Posted on 03/12/2011 12:34:05 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
President Barack Obama once promised that negotiations over his health care overhaul would be carried out openly, in front of TV cameras and microphones. Tell that to the White House now.
Republican congressional investigators got the brush-off this past week after pressing for details of meetings between White House officials and interest groups, including drug companies and hospitals that provided critical backing for Obama's health insurance expansion.
Complying with the records request from the House Energy and Commerce Committee "would constitute a vast and expensive undertaking" and could "implicate longstanding executive branch confidentiality interests," White House lawyer Robert Bauer wrote the committee. Translation: Nice try.
It's one more roadblock for Republicans who tapped into widespread anxiety about the scope and costs of the new health care law to regain control of the House in last fall's elections.
So far, they've been unable to repeal the landmark legislation they dismiss as "Obamacare." GOP efforts to deny administration agencies the money to carry out the law are running into unintended consequences, not to mention the sheer difficulty of tracking those dollars. Now it looks like oversight isn't going to be easy either.
"We are both concerned and disappointed by your response," the committee chairman, Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., wrote back to Bauer. "The American public deserves the information we have requested. The secret meetings conducted by (White House officials) are a perfect example of why transparency in government is so important."
...Even if the standoff dramatically escalates to a congressional subpoena, history shows that presidents usually succeed in keeping records away from snooping eyes.
[snip]
The White House sent the Energy and Commerce Committee some 100 pages of records that have already been made public, including visitor logs and press releases. That may be all they get for a long time.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
This should not stand. Can you imagine the media outcry if this was a Republican administration and bill?
The Obama Administration are gangsters. They operate a shadow government that circumvents Congressional oversight. Hell, they don’t even pay attention to court rulings why would they pay any attention to Congress.
BS, they should sue. No more money till records are released.
Absolutely gangster!
Subpoena the creeps and, if they do not respond reasonably hold them in contempt of Congress. Pass nothing until they7 respond. De-fund everything you can to make them even more feckless than they are. Repubs don’t you realize you are dealing with gangsters and sociopaths (aka: DIMocRATS)?
Bring in Governor Walker and make the bass turds choose their country to run to!
This administration is just a bunch of gangsters. By the time this budget gets worked out -- if it ever does -- it will be time for the new budget.
“Subpoena the creeps and, if they do not respond reasonably hold them in contempt of Congress. Pass nothing until they7 respond. De-fund everything you can to make them even more feckless than they are. Repubs don’t you realize you are dealing with gangsters and sociopaths (aka: DIMocRATS)?”
Exactly. And if they can’t get their act together quickly- primary these buffoons.
Isn’t this like the energy bill that Bush and Chaney drafted back in 2003? Then the dems and msm wanted info on who Chaney talked to. Bush claimed executive privilege. What was obumber’s and the medias position then? Never mind, I know the answer.
Why do people believe Obama? If someone lies over and over and over again looking you in the eye, do you believe them?
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