At an EPA hearing today on Capitol Hill about ozone standards, Henry Waxman got into a heated exchange with Administrator Stephen Johnson over his evasive non-answers to simple, straightforward questions about whether or not he had certain discussions with the White House about key environmental issues. It got so tense at one point that a frantically gavel-slamming Waxman threatened to have Rep Darrell Issa “physically removed” from the hearing if he continued to obstruct Waxman’s line of inquiry. Classic.
It seems to me you’re being awfully evasive and I don’t know why you can’t tell this committee whether you, in fact, had a discussion about this rule or that rule…either you did or you didn’t and I don’t know why you can’t tell us that information.
“I will have you physically removed if you don’t stop.”
Why is it that conservatives consistently appoint people to head agencies who have nothing but contempt for the issues those agencies are supposed to oversee? Well, I guess they can’t later claim that their self-fulfilling prophecy of “government is the problem” is true. The problem lies not with government, but rather with the stooges who run the government and appoint their incompetent cronies to fix problems they have no intention of fixing.
Filed Under: Environment, Hearings
Tags: Darrell Issa, EPA, Henry Waxman, Oversight
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Henry is one of my favorite creations. I hope the American people are pleased with some of my output.
I wish he had tossed Issa out on his ass. He is one of the biggest apologists for this administration and I just saw that he has an opponent this fall. Issa is one of the most corrupt members of congress.
Why won’t he answer? Because he’s doin’ a heckuva job!
I Bet Waxman is on the list:
http://www.radaronline.com/fro.....-print.php
People are starting to get fed up with the Neocons.
Why did it take so long?!
Is Issa an assa? Waxman sure made him look like one.
We have every right to know what the head of the EPA talks about with the President. Especially when they trample on State’s Rights.
They wont impeach and he wont be physically removed.
It’s so sad that this is all just a big game to these people. Why not just come out and say, “I’m not going to answer you and there’s nothing you can do about it.” Because that’s all they’re going to do and they’ll never have to testify to anything under oath. It’s even sadder to get excited because Waxman simply swung a gavel because that’s about all he can do. Take some action, then I’ll be impressed.
Numinous @ 4:
I don’t think the question is why did it take so long, as much as, is it too late?
Live Frankly
grs@8: I agree. Waxman’s claim to fame is sending “demanding/threatening”
letters to those who fail to give testimony; such as to H. Miers and J. Bolten.
Needs to do same here…and it will have same results…”NONE”.
” Why is it that conservatives consistently appoint people to head agencies who have nothing but contempt for the issues those agencies are supposed to oversee? Well, I guess they can’t later claim that their self-fulfilling prophecy of “government is the problem” is true. ”
Nope, the whole point is to prove that government is as incompetent, out of touch, inefficient and unfocused as possible.
The more “Heckuva Job” Brownies, Lurita Doans, Alberto Gonzaleses, etc, there are, the more the Neoconservative flawed concept of government is validated - in the eyes of Neocons, at any rate.
That was hot!
He refused to answer the question and he refused to invoke Executive Privilege. He is in Contempt of Congress.
Period.
Good on ya Henry! If only more of your peers followed your example! Oh, and Jesus…good work.
So you all know, yes Darrell Issa company marketed the “Viper Car Alarm” and yes, he led the recall effort against Gray Davis in California.
stop already with the ‘incompetent cronies’ dodge. this was a deliberate strategy to destroy these regulatory agencies from within; with the added bonus of undermining even further people’s opinions and expectations from their government.
THAT….. is the best thing I’ve seen all day.
thank you.
The problem lies not with government, but rather with the stooges who run the government and appoint their incompetent cronies to fix problems they have no intention of fixing.
Yep. I respect Waxman, he’s one of the few swimming upstream in a torrent of corruption. If he had a better ass and legs, was better looking, 24, and a woman, I’d marry her. :-\
Waxman is a true hero. His interview on Bill Moyers Journal is well worth the watch.
Link button isn’t on, so here’s the link: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/jour.....watch.html
More Please.
gn all, be well.
Issa should be thankful I’m not the Chairman of that committee. I would have had him tasered (several times) and his butt kicked out into the parking lot. As for the witness, contempt of congress and seized by the Sergeant-at-Arms and put in that little jail they have under the Capitol building. After a month on bread and water, I’d ask him the questions again after informing him no answers would equal more time in the basement.
Because the currently dominant Republican philosophy of governance has no respect for government. The American public elects people who have contempt for the job they’re elected to hold, and we’re somehow surprised when they suck at it?
It’s like hiring Ron Jeremy to run a teen chastity program.
Just say no.
Dr.Know@18: That’s funny.
But, look at Waxman’s record since he has been appt.’d Committee Chairperson.
ZERO results; just like so many of our wonderful Congress officials. He, however,
plays the political game of “posturing and pandering” to the voters better than
most. Results is what we are looking for, so he should stop playing political gamemanship.
Infuriating! Waxman should have gotten down and banged that gavel on Johnson’s fucking head a few times. These assholes have no interest in performing the duties they’ve been elected or appointed to perform - rather they’re interested in protecting their bosses and fellow thugs. This is democracy? Where’s the next Dinosaur-Killer when we really need it?
MsJoanne @ 9:
I strongly suspect that Bush and the man he works for; Mr. Cheney, will cook up a plan with their paymasters to have a nasty event occur. I strongly suspect some kind of disaster will be allowed, or encouraged to happen.
The question is: Will people see what is really happening?
Frankly, when their pocketbook’s are threatened, I wouldn’t consider anything beneath them.
Waxman = Paper Tiger
Where’s the gavel for telecom immunity, torture, voter disenfranchisement, war profiteering, etc, etc.
Maybe he WILL send them a NASTY letter. Oooo, I bet they’re REALLY scared over at 1600 Pennsylvania.
The Republican credo is that government exists only to scam those who are in need of its services.
“Why is it that conservatives consistently appoint people to head agencies who have nothing but contempt for the issues those agencies are supposed to oversee?”
Why don’t you ask Grover Norquist, the traitor-in-chief, if he is still advising the neo-thugs weekly about how to destroy our government. While I applaud Waxman and Conyers and Feinberg and others, they are continuing to hit their heads against the wall of those determined to destroy the USA. If they would just come out and say that, clearly, slowly, and explain who is involved, maybe people would understand what we are really fighting here.
everyone of these f#cking assh@les bush has
running the govt. should be marched straight to gitmo
now if not at the end of the bush fiasco administration.
this is the worst bunch of incompetent crooks running
the govt. the govt is only as good as the people in charge.
this is why when the democrats are in charge, we have
balanced budgets, morals and a honorable position in the world.
Big woop. It means nothing if there are no consequences. This standard procedure, and why should they stop? I wouldn’t, nobody seems to give a crap. A lot of fury signifying nothing.
Because they can.
Issa: Physically removed?
Issa: oooo by a uniformed man?
Issa: Will he touch me inappropriately?
Issa: Throw me out Wax buddy!!!!
I agree with Numinus at “24″ 100%.
Cheny:
“Elections?” “We don’t need no stinking elections!!!!”
” Why is it that conservatives consistently appoint people to head agencies who have nothing but contempt for the issues those agencies are supposed to oversee?”
Because if you are an incompetent and in a position of power, the natural course of action is to appoint people even more incompetent than yourself in order to make you look like you actually know what you are doing. Bush rule of government #1.
Diarrhea of the mind- on CSPAN
Jesus Hussein Christ @ 1:
I applaud your Waxman….but please explain that pimple on our ass D Issa?
Sounds like this is good preparation for the war crime trials we are going to have to hold in the near future. The impeachment trials. And the treason trials.
Unfortunately this is just one of those all-around win-win situations for conservatives and the Bush gang.
Buttmunch Johnson is an appointed stoolie for BushCo. As long as he does their bidding and keeps their secrets, he’ll be protected from any congressional sanction by GOP in every branch. He’s not accountable to voters, and can’t be tied to any candidate who’s ever going to have to answer for his behavior.
With him as the frontman, they’re basically free to rape and pillage the environment and lick their fingers clean for the next 245 days, and don’t feel any shame about doing so.
The only possible good that could come out of this is if it provides impetus for the next Congress to push through legislation to make it easier to remove or at least suspend political flunkies from their offices for blatant obstruction of investigations.
Alberto Gonzales couldn’t have said it any better: answering questions is a sign of weakness. And whoever said it upthread is correct (imho): it’s not “government” that is the problem, for our government as laid out in the Constitution of the United States is where the rights of men (and eventually women…sigh) are enshrined, not buried. Is it not anti-patriotic to demean and mock the Constitution and our government? Do we support the troops by cutting off the legs of the founding documents that constitute our republic, our democracy?
No, it’s not government that’s at fault, though all governments be imperfect. It is the men and women of the current administration, and many in congress who have turned it into their own corporate playground–they who have sullied this country, who have let down the brave men and women in our military, who would poison the earth for a few dollars more, who speak of the sanctity of children while robbing their futures. The Company must and shall be brought down and made to fucking heel before they destroy every last shred of decency and honesty that is left in this country!
++++
Once again the Administration pokes its middle finger directly in the eye of Congress and gets away with it. I guess what we all learned in school about three equal branches of government was just BS.
I like Waxman.
But he didn’t get an answer to his question. No one went to jail. And no one was held in contempt.
I believe that’s business as usual.
Bring contempt charges against the asshole and wipe that smugness from his face.
Gretchen @ 33:
for the billionth time.
they are not incompetent.
they are doing exactly what they were put there for.
on their agenda - which is 180 degrees opposite of yours and mine - they are accomplishing what they set out to do.
think with a different paradigm. because they are.
“I refuse to answer the question because…”
There are NEVER consequences.
“And I will show you no respect because…”
There are NEVER consequences.
” And I will continue doing what I’m doing because…
I keep getting what I’m getting and…
There are NEVER EVER ANY consequences EVER.
All these useless Bushies are using the Gonzo approach. Sneer and repeat your non-answer, literally daring Congress to try to take it a step further.
Rebel Patriot @ 42:
Yep. Their agenda is to destroy that federal agency. Or at least shrink its utility to the point where they can drown the agency in a bathtub.
Issa has ALWAYS been a dumbass. Growing up in Cali, hearing about his crap every week, he’s a waste of a Representative in my opinion. Good to see a REAL rep. like Waxman put him in his place.
Harry is probably sick and tired of the same old dancing with the morons on the repigs side.
Also given his friend Ted Kennedy is ill perhahs hes thinking nuff with being nice!
Its pay back time in ten folds. Good for Reid and lets hope other congress CONTROLLED DEMS do the same!! Demand some §$%&/()= Already and end this for tit and tat. Had that been a real court of law,, You or I would have been found in contempt, and then it went to jury, and where as a jury of your peers would have found you either or of guilt.
to bad it cannot work like that anymore on the hill or the whitehouse scums.
I agree on some level with most everyone here. I’m a big fan of Waxman, but I’m frustrated by no action being taken. I’m not sure exactly what Waxman can do, and I’ve grown inured to expecting no one not caught in sex scandal will pay any price at all.
That’s why I’m not at all excited about the Rove/Siegelman affair
Rebel Patriot @ 42:
I have a hard time believing Bush is is not incompetent. The “they” you speak of must be the people behind the shrub?
Xoites @ 14,
You get the charoot. It’s not Issa that should have been taken out. It was Johnson. He should have been arrested on the spot and taken to the capitol jail and charged with contempt. This was just theater.