After censure threat, Issa apologizes for silencing dem colleague Cummings

San Diego Union-Tribune: A chastened Rep. Darrell Issa says he has apologized to a fellow senior lawmaker for abruptly cutting off his microphone during a hearing Wednesday before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Issa, R-Vista, said he made a personal apology on Thursday to the man he silenced, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.

“Mr. Cummings is a member of Congress who works very hard for his constituents,” he said.
Issa’s remarks came during a telephonic conversation with U-T San Diego after a House condemnation resolution pressed by Democrats earlier in the day failed to pass.

The resolution called for sanctioning Issa for “the offensive and disrespectful manner” in which he conducted the hearing on Capitol Hill. The resolution failed on a vote of 211-186 as House Republicans refused to back it.

Video of the incident is above.

Seems Issa was worried that his own shameful and disrespectful actions were getting more press than his kangaroo court of a committee and his heroic efforts to flog this dead IRS horse. But it’s hard to see how he’s going to get any traction with this anywhere but on Fox News, since his witchhunt is so lousy at turning up witches that even he’s getting irritated by it. You don’t literally shut down debate when your argument is a slam dunk, after all.

You do it when you know you’ve got nothing.

News Roundup for 4/14/11

Graphic representation demonstrating all the money Walker's union busting saves

-Headline of the day-
"Scott Walker Admits Union-Busting Provision 'Doesn't Save Any' Money For The State Of Wisconsin."

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was called to Washington to testify before a "you're so awesome!" session of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Where the session was meant to heap praise on Big Heroes making Tough Choices about state and municipal budgets, things didn't really work out that way for Scooter. He got an earful from Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore and Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, then he got slammed in the testimony of Vermont Gov. Pete Shumlin for being a little bit of a dick about everything.

But the biggest failure to recognize his Patriotic Heroism came from Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, who managed to box Gov. Scooter in on whether his Tough Choice to bust unions saved the state any money at all. Walker tried to dodge the question, Dennis came right back to it, and Walker had to admit the facts.

"Would you answer the question? How much money does it save, Governor?" Kucinich asked.

"It doesn't save any," Scooter answered.

I ask you, is that any way to treat a Patriotic Budget Hero who makes Tough Choices? Committee Chair Darrell Issa didn't and denied Kucinich's request to enter a document proving the lack of savings into the record.

That's how you treat a Patriotic Budget Hero who makes Tough Choices. You deny all evidence that they aren't. (ThinkProgress)


-Cartoon time with Mark Fiore-
Hey kids, Little Suzie Newsykins is back and she's here to teach you how to negotiate like a pro! Yay!


Click for animation

Actually, that's pretty accurate. (MarkFiore.com)


-Bonus HotD-
"CNN’s Alison Kosik Deftly Reports On 3-D Porn: 'Getting It On All Sides.'"

You don't actually expect a punchline too? (Mediaite)