Washington – Washington DC is becoming an increasingly nasty place, with White House bullying tactics designed to intimidate and wear down opposing legislators and governors across the country – at least this is the assessment of House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member Darrell Issa.
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In a press statement released on Tuesday, Congressman Issa claimed that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has been resorting to a Chicago-style “playbook” that acts as a “scare tactic” against legislators and governors who question the approaches of the Obama White House.
“While this type of scare tactic may work In Chicago, it will not work to intimidate me or other Members of the United States Congress,” Issa stated.
“I and others have dared to bring these facts to the attention of President Obama, the Congress and the American people,” Issa wrote. “You’ve unfortunately reacted by once again resorting to the playbook of the Chicago political machine.”
Congressman Issa sourced a Politico report that characterized Emmanuel’s approach to having “launched a coordinated effort to jam” Senator Kyl and other Administration critics. He accused Emmanuel of having distributed intimidating letters to governors in an effort to strong-arm support fo White House initiatives.
“The fact that the letters were coordinated by you to maximize the level of intimidation is supported by the timing, structure, and content of each letter. Not only were the four letters all sent the day following Senator Kyl’s remarks, but they were also remarkably similar in tone and sentence structure,” Issa wrote.
Congressman Issa then outlined two examples in detail.
“Letter from Ray LaHood, Secretary of Transportation:
On Sunday, Arizona Senator Jon Kyl publicly questioned whether the stimulus is working and stated that he wants to cancel projects that aren’t presently underway. I believe the stimulus has been very effective in creating job opportunities throughout the country. However, if you prefer to forfeit the money we are making available to your state, as Senator Kyl suggests, please let me know [emphasis added].
Letter from Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior:
Some key Republican leaders in Congress have publicly questioned whether the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is working and suggested cancelling all projects that are not currently in progress. I believe they are wrong. The stimulus funds provided through the Recovery Act are a very effective way to create job opportunities throughout the Country. However, if you prefer to forfeit the money we are making available to Arizona, please let me know [emphasis added],” according to Issa’s press release.
Issa’s letter to Emanuel then asks the White House to supply documents and a time-line describing the letter-writing push in more detail. The Committee is investigating the matter further.
Its really funny watching these Republicans squirm now that we have a Democratic president whose staff are able to play political hardball at the same level or better than the bunch of clowns that Bush assembled over an 8 year period. Emmanuel is a brilliant political strategist (as measured by the success they have had thusfar) so just get used to him for 7.5 more years (since thats how long he will be around).
The White House is simply pointing out the hypocrisy of some Republican politicians who have loudly opposed the stimulus package, but love to funnel the money to causes they support and take credit for what it is doing. This isn’t intimidation at all, just hardball politics.
Issa is an Arab and Emanuel is an Israeli.
Maybe there is more to this.
I think he will be thrown out like a dog. He is on a collision course with everyone including Obama.
Barry and Rahm come from the rough and tumble world of Chicago politics. As far as Mr. E. is concerned, if you get in his way, your dog-dirt. This not brilliance, it is rather what he is known for even in his Shul – BULLYING.
I think that these congressional representatives would do well to take a Poli Sci 101 course. It was obvious from day zero that Obama chose Rahm for his style and ability to ram things down people’s throats. If they had the capability, they would do it too. That’s politics.
slowly this dictator is stealthying ahead
Mr. Emanuel has serious ego problems related to his overcompensation for feelings of inadequacy based on his diminutive physical stature. In short (pun intended), his Jewish Uncle Tom pirouettes to ostentatiously display his allegiance to Mr. Obama and thus prove his loyalty, have begun to backfire, due to the new and dangerous territory he has entered in his relatively new capacity. He is no longer dealing with wimps like Mr. Obama, when he attempts to use union-boss style threatening tactics on seasoned professionals.
Additionally, he is even ignoring the factual history of terror organizations and their well documented response to former concessions.This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. This is related to tact, and how the big boys (pun intended), handle daily operations.
Mr. Emanuel’s tightwire is not only now very taut, it is overburdened. He should tread with great caution (a notion totally unfamiliar to him).
although his full name may be Rachamim (so I’m told), he goes by the name “Rahm” which means high and mighty. He was given the job for a good reason…. he is able to bully everyone around him, a perfect foil for Obama’s big smile. But don’t worry, this is Obama’s plan…. everyone will blame the Jews again. Perhaps Rahm should consider his future, after America has fallen…. and he is taking the blame.
we’re living in VERY scary times.
I hope he goes the way of Tony Bernazard, just keeping his shirt on in the process. And of course Barry would blame the media.
The economic disaster comes from Clinton and his houses-for-clunkers program. Obama wants to implement a health-insurance-for-clunkers program and is being met with disdain. Oh-bummer.
It is high time that the Democratic party fight back, and if any Senator or Governor preaches, all for political purposes, that they stimulus is not working and it should be stopped in its track, them we should not give any more funds to their State. The next fight should be about the public option in health care, without a public options all the changes are domed to fail.
Karl Rove never engaged in this kind of behavior. The Conservatives would never get away with it.
The stock market is up precisely because Obama’s policy’s are not working, and the market thinks he will not prevail on most of his upcoming populist agenda. Just look at how much the market has rallied since ObamaCare chances of passage started to weaken.
Churchill said:capitalism is a distribution of wealth, socialism is distribution of poverty.
That’s where we are heading to. Mazal un Brucha!
This is and has always been typical of Rahm Rombo Dead Fish Emanuel. Like so many people of his far left leaning party, he is a big fat baby when he doesnt get his way. He and Bamster make for good bedfellows.
I wonder how all his bullying will be taken by Bamster in the long run. Will BHO get sick of it or is it like birds of a feather?
It sounds like heimishe politics
My dear silly brothers and sisters… oy vey is meer… you folks are still supporting Obama? I can’t believe we were once considered the smartest, most no-nonsense people. I’m disgusted, to be sure, but at the same time I am proud that I am not a silly blind-follower-type useful idiot. I thank my parents for instilling in me common sense.
Hey, people! The emperor is naked!
Rahm is a Stalinist tactician like Obama. They lie to the American people and then have hired brilliant former TV newscasters to spin the story for the Administration. Obama is becoming the new Arafat. Say one thing during the day, another at night. Liars. Liars. Liars.