Althouse: "An aide to Eric Holder, who thought he was calling Democratic congressman Elijah Cummings’ office for help on leaking documents to selected reporters..."

September 11, 2014

"An aide to Eric Holder, who thought he was calling Democratic congressman Elijah Cummings’ office for help on leaking documents to selected reporters..."

"... accidentally spilled the beans of the latest IRS spin job because he called House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa’s office instead."

55 comments:

Original Mike said...: Coordination. Where's Chisholm?; 9/11/14, 9:17 AM
Gahrie said...: When are the responsible Democrats going to do something about this out of control administration?

Are there any responsible Democrats anymore?; 9/11/14, 9:18 AM
Seeing Red said...: True colors.; 9/11/14, 9:23 AM
Seeing Red said...: It's becoming more blatant.; 9/11/14, 9:24 AM
SteveR said...: War on Women, Racists, Free Stuff; 9/11/14, 9:26 AM
Brando said...: This episode needs to be raised with every Democrat up for election this year--do you support the administration's actions here? If not, do you support a special prosecutor being appointed?; 9/11/14, 9:26 AM
Birkel said...: "Not a smidgen of corruption" he said as if anybody believed him.; 9/11/14, 9:30 AM
Wince said...: There's a cancer on the presidency.; 9/11/14, 9:30 AM
PB said...: Friday? That's like 6 days ago, dude! It's in the past. Move on!; 9/11/14, 9:36 AM
Beta Rube said...: It really does not matter anymore. There have been so many smoking gun moments with lost emails, sending donor lists to sympathetic lefty groups, obvious coordination like this, and on and on.

Holder will never allow a real investigation, and the press is willfully blind.

Apparently there is no "there, there" when this administration closes ranks and the incurious media stay out of their way.; 9/11/14, 9:38 AM
Jake said...: "'Not a smidgen of corruption' he said as if anybody believed him."

Clearly lawyerspeak. Not a smidgen actually means a shitload.; 9/11/14, 9:38 AM
Original Mike said...: "Clearly lawyerspeak. Not a smidgen actually means a shitload."

Althouse, Jake deserves an "A" on today's material.; 9/11/14, 9:42 AM
Rumpletweezer said...: If I were working in the Justice Dept and I had a conscience and I didn't want to lose my job, I might manage to put the wrong phone number on some list.; 9/11/14, 9:44 AM
Robert Cook said...: "Are there any responsible Democrats anymore?"

Are there any responsible Congressmen or women anymore?; 9/11/14, 9:47 AM
Anonymous said...: The only people to fear the IRS are the ones with enough money to be on the radar: thus, the scandal will never get footing because most don't see them as having anything to do with their lives, except the possibility of a refund check.; 9/11/14, 9:47 AM
Bobber Fleck said...: For what it's worth, this is Chicago style politics. When we look back on the Obama Presidency it will be clear that Rahm Emanuel, Valarie Jarrett and Barack Obama brought the Chicago machine to Washington. The results have not been pretty.; 9/11/14, 9:48 AM
Skeptical Voter said...: Those fellows in Holder's DOJ just aren't that sharp.; 9/11/14, 9:51 AM
SGT Ted said...: Criminal conspiracy in action.; 9/11/14, 9:51 AM
madAsHell said...: "We are going to need a few more of those Kobe Bryant jerseys."; 9/11/14, 9:53 AM
Original Mike said...: "Are there any responsible Congressmen or women anymore?"

So you must see that we need to reduce the power and scope of government. Right?; 9/11/14, 9:54 AM
Drago said...: Robert Cook: "Are there any responsible Democrats anymore?"

Are there any responsible Congressmen or women anymore?"

It's very important when discussing Republican corruption/malfeasance to always remain focused on the Republicans and the "larger lesson" about Republicans that those incidents reveal.

It's even more important when discussing Democrat corruption/malfeasance to always say "a pox on both houses" and move the discussion to the topic of the system.

Similar to always focusing on Americas faults while minimizing all others.

Same old playbook since 1917.; 9/11/14, 9:57 AM
kcom said...: "War on Women, Racists, Free Stuff"

My man, I think you've got it. I see the makings of a campaign here. The Founding Fathers would be proud.; 9/11/14, 10:01 AM
Birkel said...: It started in the late 1800s.; 9/11/14, 10:02 AM
mccullough said...: The incompetence is staggering. This would be a weak plot point in a bad political thriller.; 9/11/14, 10:03 AM
Michael K said...: "When are the responsible Democrats going to do something about this out of control administration?"

Assuming facts not in evidence. Responsible Democrats ? I would add about half the Republicans but I just don't see a responsible Democrat in Washington, which is why the IRS and EPA are out of any control.; 9/11/14, 10:08 AM
Drago said...: Holder is going to be very "surprised" something like this could have happened after he reads about it in the paper this morning.

I wonder if that aide works only in the Cincinnati office?; 9/11/14, 10:11 AM
Larry J said...: rie said...
When are the responsible Democrats going to do something about this out of control administration?

Are there any responsible Democrats anymore?

Not that I've seen in a long, long time. Which is precisely why I'll never vote for any Democrat for any level of office again.; 9/11/14, 10:13 AM
Big Mike said...: You safely assume that this aide will face an IRS audit.

If he lives.; 9/11/14, 10:24 AM
richard mcenroe said...: When are the responsible Democrats going to do something about this out of control administration?

Are there any responsible Democrats anymore?

Nope.; 9/11/14, 10:33 AM
richard mcenroe said...: Where IS the Democrat Tea Party, anyway (since they insist, wrongly, there are no Democrats in the Tea Party movement).

Where is the grassroots organization among the Democrats to stand up to the Democrat leadership and demand they uphold the principles of law and Constitution — Ooh, look! Free cellphones!; 9/11/14, 10:37 AM
n.n said...: Incompetence? Accidental? Whistleblower? I'm feeling optimistic.; 9/11/14, 10:48 AM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: It sounds like the person on the receiving end of the call should have done a better job of playing along. Ask which reporters should be leaked to. Ask what was in the documents that would look bad 'for us'. Fish around for names of others at the Department of Justice or the IRS with whom they could discuss such concerns...; 9/11/14, 10:53 AM
Dan from Madison said...: It is absolutely incredible. The IRS scandal(s) are easily the worst thing that Obama's administration has been involved with. That organization has unilateral power to make life miserable for anybody and to use it in this fashion is simply disgusting. Time to kill it.; 9/11/14, 11:19 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: As usual the shocking thing isn't illegal activity but what kind of ridiculous crap is perfectly legal. Talk about cooridination! And on our dime, no less--you're paying gov. officials to conference and conspire to undercut government investigations desgined to increase transparency.
I mean, of course, govenrment is just another name for things we all do together.; 9/11/14, 11:24 AM
Original Mike said...: Instapundit has it right. The politicization of the IRS, with the collusion of the Justice Dept., is extremely corrosive.; 9/11/14, 11:26 AM
wendybar said...: The Obama administration has already made the presidency a SHAM. Nixon only wishes he had the media, and the DOJ in his back pocket. This is the MOST corrupt administration EVER!!; 9/11/14, 11:45 AM
Beorn said...: There's a cancer on the presidency.

At this point I am trying to find a presidency within the cancer.; 9/11/14, 12:01 PM
Clyde said...: But remember, it's a fake scandal. No, nothing to see here. These are not the droids you are looking for. Move along.; 9/11/14, 12:40 PM
Brando said...: Unlike an impeachment of Obama, I think an impeachment of Holder makes a lot of sense--this man has been repeatedly derelict in doing his duty and has been at worse covering up serious crimes. The public wouldn't react quite the way they would as if the president were being impeached, and let the Democrats go on record trying to defend some of this stuff.

First though the GOP should demand a special prosecutor to investigate this IRS scandal. If Holder balks, then time to impeach. What other recourse does Congress have when the top lawman in the country refuses to enforce the law and covers up possible administration wrongdoing?; 9/11/14, 12:46 PM
CWJ said...: Brando wrote -

"...this man [Holder] has been repeatedly derelict in doing his duty and has been at worse covering up serious crimes."

Not at all, one man's "derelict" is another man's "Heck of a job, Eric!"; 9/11/14, 1:01 PM
CWJ said...: "Not a smidgen of corruption"

Can't be repeated too much!; 9/11/14, 1:04 PM
Brando said...: "Not at all, one man's "derelict" is another man's "Heck of a job, Eric!""

Yeah, I think one reason Obama keeps the guy in office is that it serves as a lightning rod for criticism. Plus, I think he genuinely likes the guy, which says a lot about his own taste.

Holder's the same creep who engineered the Marc Rich pardon. He should be nowhere near the DOJ let alone heading it.

If the GOP makes big gains this November, this should be a top priority--a precedent must be set that an AG can't go around brazenly flouting the law in service to partisan ends. I get that they're all a bit partisan, but this guy has gone to Mitchell levels.; 9/11/14, 1:38 PM
Abdul Abulbul Amir said...: No corruption here. Nary a smidgen.; 9/11/14, 1:53 PM
Larry J said...: al Mike said...
Instapundit has it right. The politicization of the IRS, with the collusion of the Justice Dept., is extremely corrosive.

It goes beyond mere politicization of government. Obama and the Democrats have weaponized government for political purposes. You see that at the IRS, the Department of Justice, the EPA, and you see it in the political lawfare in places like Wisconsin.; 9/11/14, 2:11 PM
Levi Starks said...: You may feel like the MSM is no longer capable of doing its job. But if by some stroke of luck our next president is a Republican, you'll find out different.; 9/11/14, 2:24 PM
Roy Lofquist said...: How did we get such a terribly incompetent administration? I offer a quote from Andre Weil:

"First rate people hire other first rate people. Second rate people hire third rate people. Third rate people hire fifth rate people."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Weil; 9/11/14, 3:46 PM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: Well, he succeeded in leaking the documents.; 9/11/14, 4:20 PM
Crimso said...: "First though the GOP should demand a special prosecutor to investigate this IRS scandal. If Holder balks, then time to impeach. What other recourse does Congress have when the top lawman in the country refuses to enforce the law and covers up possible administration wrongdoing?"

Well, I think some people would point to contempt of Congress as grounds enough for impeachment, but didn't Holder admit to lying to Congress twice? Isn't that cause enough? Isn't it illegal to lie to Congress whether under oath or not (different crimes, but both still illegal)?; 9/11/14, 4:49 PM
Anonymous said...: Gahrie said...
"Are there any responsible Democrats anymore?"

That's a rhetorical question, right? Because the answer is clearly no, and has been at least since the Clinton Impeachment.; 9/11/14, 8:22 PM
chillblaine said...: "It's even more important when discussing Democrat corruption/malfeasance to always say "a pox on both houses" and move the discussion to the topic of the system."

Excellent, excellent point.

"...an impeachment of Holder makes a lot of sense."

Could not agree more, but he could be out the door the second Mitch McConnell becomes Majority Leader.; 9/11/14, 9:04 PM
Anonymous said...: Robert Cook wrote;

""Are there any responsible Democrats anymore?"

Are there any responsible Congressmen or women anymore?"

This is always the argument of scoundrels. Anytime a Democrat gets busted for doing something wrong, everyone does it. When Clinton decided to use our office to diddle his intern, we heard how every President has done it.

This is a variation of the same excuse.

Look, everyone is irresponsible! Democrats get a pass.

Or, there are lot's of responsible Congressman. Sadly, the majority of them are in the Republican party.

We need a two party system in this country and right now, all we have are Republicans and Tea Partiers, but they aren't enough for a party yet.; 9/11/14, 9:25 PM
Anonymous said...: "You may feel like the MSM is no longer capable of doing its job. But if by some stroke of luck our next president is a Republican, you'll find out different."

If you want the media to be critical of the government and especially the President, you have to vote Republican.; 9/11/14, 9:28 PM
Paul said...: The fact that not only Democrats but the MSM has just turned a blind eye.. no turned TWO blind eyes, at the behavior of the whole Obama administration compels me to tell folks to vote every one of them out.

Yes the Republicans are no angles but have you ever seen any Republican administration do so much criminality, stone-walling, and outright lying to the people?

Yes vote them out and let the Republicans have a super-majority in both houses. Maybe then Obama will come to his senses, and if not, well Biden my actually be a better president than Obama, so IMPEACH HIM.; 9/11/14, 9:52 PM
FullMoon said...: betamax3000 said...

The only people to fear the IRS are the ones with enough money to be on the radar: thus, the scandal will never get footing because most don't see them as having anything to do with their lives, except the possibility of a refund check.

Ask average working young person how much they paid in income tax and they will say"Nothing, I got money back". Being self-employed and paying quarterly is a real eye opener.; 9/12/14, 12:27 AM
Rusty said...: "Where IS the Democrat Tea Party,"

It's in the White House creating bigger government.; 9/12/14, 8:12 AM