Rep. Darrell Issa is getting desperate. Today, he sent a letter to the White House offering to give administration adviser David Simas a second chance to testify after the Obama administration told the California Republican that Simas has executive branch immunity.
In his letter to White House Counsel Neil Eggleston, Issa wrote, “Mr. Simas’ failure to appear, despite having been compelled to do so by a lawfully issued subpoena, was contumacious, and the Committee is prepared to enforce its subpoena. In light of the White House’s apparent need to further consider the Miers opinion, and in recognition of our mutual interest in resolving this matter in a manner consistent with the guidance contained therein, I am prepared to give Mr. Simas a second chance to appear …. I urge the President to reconsider and to act in a manner consistent with the Constitution and the Court’s ruling in Miers by directing Mr. Simas to appear before the Committee pursuant to the subpoena that remains in effect. If the President has a legitimate concern that Mr. Simas’ responses to specific Committee questions will implicate matters protected by the presidential communications privilege, he may instruct Mr. Simas to assert that or another valid testimonial privilege, in response to specific questions, consistent with the Miers opinion.”
The problem, as the White House pointed out when they notified Rep. Issa that Simas would not be appearing, is that the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee has not presented any evidence that a crime was committed. Issa doesn’t have a shred of evidence to back up his accusation that the administration has violated the Hatch Act by using taxpayer funds for political activity.
On Wednesday, Issa quickly ended his hearing after Ranking Member Elijah Cummings (D-MD) played a devastating video of Issa promising to hold votes on controversial subpoenas when he took over the Oversight Committee chairmanship in 2011.
Video of Issa promising committee votes on controversial subpoenas in 2011:
The Oversight Committee has found no evidence of wrongdoing by Simas or the new White House Office of Political Strategy and Outreach (OPSO) that he directs. The truth is that Issa needs someone from the White House at his hearing, or else he has nothing. Rep. Issa wanted Simas to testify because he is on a fishing expedition. He has already claimed that Obama violated the Hatch Act, now he is looking for something that he can use as evidence.
Without the testimony of Simas, Rep. Issa can’t get the media attention that he is desperately craving. Ever since Speaker Boehner took Benghazi away from him, Issa has been trolling the waters trying to find a new Obama scandal to hang his fame on.
The White House isn’t playing along. They have shut Issa’s little con down, and the desperate Republican is virtually begging them to help him recover his lost limelight.
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