Darrell Issa: Lois Lerner’s ‘smoking gun’ email

Politico ^ | 7/10/14 | KENDALL BREITMAN

[Cheerio]

Rep. Darrell Issa on Thursday called Lois Lerner’s recently surfaced emails a “smoking gun” in the IRS scandal.

“[This is] a smoking gun, this is Lois Lerner clearly cautioning people not to say things on email and be delighted to find out that the local instant chat they have, this Microsoft product, wasn’t tracking what they said,” Issa, a California Republican said on Fox News.

[Cheerio]

IMHO it is WAY PAST TIME. F&F first surfaced in 2009.

The Chambers case began in October 2009, and eventually became known in February 2010 as "Operation Fast and Furious" after agents discovered some of the suspects under investigation belonged to a car club

[usconservative]

IE, they won’t stop doing what they’re doing unless they are removed from power and/or incarcerated.

I have a mild dyslexia that acts up mostly when I'm tired ....

I read your post three times thinking it read: "IE, they won’t stop doing what they’re doing unless they are removed from power and/or incinerated."

Imagine my disappointment when on the fourth read I finally read "incarcerated."

Bummer.

[MrB]

Incinerated is too “Salem”...

[lee martell]

That’s all I have to say as well on Issa. Either go BIG or go home. All the empty dressing-downs from a podium have not produced one person even being FINED, let alone imprisioned.
Go give your righteous lectures to your reflection in the mirror. We have heard it all before.

[Balata]

It’s the face time on FOX that he likes.

[morphing libertarian]

Yes, Darrell, we know. Wake me after you wake up.

[snowrip]

Issa should have a nice cup of STFU and let the men handle this.

[VerySadAmerican]

Time for another strongly worded letter and maybe even a threat of another lawsuit.

[Ann Archy]

GET SOME BALLS, Darrell!!!! A TON of people need to be in PRISON!!! GET MOVING!!!

[Ann Archy]

That’s why Eric Holder needs to be IMPEACHED....ASAP!!!!

[Sirius Lee]

Better get working on that tersely worded letter, Darryl.

[Uncle Chip]

So what are you going to do about it, Darrell???

All you’re good for is talk.

[Cap Huff]

“I don’t think House Oversight has direct authority to prosecute. That’s Eric Holder’s job.”

I think you are right, and not understanding this is one of the reasons that so many of us here at FR are frustrated. Separation of powers is a feature, not a bug of the Constitution. Frustrating, but I would not change it.

What a loss that Congressman Billybob has passed away and I know of no one else here at FR that has similar legal insight. I certainly do not have such, but it is my limited understanding that Congress has no authority to appoint special prosecutors, to prosecute a legal case, or to try and sentence anyone. (see this link: www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R43112.pdf)

Impeachment is another matter, but that is a political remedy, not a judicial one (although it mirrors a court of law in many regards). The House could most certainly impeach Holder, but getting a vote through the Senate to remove him is not now possible. It may come to such a point, but I don’t think the public mood would support it . . . just yet.

I also know that congress has a limited power to bring pressure to a witness to testify to congress by incarcerating them in Congress. Right now neither Boehner nor Issa could issue an arrest warrant for Lerner and have federal law enforcement bring her in. Somebody correct me if I am wrong, but the congressional Sergeant at Arms’ jurisdiction does not extend beyond the congressional premises.

What I think we are seeing is upping the pressure (politically) on Holder to take action on the criminal referals that congress has already sent to the Injustice Department (on or about 9 April 2014 as I recall). There are two motions before federal judges, one scheduled today and another tomorrow I believe (from Judicial Watch and the other from True the Vote). If these go the right way (and they are strong cases as I understand) then the pressure will build.

[353FMG]

It’s the usual case of the elites protecting the elites.

They all know each other’s closets and the skeletons in it.

[dead]

After holding him in contempt to no effect, congress had the authority and obligation to remove Eric Holder from office.

The Attorney General is a biased criminal at this point and our derelict congress makes no effort to impeach and remove him.

[Cap Huff]

The House could have impeached him, but I doubt the Senate would have removed him from office.

Again, the case really needs to be made in the “court of public opinion.” In the case of the IRS scandal (and also to a similar extent with Benghazi) the public is coming around to believing that investigations need to be conducted. It has been a slow process, but it is moving in the right direction.

[TurboZamboni]

Special Prosecutor NOW