Republican Jackass of the Week

Rep Darrell Issa (R) of California, also Chairman of the Oversight Committee.

This is the committee that, under his rule, does nothing but go fishing for non-existent "scandals," like the "IRS scandal," the "Fast and Furious scandal," and of course, everybody's favorite, "Benghazeeeeeeeeeee!"

Of course, not one shred of evidence of wrongdoing, coverup, or illegal activity of any kind has ever been discovered. Yet arsonist/car thief/oversight chairman Issa keeps blindly plugging away, determined to find something--anything--worthy of impeaching President Obama.

In case you don't remember, this fake IRS scandal consisted of an IRS office in Cincinnati searching the applications of rightwing Teabagger organizations, as well as Liberal organizations, that requested 501(c)4 status. What Darrell and all the Teabaggers don't understand is that the IRS had every duty to check out those groups, since getting 501(c)4 status requires an organization "to operate exclusively for the promotion of social welfare," not primarily to promote social welfare. This means they cannot be political even 1% of the time.

And, in case you don't remember, not a single rightwing organization was denied 501(c)4 status, although legally they all should have.

Wednesday, during his umpteenth hearing into the non-existent IRS scandal, he called a former IRS official before the committee once again, only to have her take the Fifth once again. So what did Issa do? Immediately he adjourned the meeting, despite the fact that Oversight Committee Ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings had every right to speak for a few minutes. Cummings was attempting to speak--when Issa ordered his mic to be turned off.

This act of rudeness and inappropriate conduct is unparalleled in recent history. No pundit could remember the last time an opposing member of Congress, who had a right to speak according to House rules, was not only refused response time, but actually had his mic disconnected while speaking.

Darrell Issa is an angry, frustrated little man, who promised his rightwing backers he'd find something with which to take down the president, but who has been a miserable failure for the last four years.

And he's also the Republican Jackass of the Week.