# Darrell Issa: This time you've gone too far **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 21, 2012, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388 "2012-10-21T06:13:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/1 "2012-10-21T06:13:48Z")
A [New York Times editorial](http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/19/darrell-issa-keeps-his-word/) from just two days ago pointed out the numerous things that Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) has done in attempt “to obstruct President Obama, who he called ‘one of the most corrupt presidents in modern times,’ by any means at his disposal.” > [@](#): > > Just yesterday, Mr. Issa announced that he would issue subpoenas for administration documents relating to a program that pays bonuses to Medicare Advantage plans. Mr. Issa claims that the Obama administration is somehow manipulating this program (which was created by a Republican Congress under President George W. Bush) to mask the costs of health care reform. The Department of Health and Human Services handed over piles of documents on Thursday, as Mr. Issa demanded, but that’s not good enough for him. > > Last week, Mr. Issa said he would hold hearings on the September jobs numbers, which Republicans say were manipulated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to make Mr. Obama look good. That’s nonsense, but Mr. Issa doesn’t care. > > Mr. Issa also led the highly politicized hearings into the killing of American diplomats in Libya. He attacked the administration for not providing enough security to diplomats in Libya. But, previously, Mr. Issa joined his fellow Republicans in cutting nearly a half-billion dollars from the State Department’s two main security accounts, which cover things like … security. In 2009, he voted to cut nearly 300 diplomatic security positions. > > Those are just a few examples. Mr. Issa probably got the most media attention for investigating Fast and Furious, a stupid Justice Department program (that also started under Mr. Bush) which led to guns ending up in the hands of drug dealers in Mexico. Attorney General Eric Holder turned over those documents, after too long of a delay, but that didn’t satisfy Mr. Issa, who engineered a contempt of Congress vote against Mr. Holder and threatened to prosecute him. > > The list goes on. This was just two days ago. However, as easy as it was to label Issa an obstructionist, a divisive figure in national politics, an irrational and self-important blowhard who enabled conspiracy theorists or a partisan hack, if you were to label him treasonous, you would have risked coming off as unhinged as Issa himself. Until later that day. > [@](#): > > House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) compromised the identities of several Libyans working with the U.S. government and placed their lives in danger when he released reams of State Department communications Friday. > > Issa posted 166 pages of sensitive but unclassified State Department communications related to Libya on the committee’s website. > > But Issa didn’t bother to redact the names of Libyan civilians and local leaders mentioned in the cables, and just as with the WikiLeaks dump of State Department cables last year, the administration says that Issa has done damage to U.S. efforts to work with those Libyans and exposed them to physical danger from the very groups that had an interest in attacking the U.S. consulate. > > [Foreign Policy](http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/10/19/issa_s_benghazi_document_dump_exposes_several_libyans_working_with_the_us) So Issa was shooting at anything that moved (and a lot of things that didn’t) in an attempt to take down Obama. However, as much of an annoyance as he had been, this time he released reams of documents - that “weren’t provided by (the) State (Department). So there wasn’t any discussion about their sensitivity prior to the committee revealing them for all to see” - and now allies of the US in a very tense region find their lives in danger. In a region already filled with tumult, Issa put party before country with untempered recklessness and endangered the lives of people who could help us there, made damn sure others there will be unable to trust us, and severely compromised any and all investigations we are making or planned to make into the events there in the recent past or even down the road. As John Kerry said: > [@](#): > > "The wholesale release of State Department documents by the House Oversight Committee has exposed Libyan nationals working with the United States to possible danger. This is irresponsible and inexcusable, and perhaps worst of all it was entirely avoidable. It is profoundly against America’s interests in a difficult region. > > The House committee seems to adopting a very different set of investigative techniques. It’s bad enough that it’s becoming a political sideshow presumably driven by the calendar of Monday’s upcoming presidential debate, but even worse is that in their rush to make news they’ve exposed Libyans who were working side by side with America." > > [Huffington Post](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/20/john-kerry-darrell-issa-_n_1992826.html) I am furious beyond words at Issa. His brazen actions might cause the death of friends, might cause others to turn their back on us, and will hamper us in a volatile region for who knows how long. He compromised American interests and American security and did so just to spite Obama. He failed with everything else, so what’s a few deaths of allies as long as he can finally get something to stick against the Obama administration (although this of course probably won’t even accomplish that). What Issa did was disgusting. Sadly, this Pit thread is probably the worst that will happen to the cowardly thug. Even though many are calling for Issa to be kicked off the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and resign from Congress, how likely is this to happen? It’s like Julian Assange and Valerie Plame rolled into one guy who should fucking know better yet who will likely not even suffer - even if people die because of his actions. Darrell Issa is a traitor. He put party before country. All of this is simply inexcusable. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/2 "2012-10-21T06:18:19Z")
Republicans love what he’s doing. They’ve all put themselves ahead of their country. It’s the lust for power. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/3 "2012-10-21T07:49:55Z")
Normal people lust for each other, only perverts lust for power. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/4 "2012-10-21T08:16:55Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > … only perverts lust for power. Also known as politicians. Without power politics is simply a masturbatory fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/5 "2012-10-21T09:38:09Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > …this time he released reams of documents… Or, you know, 1/3 of a ream. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/6 "2012-10-21T09:51:32Z")
This may be a leak we can all get behind and condemn. No faux idealism here. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/7 "2012-10-21T10:57:53Z")
> [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](#): > > … > It’s like Julian Assange and Valerie Plame rolled into one guy who should fucking know better yet who will likely not even suffer - even if people die because of his actions. > … Just to clarify one thing; Plame was not a leaker but rather the victim of a leak. I’m pretty sure you knew that but the wording of that sentence makes it sound otherwise. I concur with your pitting of Issa. ---
**Author:** ![Molesworth\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Molesworth\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molesworth_2)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/8 "2012-10-21T12:14:30Z")
What disgusts me about this whole Libya thing is the way that the Republicans are crying crocodile tears over the deaths of four Americans. I could have sworn that the last time a Republican President was in power there was an attack on US soil, that the POTUS had been warned about, which killed 3000 people. Maybe my memory isn’t too good, but I seem to recall that POTUS using those attacks to justify an illegal war which resulted in the deaths of 4,000 US military and over 100,000 innocent Iraqi civilians. The sheer hypocrisy of Republicans claiming that this issue is proof that Obama is the greatest incompetent liar to ever hold the office of President (and that’s how they’re spinning the Libyan attacks on all the other message boards around the web, and how I think Issa justifies this action in his own tiny mind) is truly and utterly mind-boggling. Even if what happened in Libya was Obama’s fault (which it’s not) he’d have to make thousands, or even tens of thousands, of similar screw-ups before he even began to approach the despicable legacy ot the last Republican to hold office. I can’t quite get my head around the way people actually think like that, to be totally honest. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/9 "2012-10-21T14:15:04Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Just to clarify one thing; Plame was not a leaker but rather the victim of a leak. I’m pretty sure you knew that but the wording of that sentence makes it sound otherwise. I meant the situation… But yeah, it could have been worded better. I was angry. Still am. Where are the Team-SD Republicans to defend this piece of shit? ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/10 "2012-10-21T14:18:10Z")
_Now_ he’s gone too far? That guy’s been a huge asshole for along time, a megalomaniacal dick who abuses his power to obstruct the entire government based on his fantasies like some modern-day McCarthy. Fuck him. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/11 "2012-10-21T14:22:38Z")
It’s one thing to be a witch hunting buffoon; it’s quite another to be willing to sell out our national security for one of those witch hunts. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/12 "2012-10-21T14:24:27Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Normal people lust for each other, only perverts lust for power. “First you get the money. Then you get the power. Then who needs the women? _\_” —Senator Anthony Montana (R-FL) ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/13 "2012-10-21T15:08:29Z")
> [@Molesworth\_2](#): > > I could have sworn that the last time a Republican President was in power there was an attack on US soil, that the POTUS had been warned about, which killed 3000. Just so I’m clear, you think Bush knew about 9/11 and let it happen? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/14 "2012-10-21T15:36:24Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > Just so I’m clear, you think Bush knew about 9/11 and let it happen? There’s a wide gulf between being warned that Osama Bin Laden has cells in the United States that seek to hijack airplanes and failing to stop it (both true), and “letting it happen.” But after the last month, there is no doubt in my mind that Republicans would have ignored that difference were the shoe on the other foot. Darrell Issa is just a symptom of the disease. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/15 "2012-10-21T15:44:49Z")
There are people for whom partisan political advantage seemingly trumps all else, including national security. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/16 "2012-10-21T20:15:23Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > Just so I’m clear, you think Bush knew about 9/11 and let it happen? Do you think Obama knew about Libya and let that happen? Just so we’re clear. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/17 "2012-10-21T20:48:11Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Normal people lust for each other, only perverts lust for power. Stolen. Facebooked. Just thought I’d let you know, in case it becomes an Internet meme. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/18 "2012-10-21T21:33:18Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > _Now_ he’s gone too far? That guy’s been a huge asshole for along time, … Yes, now. Being an asshole is not a crime. This, however, is worse than outing the CIA safe house. Do we have any news professionals here? Would your editor have allowed this? Would you have been guilty of a crime if you had received these documents from a leak and published them (I’m thinking Ellsberg)? ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/19 "2012-10-21T21:39:39Z")
Pretty good symbol for what is wrong with Congress. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388/20 "2012-10-21T21:41:50Z")
> [@](#): > > Last week, Mr. Issa said he would hold hearings on the September jobs numbers, which Republicans say were manipulated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to make Mr. Obama look good. That’s nonsense, but Mr. Issa doesn’t care. The glaring flaw in this particular lunacy is that, if it was in the power of the President to cook the books on unemployment, why would he wait until a month before the election to do it, when the Republicans have been flogging him with it for three and a half years? Doesn’t make any sense, but then, that doesn’t stop the right wing from believing all sorts of crazy things. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/darrell-issa-this-time-youve-gone-too-far/638388.md?page=2)