Congress: Here come the subpoenas

last updated 8 January 2015

Barely recovered from the “political tsunami” of the midterm elections, “Democrats are bracing for another,” said Linda Feldmann in The Christian Science Monitor. Rep. Darrell Issa, a hard-core conservative from California, will soon take over as chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and he’s openly champing at the bit to investigate what he calls the “waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement” of the White House under President Barack Obama. Democrats fear Issa will “paper Washington with investigative subpoenas in a broader crusade to bring down President Obama,” said David M. Herszenhorn in The New York Times. But Issa has moderated his rhetoric recently, saying he simply intends to put the government “on a diet” by looking for wasteful spending in Medicare, mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the Postal Service. In the 1990s, voters were turned off when Republicans issued 1,000 subpoenas to the Clinton administration, ultimately impeaching the president. So this time, GOP leaders want Issa to focus “on problems of concerns to voters, rather than partisan combat.”

Does anyone seriously believe this won’t become a partisan “witch hunt”? asked Steve Benen in The Washington Monthly. Issa’s recent media “charm offensive” not withstanding, he’ll soon be “handing out subpoenas like he’s handing out candy on Halloween.” For an example of the politically motivated brand of investigations we can expect, take Issa’s insinuation that the Obama administration pocketed or misspent $700 billion in economic stimulus. In fact, the stimulus program “has been entirely transparent,” with a website accounting “for every dollar spent.” Issa tipped his hand when he recently called President Obama “one of the most corrupt presidents in modern times.” He later apologized, but Issa is obviously less interested in holding government accountable than in making sure Obama isn’t re-elected.

“Democrats have good reason to fret,” said Eliza Newlin Carney in The National Journal. Issa’s list of targets looks entirely agenda-driven; he plans to investigate ACORN, a community voter-registration group that conservatives despised, even though that group is now out of business. But even Issa’s critics acknowledge that congressional oversight of the White House “is vital” to a healthy democracy. The public knows the difference between political vendettas and real waste and corruption, said the Chicago Tribune in an editorial. So our advice to Issa and the GOP is simple: “Don’t squander this opportunity—and your credibility.”