Darrell Issa

Issa Defends Subpoenas, Provides Timeline of Negotiations with DHS

Susan Crabtree | February 24, 2011, 5:39PM

Darrell Issa (R-CA)

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is jabbing back at criticism from Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the ranking Democrat on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, that the first three subpoenas Issa sent out this Congress were "rushed" and "unilateral" and show a scatter-shot approach to investigating aimed at making headlines rather than improving government.

Cummings sent Issa a letter Wednesday accusing him of misusing the committee and failing to adequately consult Democrats before sending out three subpoenas in the last week, one to Bank of America looking for documents related to Countrywide's infamous VIP mortgage program, and two to Department of Homeland Security officials seeking depositions for the committee's investigation into whether DHS politicized FOIA requests.

Issa spokesman Kurt Bardella sent a lengthy response to Cummings' complaints and a detailed timeline, beginning with this quote: "Another day, another complaint and more righteous indignation. What else is new?"

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Elijah Cummings

Cummings Hits Issa For 'Rushed, Unilateral' Subpoenas

Susan Crabtree | February 24, 2011, 2:39PM

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD)

When Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) took over as chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee early last month, Democrats braced for an onslaught of investigations of the Obama administration and rash of subpoenas.

So far, the subpoenas have been very few in number -- just three to date and all sent last week. But Democrats already aren't liking what they're seeing and don't want to let them go without a fight.

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Oversight Committee

Cummings Presses Conservative Interest Groups For Correspondence With Issa

Brian Beutler | February 1, 2011, 8:24AM

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD)

House Oversight Committee chairman Darrell Issa has surveyed scores of industry and conservative players to figure out how to target investigations of President Obama's regulatory regime. But only a fraction of the responses he's received have been made public, and he won't share the rest with ranking member Elijah Cummings.

So Cummings is going straight to the sources.

In letters sent Monday to the same powerbrokers Issa solicited, Cummings asks for copies of their responses.

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Oversight Committee

Heritage Asks Issa To Reverse Decades Of Worker, Consumer, Environmental Laws

Brian Beutler | January 31, 2011, 2:30PM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)

CREW got a hold of a bunch of letters to House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa from trade association, industry, and think tank leaders, which identify aspects of the federal regulatory regime that they believe Issa should investigate to make life and profits easier for businesses.

The one that most neatly reflects the priorities of the conservative movement comes from the Heritage Foundation, which is asking Issa to attack decades worth of regulatory and statutory worker and consumer protections.

Here's the laundry list:

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Darrell Issa

Major Trade Association Asks Issa To Curb Toxin, Safety, Financial Reform Regs

Brian Beutler | January 12, 2011, 10:18AM

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)

Late last year, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), the incoming chairman of the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to the country's major trade associations and private corporations asking them which regulations they want to see weakened or eliminated.

In response, the GOP-friendly National Association of Manufacturers has asked him to probe forthcoming regulations aimed at enhancing worker health, improving toxin standards, mitigating climate pollution and preventing another crisis on Wall Street.

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Oversight Committee

Pelosi Power Play Doomed Towns On Oversight Committee

Brian Beutler | December 16, 2010, 5:09PM

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Rep. Ed Towns (D-NY) surprised everybody Tuesday afternoon when he announced that he'd dropped out of the race to be ranking member on the House Oversight Committee next year.

The move did not reflect his personal preferences though. On Tuesday, according to two sources close to Towns, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Towns and told him, essentially, that she could not support his candidacy.

Towns had all but locked down the position last month. But that was over the wishes of congressional leadership and the White House, both of whom want the ranking member to be a bulldog, who can stand toe to toe with incoming chairman, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).

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Oversight Committee

Towns Will Back Maloney Over Cummings In Oversight Committee Fight

Brian Beutler | December 15, 2010, 1:30AM

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)

After unexpectedly dropping out of contention to be the Ranking Member on the House Oversight Committee next year, Rep. Ed Towns (D-NY) has thrown his support to fellow New Yorker, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) -- the next-most senior Democrat on the committee -- who will fight it out for the panel's top spot with Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD).

"I support Carolyn Maloney to become Ranking Member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee," Towns says in a statement sent my way. "She is next in line on the Committee, she has the seniority and competence to serve the Caucus well."

Initial reports this evening suggested that Towns also supported Cummings. But both Cummings and Maloney say that's not the case.

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Oversight Committee

New York Congressmen Back Towns To Take On Issa

Brian Beutler | November 18, 2010, 2:22PM

Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY)

New York House Democrats, including members who lost their seats on November 2, want fellow New Yorker Edolphus Towns to keep the top spot on the Oversight Committee next year.

"As members of the New York delegation, we are supporting our colleague Rep. Edolphus Towns, current Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to become the committee's Ranking Member," the 25 Dems wrote in a letter to colleagues.

More on the brewing battle between towns and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) for the ranking member position here.

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Darrell Issa

Kucinich Confirms Oversight Run, Says Issa Is 'Reckless'

Ryan J. Reilly | November 17, 2010, 10:37AM

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) sent his colleagues a letter on Wednesday confirming that he is seeking the post of ranking member of the House Committee for Oversight and Government Reform.

Also in the running for the ranking member position is current House Oversight Committee Chairman Ed Towns (D-NY). Towns has faced criticism from fellow Democrats who don't think he would be a strong enough counterweight to Issa. The White House, however, has said they expect their relationship with Towns to continue. The Congressional Black Caucus would likely resist efforts to oust Towns, who is a member of the caucus.

Kucinich criticized Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), the chairman-in-waiting of the Oversight Committee, for making what he called unsubstantiated claims about the Obama administration.

"Mr. Issa, through his eagerness to make unsubstantiated charges and to draw conclusions in advance of evidence, reveals a lack of restraint and basic fairness," Kucinich wrote. "This conduct in the Chairman of the Committee will degrade Congress' oversight credibility and undermine the institution of the House through a lack of restraint in the use of subpoena power."

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