals and organizations allegedly using non-profits to manipulate real estate and other markets.

The basis of McHenry's complaint is a bogus report February 21st by the Consumer Rights League front group for the predatory lending industry operating out of FreedomWorks national HQ whose sole purpose appears to be attacking the Self Help Credit Union and, in particular, the affiliated Center for Responsible Lending (with, no mere coincidence, the same acronym, CRL) calling it a "predatory charity". . . .

McHenry has long been an enemy of the Self Help Credit Union, the Center for Responsible Lending and founder Martin Eakes. According to a Credit Union Times article March 14, 2007 McHenry was quoted giving an address at America's Community Bankers' Government Affairs Conference:

McHenry said he feels there is no need for predatory lending legislation because "the marketplace will sort these things out best."

[Odin2005]

41. This country is descending into ungovernibility.

[liberal N proud]

42. The tactics the republicons use are reprehensible.

But the propaganda machine and their talking heads keep protecting them from the wrath of the people.

[PotatoChip]

43. Oh F them!

Seriously, why is the NYT's even giving these jerks the time-of-day?

[Joey Liberal]

45. F the republiNazis!

Nuff Ced.

[TxVietVet]

55. F*ckin' conservanazis.

:evilgrin:

[JJW]

46. Repug Freaks

[mwb970]

47. Reason #495 why I can't stand republicans.

All they do is get in the way and prevent anything that helps anyone with anything anywhere from ever happening. Thanks for nothing! Jerks.

[xchrom]

50. Recommend

[Phlem]

51. She must be

doing her job well. F the R's.
If they're the moral authority why are they still around after the rapture!?

-p

[young_at_heart]

52. I can't believe he is still in office---he's one of the worst in our state's history!!

Would you believe there is even a group called "Republicans Against Patrick McHenry".

Here is his latest disgusting controversy in NC ---

"State Republican leaders scrambled Wednesday to distance themselves from comments made by U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, who suggested that his party would use race as a determining factor in redrawing North Carolina's congressional districts to give GOP candidates maximum advantage."

More---On March 2, 2010, McHenry proposed new legislation, H.R. 4705, that would redesign the face of the $50 bill to include the likeness of the 40th President, Ronald Reagan.

More---McHenry stirred further controversy with his remarks on April 1, 2008, regarding a trip to Iraq. Speaking to 150 Republicans attending the Lincoln County GOP Dinner, he called a contractor — reported first by blogs as a "U.S. soldier" — performing security duties in Iraq as "a two-bit security guard" because the contractor denied McHenry access to a gym.

More---On April 16, 2008, Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call revealed that McHenry used funds from his PAC, "More Conservatives", to fund the defense of former aide Michael Aaron Lay's voter fraud charges incurred during McHenry's 2004 race. McHenry gave Lay $20,000 to pay legal bills on voter fraud charges brought while Lay worked for him.<24> These expenses were labeled as "Legal Expense Donation", according to FEC reports. Lay agreed to a deferred prosecution agreement, which stipulated he complete 100 hours of community service and pay $240.50 in court fees and $250.00 in community service fees to have the charges dismissed.

[TxVietVet]

57. McHenry is a champion conservanazi POS.

All I can say is that if his own party doesn't like him, it's sickening.

[earcandle]

53. Sounds like she held her ground.

[LetTimmySmoke]

56. The GOP in general has broken down.

This house hearing is one symptom.

[midnight]

58. I was thinking about Elizabeth this afternoon. I was thinking how relavent

she is to the job of protecting consumers from predatory lenders and more because of her first hand knowledge of living with the harm done to working class families like hers that had little protection. Stay strong Ms. Warren...

[guruoo]

61. A textbook political hit for the cameras, probably contracted by the GOP mob bosses. Read>>>

Ms. Warren objected, saying that she had agreed to be present for only an hour and had no more time. Mr. McHenry disagreed and said that other subcommittee members still had questions for her.

....

“Congressman, you are causing problems,” Ms. Warren said. “We had an agreement.”

“You’re making this up,” Mr. McHenry replied, eliciting gasps from the audience. “This is not the case.”

As Mr. McHenry and Ms. Warren traded accusations, a senior Democrat, Representative Elijah Cummings of Maryland, tried to smooth things over. “Mr. Chairman,” he said, “I’m trying to be cordial here — you just accused the lady of lying. You need to clear this up with your staff.”

Mr. McHenry did not back down. After the meeting broke, he said in a statement: “I was shocked by Ms. Warren’s blatant sense of entitlement. She was apparently under the assumption that she could dictate a one-hour time limit for her testimony to Congress, and that we were there at her behest instead of the other way around. This is just further example of her disregard for Congressional oversight.”

[Iwillnevergiveup]

63. Another endearing quality in the Congressman

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/19186/nc-congressman-patrick-mchenry-gop-redistricting-is-all-about-race

[divine_truine]

64. mchenry obviously has small-penis syndrome!

and they're doing it all for the koch brothers & for jeebus!

[Hubert Flottz]

65. Patrick T. McHenry is a prick.

The GOPers deserve the treatment they dish out to others.

[No Elephants]

67. Is this the Rethug job creation program? Great priorities, as usual.

[Lasher]

74. They're bitchy because they just got their asses kicked in NY-26

Looks like it's GOP ideology, and not Medicare, that's 'unsustainable'.

[lovuian]

75. the woman doesn't even get a bathroom break

Oh Please

[BrklynLiberal]

76. Gawd! Is the even one repuke who is not a total asshole?

[janet118]

78. Mr. McHenry was getting whacked on his Facebook page last night

I should check and see if the cleaning person was in this morning.

[janet118]

79. Posts are still up - no one has even defended the guy

I guess he set up the page and forgot about it. Have https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanMcHenry">fun!

Warning: You must "like" him in order to post. Ick!!!

[JAnthony]

83. Still up there, sample comment at top of his page right now......

"Congressman (and his staff), do you realize no one is coming to your defense on this page? I've been through 6 pages and there isn't one posting of support. No one believes what you did was right, not even your little teabaggers. You need to make a public apology. Sir.
5 minutes ago"

[SomeGuyInEagan]

80. The GOP is very scared of her. n/t