Great Optics: Democrats Protecting IRS

It’s not the first time House Democrats have been caught protecting the IRS and high ranking employees as the IRS targeting scandal rolls on, and it surely won’t be the last (video is available at each link)

(Mediaite) Democratic Congresswoman Jackie Speier followed up a Republican grilling IRS Commissioner John Koskinen by scolding fellow Republicans for “badgering” him. Speier spoke up after Jim Jordan got rather confrontational with Koskinen about how long he knew about the missing IRS emails before they informed Congress. Jordan was practically fuming at Koskinen for how he kept Congress in the dark, and after his time was up, Speier jumped in with some criticisms for her Republican colleagues.

She said “badgering witnesses is inappropriate and shameful for this committee to conduct itself in that matter” and told Darrell Issa he needs to do a better job of enforcing the rules on House decorum.

She even threatened to walk out.

(Mediaite) Democratic Congressman Elijah Cummings took a few minutes during Monday night’s IRS hearing to apologize to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen for putting him through “hell” by subjecting him to a politically-motivated hearing instead of one concerned with the facts. He opened by saying, “I thank you from the depths of my heart.”

Cummings scolded his fellow committee members and got angrier as he continued.

“I appreciate you coming into this institution, giving it the best you’ve got, and then having to come in here and go through this hell!”

Think about that one. The IRS has been playing games and stonewalling for well over a year now, even “losing” relevant emails for not just Lois Lerner, but other employees involved in the targeting scheme, and Democrats are praising the IRS as well as protecting the agency. The words of these Democrats should end up in opposition campaign commercials, because the IRS is certainly the most despised federal agency of all. When it comes calling, every US citizen immediately believes they will be put through hell, and many are. The IRS scares the living hell out of citizens. They put Tea Party groups through hell with their targeting schemes.

Meanwhile, Darrell Issa has subpoenaed Jennifer O’Connor, a White House lawyer, who had worked for the IRS, to testify Tuesday, after the White House declined to make her available. The WH is supposedly complying with the subpoena.

Finally, check out Trey Goudy grilling the IRS head

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.

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