Darrell Issa's attempts to escape the consequences of his earmark scandal hasn't been too effective so far. In his hometown North County Times, he's gotten pinged over his personal profits from taxpayer dollars in the letters section, and the San Diego Union-Tribune has put the kibash on Issa's desperate claim that it's not a legitimate story.
Looks like Issa Enterprises hasn't been slowed at all by the high-profile firing of Kurt Bardella amidst scandal last month. Instead of weakening the Issa message machine, it may have just expanded the tentacles, as Bardella has resurfaced just a month later with a long, detailed defense of his old boss. It marks the latest in a stream of detailed, indignant Issa defenses in the wake of last week's ThinkProgress report that federal earmarks that Issa secured directly benefit the value of property owned by Issa's family company -- defenses that are increasingly shrill in insisting there's nothing to defend.
In a perplexing attempt at damage control, Darrell Issa turned to Twitter today to respond to the Think Progress report that his personal real estate holdings have benefitted from earmarks that he requested. Issa started by releasing a letter from the regional transportation authority recommending the project, then followed up by insisting that he didn't buy the building until after he had secured nearly a million dollars in federal funding to improve it. In his further defense(?), he points out that he swore off earmarks shortly after he secured that money.
As the richest person in the House of Representatives, Darrell Issa has a vast personal empire that includes a wide range of real estate holdings. His dealings around those real estate investments have raised legal and ethical questions in the past, and more recently Roll Call has questioned the line that divides his personal and political interests. This morning, ThinkProgress reports on a far more troubling conflict:
With a petition containing over 18,000 signatures from Courage Campaign members—including thousands from residents of California’s 49th Congressional District -- I stopped by Mr. Issa's DC office on Wednesday to personally deliver our request that the Chairman address the growing disconnect between his record and rhetoric on the issue of transparency. Specifically, to publicly post his schedule online.
Issa has moved quickly to get past the Bardella firing, bringing on former Daily Caller spox Becca Glover Watkins as his replacement. Interesting to note that Bardella had a particularly cozy relationship with the Daily Caller before his ouster, and it has served as one of the most reliable soft-landing spots for Issa quotes and spin.
In the weeks leading to Rep. Darrell Issa’s rise to chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee, publications ranging from U.S. News to The San Diego Union-Tribune expressed concerns over whether he was willing to fulfill his new responsibilities devoid of the partisan politics and special interest agendas that had so frequently undermined the efforts of his predecessors.
Issa Watch on Hiatus Indefinitely
The Appearance of Impropriety in Darrell Issa’s Office
Issa responds to ethics problems with conspiracy theories
Issa’s requested DoE loan would have benefited major GOP donor
Issa sought funds via “easy way to end up with corruption in government”
Out of excuses, Issa contradicts himself in avoiding NewsCorp
October 2011
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3 comments
posted by Lucas O’Connor at 2:22 pm