In a letter to White House Counsel Gregory Craig today, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), the ranking Republican on the House Oversight Committee, “called on President Obama to put in place a system that ensures all White House emails be preserved even if official business was done through private e- mail accounts.” This newfound interest in the use of outside e-mail accounts at the White House is ironic, considering his dismissal of such concerns when Democrats investigated the Bush administration’s use of RNC e-mail accounts:
Republicans accused the Democrats of pursuing the investigation simply to dig up dirt on Rove and waste hundreds of thousands of dollars of money that the RNC could be using to shore up its candidates’ campaigns.
“Are we simply going on a fishing expedition at $40,000 to $50,000 a month?” Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) asked National Archives and White House officials at the hearing. “Do any of you know of a single document, because this committee doesn’t, that should’ve been in the archives but in fact was done at the RNC?”
In 2007, the House Oversight Committee discovered that at least 88 Bush White House officials, including former adviser Karl Rove and former chief of staff Andrew Card, had RNC e-mail accounts. Additionally, the RNC has preserved no e-mails for 51 officials and had major gaps in the e-mail records of the 37 White House officials for whom the RNC did preserve e-mails.
Well Issa had to keep a record of all those Nigerian princes he could cut deals with, maybe score some things.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:57 pmDarrell Issa is to transparency as to what Rush Limbaugh is to weight loss.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:57 pmsectionop92says:
And Ann Coulter is to Femimine
February 19th, 2009 at 7:59 pmTransparency — ur doin it rong.
February 19th, 2009 at 7:59 pmCaption Contest:
Pull my finger….please!
February 19th, 2009 at 8:00 pmWell, he knows how easy it is to hide those e-mails, having participated in the Bush White House’s effort to do just that… it’s no wonder he’s concerned.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:01 pmAnd as a Repub. it’s no wonder he’s hypocritical…
shameless is as R’s do.
pa-thetic.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:01 pmHang onto your hats, Scouts and Campers, because the GOOP Hypocrisy Ride is going to be at whiplash speed!
And I loathe Issa.
PEACE
February 19th, 2009 at 8:01 pmHas someone pointed out to Issa the apparent double standard?
I’m sure he’d appreciate knowing.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:03 pmdarrell, the brave.
*
February 19th, 2009 at 8:03 pmIssa belongs in prison for complicity to treason and war crimes.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:09 pmHow pathetic. Suddenly all these Republicans care about the deficit, preserving e-mails, a coat in the Oval office. When Bush was in office, it was OK to double the national debt and add more to it than the previous 42 presidents combined. It was ok to have secretive meetings a communications with no records and then ignore subpoenas. It was ok for bush to go jacketless just 2 days after he was sworn in. This is all fake rethug outrage. By the way, check out by political news blog at http://plunditry.com . It has a different perspective on issues than most mainstream blogs.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:14 pmI’m sure he would like to know, ralph. He’d take it as a compliment. It’s very much the nature of the modern republican to slide the switch on their governance style. If republicans are in the majority, defend secrecy on the back of “national security.” Now that dems are in the majority, all bets are off. It will be as if the patriot act no longer exists.
They know they’re inconsistent, it’s out of habit, and they enjoy their simple tit-for-tat.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:16 pm“Do any of you know of a single document, because this committee doesn’t, that should’ve been in the archives but in fact was done at the RNC?”
woo hoo! diagram THAT sentence!
that’s almost a palin word salad…
February 19th, 2009 at 8:30 pmHypocite? Yes. That doesn’t make him wrong in this matter, though. I am of the opinion that e-mails should not be used to circumvent laws made to ensure openness in government communications. We were for such openness when Bush was president. I am also for the same openness now.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:30 pmNo one is arguing the reverse.
The issue is that Issa has no credibility on this issue.
When a Republican was in the White House, his position was much closer to, “so what’s the big deal? I don’t see a problem”.
The issue, as it so often is with these people, is one of hypocrisy. Double standards. IOKIYAR.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:33 pmcandide Says:
We were for such openness when Bush was president. I am also for the same openness now.
______________
You seem to be unclear on the concept.
Do we really know if the Obama Admin is trying to circumvent this already? No.
Perhaps they have every intention of complying w/ the EXISTING laws in place.
Only time will tell.
But we do know that MILLIONS of emails went mysteriously missing w/ BotchCo and the only reaction they ever showed… “Really? Go figure…”
Yeaaaah… we wanted such openness w/ BotchCo, and boy, we didn’t get it.
Two wrongs don’t make a right, but we don’t even know if Obama’s admin is complying or not. BUT, we do know BotchCo DIDN’T…
February 19th, 2009 at 8:37 pmTRoS, you had the better response to candide, but MINE WAS FIRST!
Hahahahahahahahahaha!
February 19th, 2009 at 8:38 pmI’m sure President Obama is doing everything he should be doing. After all, President Obama is a constitutional scholar and serious man. Unlike the previous occupant of our whitehouse.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:39 pmyup….
Lying liars lie and obfuscate – its really all the repugs/neocons have.
They can do it because the MSM gives them a free pass on the hypocracy and lies.
The lies are not the problem, the media is.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:39 pmCandide-
“We were for such openness…”
you got mice in your pockets, or MPD?
February 19th, 2009 at 8:40 pmWell knock me down with a feather.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:45 pmDuplicitous hypocrite!
February 19th, 2009 at 8:46 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
TRoS, you had the better response to candide, but MINE WAS FIRST!
Hahahahahahahahahaha!
__________
(TRoS muttering under his breath…)
G-damned wise-arse talkin’ herbivore…
February 19th, 2009 at 8:54 pm#18
February 19th, 2009 at 8:56 pmrec. well said!
This is another reason why impeachments are in order. We can’t let stupidity be the US way.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:00 pmkeith just reported -
NYPOST has apologized in an editorial, “in it’s own fashion”…
which is kinda sorta.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:02 pmGame of Life Says:
We can’t let stupidity be the US way.
____________
And why not? Just what is so wrong w/ stupidity???
February 19th, 2009 at 9:05 pmcandide Says:
——————————————————————————–
Hypocite? Yes. That doesn’t make him wrong in this matter, though. I am of the opinion that e-mails should not be used to circumvent laws made to ensure openness in government communications. We were for such openness when Bush was president. I am also for the same openness now.
February 19th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Do you understand that the e-mails used by the garbage Chimpy administration were EXACTLY TO circumvent those very openess laws in government ?
Have you been in a coma the last 8 years ?
February 19th, 2009 at 9:08 pmIssa’s a pathetic old fool. Where was his concern when W and Rove were deleting all he WH emails? They had his silent (tacit) approval then but suddenly he’s concerned about preservation of WH email?
There’s no fool like an old fool; Issa’s nothing more than a pathetic old fool and fraud.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:09 pmWhat Issa and his Rethuglican buds have to worry about now is that Bush’s illegal wiretapping is still ongoing….and the goods will be all over the country on all of them.
Can’t wait to see who’s been offshoring money and defrauding the government with tax fraud when UBS releases the names.
I’m taking bets now that the majority of the criminal tax evaders will be members of the Opposition Scumbag Party (OSP).
February 19th, 2009 at 9:11 pmThe Republic of Stupidity Says:
And why not? Just what is so wrong w/ stupidity???
Nothing! Just keep it in the republic, ya hear?
February 19th, 2009 at 9:36 pmThe point to be made is that so-called private e-mails have been used to evade the sunshine laws in government. I don’t care whether it is Issa who opposes this or Obama. This technology should not be a method of evading public scrutiny. As I said, I think his concern now is tardy and hypocritical. I think we should be able to go back and investigate the Bush administration about these things. What I oppose is the idea that because Bush did it (WRONG) that Obama shouls also be able to do it (WRONG).
February 19th, 2009 at 9:41 pmok then candide.
did you happen to raise any objections in ‘02? ‘03? ‘04? ‘05?
’cause the “we” who are the people who post here did.
y’know what the folks from your side had to say about it when we did?
they called us terrorist sympathizers and moonbats.
so you’ll have to for give those who are suspicious of your interest in the matter now.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:54 pmi live in california.
that guy wanted to be
our governor. but he
cried.
*
that’s right,
he cried!
;(
February 19th, 2009 at 9:56 pmYES, I did object to it back then! I objected to it then. I object to it now. I will object to it tomorrow. What is so confusing about saying that there shouldn’t be a double standard? You act as though the sunshine laws whould only apply to Republicans! What an idiotic idea! We need to be concerned about adhering to openness in govenment for al politicians, not merely those we vote against. I don’t know what “side” you think I am on. I am a progressive Democrat and have been for decades.
February 19th, 2009 at 9:59 pmdbearton Says:
Issa belongs in prison for complicity to treason and war crimes.
And the arson at his business to gain insurance money. And pulling a gun on his business partner and threatening him. He’s nothing but a villainous car alarm salesman. And he recalled Gray Davis because he didn’t balance the budget. We are currently in a $42 billion hole with the Austrian action-figure.
February 19th, 2009 at 10:03 pmIs it too obvious for me to say
IOKIYAR
February 19th, 2009 at 10:05 pmcandide Says:
YES, I did object to it back then! I objected to it then. I object to it now. I will object to it tomorrow. What is so confusing about saying that there shouldn’t be a double standard? You act as though the sunshine laws whould only apply to Republicans! What an idiotic idea! We need to be concerned about adhering to openness in govenment for al politicians, not merely those we vote against. I don’t know what “side” you think I am on. I am a progressive Democrat and have been for decades.
*
well if you saved your comments
you can paste them here and
that will be that.
simple.
*
February 19th, 2009 at 10:18 pmThe Republic of Stupidity Says:
Game of Life Says:
We can’t let stupidity be the US way.
____________
And why not? Just what is so wrong w/ stupidity???
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
February 19th, 2009 at 10:29 pmoh yea! also on keith tonight -
HOWARD DEAN!
talking about the hypocrite repugs who “don’t want” the money…
he looks great! (something is different… thinner?)
Thank you, Dr. Dean!
February 19th, 2009 at 10:29 pmIt’s generally agreed that a President need not, and should not, audiotape all of his conversations. It’s also generally agreed that a President should preserve all of the documents his administration produces. But I think in the long run we’re going to have to confront the issue of what counts as a “document” or a “conversation.” Should twitters be archived? How about IM chats? If those are documents, might that create a “chilling effect” on using such technologies, limiting executive officials to face-to-face conversations, or are they going to have to constantly edit themselves in discussions? Where does one draw the line on that?
February 19th, 2009 at 10:33 pmKeith Says:
dbearton Says:
Issa belongs in prison for complicity to treason and war crimes.
And the arson at his business to gain insurance money. And pulling a gun on his business partner and threatening him. He’s nothing but a villainous car alarm salesman. And he recalled Gray Davis because he didn’t balance the budget. We are currently in a $42 billion hole with the Austrian action-figure.
repugs’ heads are exploding because of your logic.
February 19th, 2009 at 10:56 pmI’m still waiting for Fran Townsend’s and Andy Card’s e-mail on Hurricane Katrina.
February 19th, 2009 at 10:57 pmebruce – regarding twitters and IM’s, however it shakes out, it has to fit within the guidelines of the Presidential Records Act.
The Presidential Records Act (PRA) of 1978, 44 U.S.C. § 2201–2207, governs the official records of Presidents and Vice Presidents created or received after January 20, 1981 and mandates the preservation of all presidential records. The PRA changed the legal ownership of the official records of the President from private to public, and established a new statutory structure under which Presidents must manage their records.
Specifically, the Presidential Records Act:
* Defines and states public ownership of the records.
* Places the responsibility for the custody and management of incumbent Presidential records with the President.
* Allows the incumbent President to dispose of records that no longer have administrative, historical, informational, or evidentiary value, once he has obtained the views of the Archivist of the United States on the proposed disposal.
* Requires that the President and his staff take all practical steps to file personal records separately from Presidential records.
* Establishes a process for restriction and public access to these records. Specifically, the PRA allows for public access to Presidential records through the Freedom of Information Act (United States) (FOIA) beginning five years after the end of the Administration, but allows the President to invoke as many as six specific restrictions to public access for up to twelve years. The PRA also establishes procedures for Congress, courts, and subsequent administrations to obtain special access to records that remain closed to the public, following a thirty-day notice period to the former and current Presidents.
* Requires that Vice-Presidential records are to be treated in the same way as Presidential records.
As far as “missing emails,” any fifth grade kid knows that there is ultimately no such thing. The Bush administration missing emails will eventually show up.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:20 pmConnell knew what happened to the e-mails, but an electro-magnetic pulse took out his plane.
February 19th, 2009 at 11:31 pmAfter you’ve rounded up all Rove’s missing emails, then open yer trucking fap, Darrell.
February 20th, 2009 at 12:17 amIssa is connected at the hip with Blackwater.
Since Blackwater change its name to “Xe”, Will Issa also change his name to “Xena”?
Just do not know what to expect from the Republican party these days.
Does it seem like they are reverting back to the Newt Gengrich theme? Can we expect another contract on America?
February 20th, 2009 at 3:30 amI want to put a coffin on top of the coffin of Darrell Issa.
February 20th, 2009 at 4:20 amDarrell Issa, one of the most hypocritical clowns in the US Congress — BAR NONE!! I would imagine that the activities and statements of folks of this group (Issa, Bachman, etc) are rarely if ever monitored by their constituents back home. Otherwise, how could they be re-elected? But then, dear ole Dumbya was given another term — go figure!!?? Just look at them putting down the contents of the Stimulus Package which they negotiated and ammended to their liking as much as they could, and since, returning to their home states to watch for any sign of positive impact of the package so that they can take credit for it — THIS WHILE NOT VOTING FOR IT! Sickening at best.
February 20th, 2009 at 7:05 amDarrell Issa looks like a “Gay Fluffer” I once knew in the early 70’s!
February 20th, 2009 at 10:37 am