Coburn Ignores His Own Committee, Says We ‘Don’t… Have The Answer Yet’ On Legality Of Obama’s ‘Czars’
Coburn Ignores His Own Committee, Says We ‘Don’t… Have The Answer Yet’ On Legality Of Obama’s ‘Czars’
For the past few months, many conservatives, led by Glenn Beck and Fox News, have been on a witch-hunt against the Obama administration’s so-called “czars,” accusing the White House of a power grab because they “are not subjected to congressional oversight” (despite the fact that a Fox News reporter noted that “there is no constitutional issue”).
The Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution, led by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), held a hearing on these “czars” yesterday to determine their constitutionality. During an interview sometime after the hearing with Fox’s Greta Van Susteren, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) — the subcommittee’s Ranking Member — cited “18 different” czars that are “supposedly” of concern (meanwhile, Fox ran an on-screen graphic showing 30 supposed “czars”). But later in the interview, Coburn said that even after the hearing, the constitutional question on these “czars” is still open:
COBURN: So I think we don’t know, and I think the general, fair inquiry into what is going on without partisan sniping and to say what is really going on, is there any violation of the constitutional — any intended violation of the constitutional prerogatives of the legislative branch over advice and consent. And I don’t think we have the answer yet.
Watch it:
Coburn must not have been paying any attention to his own committee’s hearing. In fact, all five constitutional experts that testified during yesterday’s hearing concluded that these “czars” are legal:
Bradley Patterson, a senior analyst for the Brookings Institution who served on the White House staffs of Presidents Eisenhower, Nixon and Ford, said Obama clearly had the power to appoint such top-level aides under the historic prerogative of a president to hire White House personnel without benefit of the Senate’s advice and consent.
“The president’s staff are personally responsible only to the president, and in the end he is the only ‘czar’ that is,” said Patterson in testimony before the Senate Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee. “And he is accountable to the American people.”
The special advisers’ “practical authority,” said University of Virginia Law professor John Harrison during the hearing, “is not legal authority, and as long as the distinction is rigorously maintained there will be no legal problem.”
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FOX snooze. You know, you can’t spell CRAZY without CZAR.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:02 pmTom, Tom, Tom. You have trouble even spelling Czar, let alone criticizing the Executive Branch for having top level aides who concentrate on a specific area.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:02 pmDon’t you have some smallpox infected blankets to hand out on a reservation back home?
There is a word for people who live in their own little world, with their own little reality. That word is Lunatics, and this lunatic still wishes to take over the asylum.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:03 pmIn fact, all five constitutional experts that testified during yesterday’s hearing concluded that these “czars” are legal:
Well there’s your problem right there. The moment you said ‘constitutional’, the Republicans have been programmed to ignore anything else said past that point.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:04 pmAlmost all Teabaggers and Republicans want to be Czars when they grow up… Fortunately or unfortunately, (you decide), they will never grow up…
October 7th, 2009 at 4:05 pmCOBURN: So I think we don’t know,
And I don’t think we have the answer yet.
Whenever you hear a Republican say things like this, it means he knows he is wrong.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:06 pmI though you were taking your one person truth squad to Copenhagen? did you miss your plane? did your truth squad.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:06 pmAs long as they’re grasping at these particular straws, you know they have nothing on the Obama administration.
I take great comfort in that.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:06 pmAnother day,
October 7th, 2009 at 4:06 pmanother liar..
from Oklahoma.
Big surprise.
The issue is open as long as I haven’t agreed ?
The issue is open until you can prove that the dinosaurs existed ?
etc ???
October 7th, 2009 at 4:07 pmWhere was this tool’s objection(s) to Bush the Wonder Monkey’s czars ?
October 7th, 2009 at 4:08 pmAmazingly, they had no problems with Bush’s 47 czars.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:08 pmY’know… now that I think about it… the Bush administration kinda tried to make the case that Congress had virtually no oversight responsibility over the Executive branch…
“Executive Privilege” I think they called it…
I don’t recall Sen. Coburn or many of his Republican comrades expressing many misgivings about that particular policy stance… am I wrong about that?
October 7th, 2009 at 4:09 pmIs Coburn just as developmentally delayed as Inhofe? (Rhetorical)
Coburn, how about covering up Ensign dipping his pen in the office ink while breaking Senate lobbying rules for her husband? Would you have been, like, a ‘Sex Czar’ for Ensign?
You call yourself a Doctor. We call you a two faced political shill, willing to support or deny any reform your campaign donors outside of Oklahoma tell you to support.
Today’s Republic Party; ‘lying for a living is our way of life!’
October 7th, 2009 at 4:09 pmMCM, please… have a little respect.
“Bush the Wonder Monkey” makes it sound like you’re casting aspersions on ALL Wonder Animals, and I for one am deeply hurt.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:10 pmWay the hell O/T, but off the wire 17 minutes ago…
In a statement released today, Limbaugh said he’s partnering with St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts in a bid to buy the St. Louis Rams. Limbaugh didn’t go into details, but said he and Checketts “have made a bid to buy the Rams and are continuing the process.”
Wouldn’t that be great! In a couple of years you’d have the only all white team in the NFL, and guaranteed to be in last place forever. Seattle, Arizona and San Francisco fans are totally behind it.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:11 pmI don’t understand this : Why do those who have never even read , much less do not understand the Constitution , consistently try to comprehend or decipher it by themselves ?
October 7th, 2009 at 4:12 pmSo Tom i though you were a doctor? and now a constitution lawyer as well. and truth squad member how do you do it? I mean all this thinking and talking must keep you very busy.
But you do know that its ok to talk to your self>>>> just not to answer.
you should give that a try.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:12 pmLet’s all remember that Deacon Coburn is irretrievably linked to Sen. John Ensign and has opened a pathway for CREW, DOJ, and the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate him along with Ensign.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:12 pmHe should remember that old saying, “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” Seeing some of the republicans hoisted on their own petards is very interesting. Touche.
Read carefully what Sen Coburn said. “…And I don’t think …”
He may be telling the truth in his mind and it’s oh so telling to the American public.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:13 pmInterpretation: We Repubs have a plan to regain power. We intend to interfere as much as possible with the President’s ability to run the Government so voters will want Repubs and the likes of bush/cheney/rumsfeld back in power ASAP. Great plan, huh?
October 7th, 2009 at 4:13 pmI’m sure Tom Coburn has been bleating about the constitutionality of policy chiefs working for the President (dubbed “czars” by the media) ever since he came to Congress in 1995. Or if he didn’t say anything about it during his time in the House, surely he must have said something when he came to the Senate during the administration of the President who holds the record for czars.
What? He only started complaining about it this year?
October 7th, 2009 at 4:14 pmI look forward to Sen. Coburn demanding a confirmation hearing after the appointment of the new White House Chef a/k/a “The Food Czar”.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:14 pmRUCerious says:
Way the hell O/T, but off the wire 17 minutes ago…
In a statement released today, Limbaugh said he’s partnering with St. Louis Blues owner Dave Checketts in a bid to buy the St. Louis Rams.
Good. The MN Vikings will kick their sorry asses on Sunday. I just wish Rushblow was out on the field to get sacked instead of in the sack with some Honduran boy.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:15 pmralph the wonder llama says:
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MCM, please… have a little respect.
“Bush the Wonder Monkey” makes it sound like you’re casting aspersions on ALL Wonder Animals, and I for one am deeply hurt.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Alas , the days of the Wonder Horse , Wonder Lion , etc , are long gone ………
Attending a circus was one of my greatest thrills during childhood ……..Sadly , you never hear of the “circus coming to town” , anymore ………Well , unless your town/city is holding the RNC National Convention……..
October 7th, 2009 at 4:15 pmCoburn must not have been paying any attention to his own committee’s hearing. In fact, all five constitutional experts that testified during yesterday’s hearing concluded that these “czars” are legal:
Obviously, they’ve asked the wrong experts. Coburn needs to go out and find some conservative “constitutional experts” so that he can get the right result–much like ending women’s suffrage because the results keep coming out wrong.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:18 pmMcMetal says>:
Alas , the days of the Wonder Horse , Wonder Lion , etc , are long gone ………
Yes, but here in the northwest you can easily find Syd the
October 7th, 2009 at 4:18 pmWonder Banana Slug in almost every garden!@
Zim, I have vision of Limbaugh waddling around on the sideline and some linebacker ‘inadvertantly’ pancaking his fat white ass.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:19 pmIt amazes me that it even went before a group of experts. What has this country come to? We’re self destructing.
I think this current administration should start some serious surveilance of these characters, because they’re either complete morons run amuck or they are up to some serious nogood deeds.
This stuff never ends, and they keep giving it validity. when any level calm thinking individual knows these guys are butt heads.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:19 pmRUCerious says:
——————————————————————————–
McMetal says>:
Alas , the days of the Wonder Horse , Wonder Lion , etc , are long gone ………
Yes, but here in the northwest you can easily find Syd the
Wonder Banana Slug in almost every garden!@
October 7th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
And I’m sure I speak for most everyone here when I say : Thank you oh so much for that very descriptive (and nauseating) visual ………….
October 7th, 2009 at 4:20 pmI’m the Czar of Republicant and you can be my Czarina…
my little salute to the late great Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention…
October 7th, 2009 at 4:23 pmwunderbear!
October 7th, 2009 at 4:23 pmIt would be amusing, and fitting for the NFL to refuse to allow the racist Limbaugh to own a professional football team. I would love to hear his head explode over that.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:23 pmThe jury’s still out on this one the way it’s still out on global warming, the presence of wmds, the theory of evolution, etc. And they’re still not quite sure that Galileo definitely had it right.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:26 pmCoburn is ignoring the testimony of the Constitutional law experts. I would suspect he will shop around for another opinion that contradicts the 5 experts. I am sure he can find one at one of the Christian conservative law schools faculty that will say anything Coburn wants.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:30 pmWell OT
I dont think the NFL will aloud him to be part owner, he was fired from ESPN for saying bad things about Donovan McNab (spelling sorry Donovan)
Not to bring up his comments about basketball.
Dont thing Goodall will bring down he NFL`s image just my thoughs
October 7th, 2009 at 4:32 pmCoburn Ignores His Own Committee, Says We ‘Don’t… Have The Answer Yet’ On Legality Of Obama’s ‘Czars’
Translation: ‘We don’t have the answer WE WANT TO HEAR YET.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:34 pmRUC,
October 7th, 2009 at 4:35 pmHold that thought, that’s a great vision you have on Rushblow.
Oval12345678 aka James K. Sayre says:
I’m the Czar of Republicant and you can be my Czarina…
my little salute to the late great Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention…
Ahhh the late great Frank Zappa.
dont go were the husky`s go and dont eat yellow snow.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:43 pmOT but,
Anyone else at least mildly pissed that Rangel is STILL chair of the Ways and Means committee? The GOP wanted him out largely as a partisan attack but…c’mon. No politician, of either party, should be chairman of anything with that many ethics violations.
Rangel’s a decorated war hero who’s done incalculable good for his district over the years, but he needs to be tossed from the chairmanship.
Besides, next in line is Pete Stark. He’s more progressive than Rangel (partiuclarly on trade issues) and doesn’t have the legal baggage.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:45 pmNailed it.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:46 pmOT –
Hell to the yay!
October 7th, 2009 at 4:46 pmJust a tad bit hypocritical of Coburn to be suspect of improprieties
October 7th, 2009 at 4:46 pmin the White House, you think?
How about C-Street House?
Did anyone see the story on Rachel Maddow last night
about how Coburn negotiated the financial agreement
between John Ensign and his mistress’ husband,
as well as lying about it in July?
Did anyone hear something?
October 7th, 2009 at 5:02 pmYeah, dbadass, I heard a tiny buzzing sound that could have been the whine of a brain-damaged mosquito.
I hear it every once in a while here on TP. It was all over the Crazy Shelly thread earlier today.
October 7th, 2009 at 5:05 pmCONTACT Coburn here and ask him about his own committee…not to mention the Bush “czars”:
Front Page…Phone contacts at the bottom:
http://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Home.Home
Email Page:
October 7th, 2009 at 5:05 pmhttp://coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCoburn.Home
… although I have no idea why a brain-damaged mosquito would scream “SQUIRREL!”
October 7th, 2009 at 5:06 pmThe democrats need to quit calling them czars. Sounds too Republican and rightwing, and something left over from the Bush Administration.
Why not call them Managers, Senior Directors or Administration Executives for examples. Any of these would sound more American and less foreign to the public sheeple.
October 7th, 2009 at 5:10 pmAny of these would sound more American and less foreign to the public sheeple.
Well, it’s the press that calls the ‘czars’
October 7th, 2009 at 5:14 pmThe press and the Republicans. I believe that Obama has only referred to a ‘czar’ once but I could be wrong…
Why is it that the constitutionality of Czars wasn’t a question when Bush appointed 48 Czars?
The sad thing about this whole Czar thing is that Obama wouldn’t need them if the Republics would stop obstructing all the appointments Obama is trying to make. They have a hold of some sort on EVERY appointment he needs to make. Their obstruction is an attempt to keep Obama from having the help he needs and to cause him to eventually fail. Unfortunately this country will fail along with him.
October 7th, 2009 at 5:18 pmeah, dbadass, I heard a tiny buzzing sound that could have been the whine of a brain-damaged mosquito.
It sounded like a weak sick gag fly, but mosquito it could be as well.
October 7th, 2009 at 5:19 pmRepublicants should decide. Are they scaredy cats or chickenhawks? Come-on, guys, fess up…
Oh dear, we’re so scared. Bush’s 40 Czars, OK! Obama’s 30 Czars, Bad and so, so scary…
October 7th, 2009 at 5:20 pmWhy does anyone even attempt to reason with the conservative nutjobs of the far right and the Republican party.
The Republican goal is neither good government nor progress.
The Republican goal is to smear, to lie, to fabricate and to obstruct as much as possible in order to thwart Democratic governance.
The rightwing creates faux outrage over any and everything. They contradict their previous actions, votes, and words in the single minded goal to block any success by President Obama and the Democratic congress.
You undertake a fool’s errand by assuming that facts, reality, reason, or even commonsense will move these rightwing nutjobs. The rightwing conservative message is aimed at the fear, hatred, and ignorance of their base.
Their goal is to regain political power, even if it means destroying the nation.
October 7th, 2009 at 5:22 pmpfft who needs the constitution. The mighty progressives shall squash all who dare even utter the word. Try to read your pocket constitution while our civilian police force is stomping on your pathetic face. all heil and bow down to the great leader and his many czars of power.
Yes we can gas the people for speaking out!
Yes we can tax and spend this country into utter slavery!
Yes we can make the sheeple believe there is a difference between left and right so they fight amongst themselves..the pathetic wastes of existence.
oh yesssssssss weeeeeee cannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn…
October 7th, 2009 at 6:12 pmwreckingcrew says:
pfft who needs the constitution. The mighty progressives shall squash all who dare even utter the word…………..
oh yesssssssss weeeeeee cannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn…
Strange how conservatives suddenly discovered the Constitution after a half black, half white President was elected. Even worse is that these same conservatives had no problem when Bush tore up the Constitution and ran the country into the ground with spending and tax cuts. But none of the conservatives and teabaggers were out protesting. It is very easy to draw the conclusion that opposition to Obama is based in racism. No more, no less.
October 7th, 2009 at 7:41 pmWhy don’t these Republican senators do some useful work for their constituents and earn their pay, rather than clogging the system with silly, baseless challenges of Obama.
For the record – some of GW Bush’ “Czars”:
1•Cybersecurity Czar – Rod Beckstrom
October 8th, 2009 at 1:54 am2•Regulatory Czar – John Graham
3•AIDS Czar – Scott Evertz
4•Global AIDS Czar – Randall Tobias
5•Bioethics Czar – Leon Kass
6•Tarp Czar – Neel Kashkari
7•Democracy Czar – Elliot Abrams
8•Communications Czar – Dan Bartlett
9•Gulf Coast Reconstruction Czar – David Powell
10•Homeland Security Czar – Michael Chertoff
11•Homeland Security Czar – Tom Ridge
12•Homelessness Czar – Philip Mangango
13•Reading Czar – G Reid Lyon
14•Mine Safety Czar – Richard Stickler
15•Public Diplomacy Czar – Karen Hughes
16•Science Czar – John Marburger
17•Health IT Czar – David Brailer
18•Counterterrorism Czar – Richard Clarke
19•Counterterrorism Czar – Gen Wayne Downing
20•Birth Control Czar – Eric Kerouac
21•Bird Flu Czar – Stewart Simonson
22•Food Safety Czar – David Acheson
23•Intelligence Czar – John Negroponte
24•Manufacturing Czar – Albert Frink
25•Drug Czar – John Walters
26•Domestic Policy Czar – Karl Rove
27•War Czar – Gen Douglas Lute
28•Abstinence Czar – Claude Allen
29•Cleanup Czar – Jessie Roberson
30•Budget Czar – Mitchell Daniels
31•Faith Czar – John Dilulio
32•World Trade Center Health Czar – John Howard
33•Policy Czar – Michael Gerson
34•Cybersecurity Czar – Richard Clarke
Coburn must not have been paying any attention to his own committee’s hearing. In fact, all five constitutional experts that testified during yesterday’s hearing concluded that these “czars” are legal:
Poor Coburn. Why must those pesky facts always get in his way?
October 8th, 2009 at 2:23 amumm i was sayign the same stuff then to. unlike the people on this board I realize we have a one party system with two sides.
people here blindly follow the left like morons. I loved this board when bush was in office because we bashed the guy for being a tool. just because Obama talks a good game doesnt make him any different. he is about to send more troops into freakin afgan…unreal how this guy has not kept any of his promises…I’ll begin bringing the troops home immediatly he says…aye
I have seen the light though. I want to walk hand in hand with Obama. Together..we can gas and tase the population of this country into submission.
i can be like one of his underlings..like destro..yeah…
October 8th, 2009 at 2:27 amwreckingcrew says:
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he is about to send more troops into freakin afgan…unreal how this guy has not kept any of his promises…I’ll begin bringing the troops home immediatly he says…aye
Afghanistan is where Al-Queda is. That’s a legitimate war, or do you not remember 9/11? Obama never said he’d bring the troops home from Afghanistan. They’re coming home from *Iraq* – which is the illegitimate war.
Pay attention, otherwise the rest of your comment will look just as stupid as what I already quoted.
Oops, too late. It’s already *all* stupid.
October 8th, 2009 at 3:54 amCrazymoron the ignorant punkass troll tries to change the subject AGAIN. Look over there or over there or ANYWHERE but the topic. You are a pathetic piece of garbage CMoron
October 8th, 2009 at 7:59 amThanks Truthfairy @# 57, I guess according to the R’s none of us common folk have EVER even heard of a Czar until the evil Obama administration started creating them (sounds really Communistic to me)! I get more and more angry at the insinuation that the rest of us are just SO STUPID! That is the main reason (besides being ideally bankrupt) the R’s have absolutely no credibility. I guess since they were all so intellectually gifted as children none of them have ever heard the story of Chicken Little! Ya know guys some time you ARE going to have a legitimate concern and because of your childish actions none of us are going to listen. Grow the fcuk up!
October 8th, 2009 at 10:16 amHis congressman says, “I don’t know what I can do about that. botoks
October 13th, 2009 at 6:58 amThank you for your sharing.!
October 14th, 2009 at 9:53 am