During a tense hearing Thursday on the Internal Revenue Service scandal, Illinois Republican Rep. Peter Roskam crumpled a heavily-redacted IRS report, shouting “This is junk!” and vowing to end the agency’s “Kafka-esque” stonewalling.
Acting IRS chief Daniel Werfel tried to explain to the House Ways and Means Committee that the agency released redacted documents to protect taxpayer information, an argument that appeared to only incense Roskam further.
“We also have a solemn responsibility to protect the confidentiality of their taxpayer information, and these procedures are set up, they’re set up so that we redact this information,” Werfel said. “Although we send all of it to the chairs of Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committee, so that it’s outside the IRS. And to the extent that there is a notion and a concern that there’s over-redaction, that’s something that we need –”
“Over-redact–? This is junk,” Roskam said, cutting off Werfel, crumpling up the report and tossing it onto his desk. “This is junk. This has no meaning.”
“It might be junk, but it might have sensitive taxpayer information,” Werfel protested.
“It’s not! We know it’s not. And you’re hiding behind it, and I’m telling you, I’m putting you on notice. This committee intends to uphold the 1998 act,” Roskam said. “And we’re going to follow through with it to make sure the IRS is forthcoming and not creating a bunch of nonsense hiding behind bureaucratic doubletalk.”
Earlier in the hearing, Roskam said the U.S. was nearing a “tipping point,” thanks to an “awakening amongst the governed about authority they have delegated … has been abused.”
Title: Re: GOP congressman crumples redacted IRS report during hearing [VIDEO]
Post by: xfreeper on June 28, 2013, 05:59:25 pm
This is fine for theater but it is clear the legislature is powerless when it comes to reining in out of control federal agencies such as the IRS, DOJ, Homeland sec, EPA, etc.
Title: Re: GOP congressman crumples redacted IRS report during hearing [VIDEO]
Post by: flowers on June 28, 2013, 06:06:25 pm
This is fine for theater but it is clear the legislature is powerless when it comes to reining in out of control federal agencies such as the IRS, DOJ, Homeland sec, EPA, etc.
Agreed!
Title: Re: GOP congressman crumples redacted IRS report during hearing [VIDEO]
Post by: Rapunzel on June 28, 2013, 06:22:12 pm
When Greta asks they all tell her "not yet" on a special prosecutor... no one has the nerve to say they can't do it because a) Boehner won't allow it and b) he or she would be appointed and report to Obama.
Title: Re: GOP congressman crumples redacted IRS report during hearing [VIDEO]
Post by: flowers on June 28, 2013, 07:04:28 pm
When Greta asks they all tell her "not yet" on a special prosecutor... no one has the nerve to say they can't do it because a) Boehner won't allow it and b) he or she would be appointed and report to Obama.
Amazing how corrupt our system is now a days. Just horrible.
Title: Re: GOP congressman crumples redacted IRS report during hearing [VIDEO]
Post by: Rapunzel on June 28, 2013, 07:10:20 pm
There is only one choice and that is vote these oldtimers all out of office - primary all of them.
Unfortunately, this will never happen as evidenced by the fact these same corrupt and incompetent creatures continue to get re elected time after time as they consolidate their own power to do whatever they wish. In the oft time that one of them may be removed by election or death, they are replaced by someone who, despite all hope, is either just as corrupt and incompetent or more so. Granted it may occasionally take awhile for that to become apparent but inevitably, they are sucked into the vortex of Washington ala Marco Rubio, most recently. The problem is the system itself is so corrupt and rotten to the core there will be no fix via elections.
Title: Re: GOP congressman crumples redacted IRS report during hearing [VIDEO]
Post by: Slide Rule on June 30, 2013, 01:51:51 am
The response to a white wash reply being received is well known to democrats.
You leak the closed door information. All of it. A little here, a little there.
Title: Re: GOP congressman crumples redacted IRS report during hearing [VIDEO]
Post by: truth_seeker on June 30, 2013, 02:22:16 am
This is fine for theater but it is clear the legislature is powerless when it comes to reining in out of control federal agencies such as the IRS, DOJ, Homeland sec, EPA, etc.
It took a couple of years, but the imperial presidency of Nixon was brought down by impeachment, and one strong charge was abuse and misuse of the IRS..
It is the most fruitful of the current scandals. I see no chance of impeaching Obama, so talking about it is potentially damaging to conservative causes. But pursuing the most fruitful scandals, in a prioritized and focuses manner, weakens democrats.
BTW what ever happened to Issa's pursuit of problems with Fast & Furious?
Title: Re: GOP congressman crumples redacted IRS report during hearing [VIDEO]
Post by: Rapunzel on June 30, 2013, 02:59:39 am
BTW what ever happened to Issa's pursuit of problems with Fast & Furious?
When was the last time Saint Boehner actually came out and made any kind of forceful statement about any of these scandals - including F&F, IRS, etc. Issa is being stretched holding hearings on multiple subjects because Boehner refuses to name select panels to each devote 100% of their time to these scandals, and would have subpoena power as well as a reduced number of people on each committee and no restriction to five minute increments for questioning. I understand why he is not pushing for a special prosecutor, he or she would be a puppet since they report to Obama, but there is no excuse to not name select committees dedicated individually to each of these scandals and keep them all front and center before the voters.
Title: Re: GOP congressman crumples redacted IRS report during hearing [VIDEO]
Post by: DCPatriot on June 30, 2013, 03:07:32 am
I believe that they have played tapes of Boehner saying some pretty evil things about other high-ranking Republicans that could destroy him.
It's how this bunch operates.
In 'my' novel....at about this time, there would be a clandestine operation going on that is gathering evidence of wrongdoing with the intent of not only taking this Administration down, but to actually try to save our Republic.
But then I remember PRISM....and how Obama has control of the NSA, DHS and DOJ. :shrug:
Title: Re: GOP congressman crumples redacted IRS report during hearing [VIDEO]
Post by: Rapunzel on June 30, 2013, 03:11:17 am
I believe that they have played tapes of Boehner saying some pretty evil things about other high-ranking Republicans that could destroy him.
It's how this bunch operates.
In 'my' novel....at about this time, there would be a clandestine operation going on that is gathering evidence of wrongdoing with the intent of not only taking this Administration down, but to actually try to save our Republic.
But then I remember PRISM....and how Obama has control of the NSA, DHS and DOJ. :shrug:
In the last week Pelosi has had no fewer than three press conferences - yet she isn't even the Speaker..... the last appearance 8888crybaby Boehner made was when he came out, pretended to be outraged, and said (about the IRS Scandal) "the question is WHO is going to jail for this?"...... silence since.