Most Transparently Hypocritical Administration Ever

With Obama as a lame duck and Hillary not yet installed the NY Times editors breathe the air of freedom:

Let Inspectors General Do Their Job

In the aftermath of the Watergate scandal, Congress in 1978 passed the Inspector General Act, establishing independent watchdogs whose job it is to uncover waste, fraud or abuse across scores of federal departments and agencies.

These public servants are “our eyes and ears within the executive branch,” as Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa described them in December.

Under the 1978 law, inspectors general, who are based in the agencies, have access to “all records” needed to do their job. But since the early days of the Obama administration, many agencies have systematically thwarted that access for whole categories of information — including, most notably, grand jury testimony, personal credit data and information from wiretaps.

The effect has been to slow down investigations into, among other things, the shooting of civilians during Drug Enforcement Administration raids in Honduras, sexual assaults in the Peace Corps and the F.B.I.’s antiterrorism powers. Inspectors general have spent time and taxpayer dollars arguing for access to documents they should, by law, have in hand — denying the American people the robust scrutiny of their federal government.

Congress is bipartisanly bothered:

Congress is currently considering a bipartisan bill [RCP link], sponsored by Mr. Grassley, to make clear once again that inspectors general may not be hindered in performing basic, critical review. The bill has been held up in the Senate since last year for unexplained reasons.

It is no surprise that government officials don’t want their wrongdoing or incompetence made public. Inspectors general are on the front lines of ensuring the transparency needed if government is to be held accountable. They should have unfettered access to the materials they need to do their job.

The betting line is that if the Times can't figure out who is obstructing the bill, it is the Democrats. Et voila - this is from Sen. Grassley's office last Dec. 15 but the lack of unanimous Senate consent on a procedural question is surely not in dispute:

Senator Chuck Grassley today on the Senate floor asked unanimous consent for the Senate to begin consideration of a bill to ensure that inspectors general across the federal bureaucracy have timely access to all records needed to complete a thorough and independent investigation.  Grassley’s unanimous consent request was objected to by Senate minority leader Harry Reid in an effort to hide the identities of members who are holding up passage of the bill.  The objection was made in violation of the spirit of the Standing Order of the Senate that says members who have holds on legislation must be identified.

At a guess, this might be tangled up with the investigation into Hillary's emails so running out the clock is critical for the Dems.

Comments

[Jeff Dobbs]

CNN, Miss Marple

[narciso]

it starts off well, then it goes pearshaped,

http://news.sky.com/story/1656777/is-registration-forms-identify-22000-jihadis

CNN.

[Miss Marple 2]

Thanks, Jeff!

[cheerleader]

daddy, Cruz didn't know what he thought about waterboarding.

[cheerleader]

daddy, Another thing Cruz doesn't know about is amnesty. He says he won't know anything about that until the border is secure.

[narciso]

my first question, is newsday is still around,

http://www.newsday.com/opinion/donald-trump-has-more-in-common-with-vladimir-putin-than-hitler-1.11548066

no it's more like berlusconi,

[Rick Ballard]

OTOH - Ohio happens to be a battleground state and Clinton's GOTV will demonstrate its effectiveness by thrashing Comrade Sanders rather effectively. Jeff mentioned the success of the Democrat ground game in North Carolina wrt new voter registration and Ohio will offer further proof.

[clarice]

You don't appoint a special counsel only after all the works been done--they sure didn't in the Libby case IIRC. A special counsel can convene a grand jury--issue subpoenas and proceed with the investigation, NK.

As I said I anticipate Pagliano had information that was valuable enough to be granted immunity, and , yes, I think he'll be in deep doodoo if he backs off ..the immunity deal will be scratched, I think BTW NSA has retrieved any emails of significance that were lost, and anyone testifying contrary to what the govt has in hand will also be in trouble.

[narciso]

carlos slims will come up with another squirrel,

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/10/world/middleeast/isis-detainee-mustard-gas.html?_r=1

[Miss Marple 2]

Jorge Ramos really came down pretty hard on Hillary about the server.

[Miss Marple 2]

Question to Hillary: Is Donald Trump a racist?

[narciso]

when needs must, ramos is an persistent reporter,
not like f chuck, or pelley, he noted for instance how the pope didn't denounce the 43 dissapeared students on mexican soil,

[Threadkiller]

Some of that Ramos persistence:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfmNSjKNkho

[Miss Marple 2]

Sound on Bernie's mike makes him sound like he's in a well.

Hillary's, of course, is just fine.

[narciso]

yes, this is the problem,

http://www.weaselzippers.us/260890-john-kasich-on-hillary-clinton-ive-known-her-a-long-time/

[jimmyk on iPhone]

"how does one say facepalm in yiddish,"

Oy gevalt.

How does Sid Vicious manage to turn up in all the wrong places?

[Jeff Dobbs]

Switched over to Fox to watch Cruz with Megyn.

(i think . . . i think he's speaking canadian)

[Miss Marple 2]

Bernie and Hil are fighting over the auto bail-out.

[GUS]

Jeff that's Austrian he's speaking. Diversity thy name is Cruz.

[Buckeye]

You got any experience knocking over 7-11's?

No, but I have my own slurpee machine. Does that count?

[narciso]

that's three david brooks or one peter nicholas,
oy gevalt,

http://www.haaretz.com/misc/article-print-page/.premium-1.707919

[clarice]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/suffering-from-trumphobia-get-over-it-1457565216

A little perspective on Trump.

[GUS]

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2016/03/09/ag-loretta-lynch-testifies-justice-department-has-discussed-civil-legal-action-against-climate-change-deniers/

As I've said numerous times....a war is coming.
This IS fascism. I blame AIR FORCE ONE flying over Manhattan on a joy ride, and multiple trips for Hawaiian vacations.

A war is coming. THANK YOU GOPeePee.

[Miss Marple 2]

clarice,

I don't have a subscription and the google thing doesn't work any more.

What's the gist of that article?

[narciso]

he's not the Abomination or desolation and besides they put the same tag on the gipper, more then 30 years ago,

[Miss Marple 2]

I can't believe it! Hillary brings up the Koch brothers supporting Sanders again, just like she did in the first debate.

Bah. I am switching to the Trump toown hall with Hannity. At lesst it won't be boring.

[narciso]

since his was the rage last weekend:

http://www.dailypundit.com/?p=118113

[Buckeye]

GUS

Actually surprising she was that honest, but the clock is ticking and she is just talkin' shit.

Start worrying if Hillary gets elected and Lynch sticks around.

[clarice]

MM:FTA:Mr. Trump’s lack of good manners may be disconcerting, but as president his foreign policies are unlikely to deviate from standard conservative norms. He would only disappoint those who believe that the U.S. should send troops to Syria to somehow end a barbaric civil war, or send troops to Libya to miraculously disarm militias, or send troops back to Iraq to preserve its Iran-dominated government, or send more troops back to Afghanistan where the Taliban are winning because of the government’s incapacity and corruption.

President Trump would do none of the above. He will send troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq, while refusing to intervene in Libya or Syria, or anywhere else in the Muslim world, where U.S. troops are invariably attacked by those they are seeking to protect. Real conservatives want to conserve blood and treasure, not expend them lavishly to pursue ambitious political schemes.

As for trade, yes, Mr. Trump has called for tariffs against China and Mexico. Most economists now agree that wage stagnation in the U.S. and other advanced countries is caused by imports from China and other newly industrialized countries. Tariffs are unlikely, but one should expect vigorous antidumping measures, instead of allowing entire industries to be submerged.

[Jeff Dobbs]

MM:
Bah. I am switching to the Trump toown hall with Hannity. At lesst it won't be boring.

Would you look at that...they're in F-it-all-ville...just down the road.

[Miss Marple 2]

clarice,

Thank you so much!

By the way, Jorge Ramos just showed a clip of the mother who lost her son at Benghazi complaining that Hillary lied. Jorge is also asking about the email to Chelsea.

I hope Trey Gowdy gets the tape of her answer. She is saying stuff to Jorge like "It's complicated" and "I sympathize with the families" and "we learned a lot" and such.

Recommend watching the replay of this.

[narciso]

this is why they wanted general flynn out,

https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/commentaryanalysis/566717-partners-in-terror

[Jeff Dobbs]

There's a Trump National on Lake Norman?

Hey, there's a Trump National on Lake Norman. Our neighbors have a house on Lake Norman...but it's on the other side of the lake. Sad!

[Centralcal on iPad]

I know I am treading into enemy territory here, but I really enjoyed the Cruz-Megyn segment. Changed to food network when Hannity-Trump came on.

[Miss Marple 2]

That's ok Centralcal. I switched to the dem debate during Cruz, now watching Trump.

Even Steven!

[jimmyk]

Most economists now agree that wage stagnation in the U.S. and other advanced countries is caused by imports from China and other newly industrialized countries.

I beg to differ. Maybe in a few industries, but overall it's productivity stagnation, as discussed here last week. Not sure the "most" is accurate.

[GUS]

Don't worry Jimmy, recovery summer is coming soon.
Maybe another CASH 4 CLUNKERS could get the economy rolling!!!

[narciso]

Luttvak does have a protectionist bent, and he was critical of the Iraq War, at one point, comparing the Iraqi exiles, to the Napoleon's Spanish puppets,

[Buckeye]

CC

I think you are with about 80% of the JOM crowd. I prefer Cruz, but won't melt down if Trump wins the nomination. Just roll up my sleeves and do what it takes to get Hillary shitcanned (checks in the mail GUS).

[GUS]

(REDACTED for LENT)canned!!!

[Porchlight]

Idiot funeral-skipping president alert:

The entire Austin school district is releasing students at 12:30 on Friday because of Zippy's "keynote" SXSW speech at 2:30. The mayor is urging people to stay home from work. This is going to screw up a lot of people's work and childcare plans. All happening about a mile north of my house. But I'll be another couple of miles north on campus, at work.

My kids are thanking Obama for the half day, of course.

[narciso]

what I was speaking about earlier,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them/magic-north-america-pottermore/

[Porchlight]

The Zippy motorcade is winding through downtown for some unknown reason. Downtown will already be hammered by normal work and SXSW traffic. The whole city is going to come to a halt for this clownshow.

[Miss Marple 2]

Heading to bed.

Nytol!

[Buckeye]

Watching Hannity. Nobody will ever accuse Trump of being eloquent.

[Threadkiller]

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/09/breitbart-rolls-over-after-reporter-grabbed-by-trump-aide.html

Reporters requesting anonymity...

[MarkO]

Comment 368.
Tom's busy defending Rubio on Twitter.

Don't get me wrong. I admire Tom's work here.

[Frau Schattenregierung]

Clarice & all - thanks for the info on immunity. After hearing the Clintons lie--for *decades*--it's hard to believe the system can still work.

The weak link would be the DoJ or the FBI deciding not to charge Ma Clinton and her underlings.

[narciso]

and doc brown is likewise,

http://babalublog.com/2016/03/09/on-obamas-visit-to-cuba-raul-castro-frankly-doesnt-give-a-damn/

[narciso]

I do not trust them, sam I am,

http://www.weaselzippers.us/260853-ag-loretta-lynch-doj-not-required-to-charge-hillary-clinton-even-if-fbi-recommends/

[Porchlight]

It is weird, MarkO. Rubio, really? Still?

[narciso]

another microgression,

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/mar/09/jk-rowling-under-fire-for-appropriating-navajo-tradition-history-of-magic-in-north-america-pottermore

[Stephanie]

Clarice, what about the insight our mutual 2 star friend on FB has been discussing vis a vis the indictment? Seems to me he pretty much guarantees a resolution not to Hill's liking.

[Frau Schattenregierung]

Iggy - Hideout for the Folsom Gang: head for the Auburn KOA in a Cruise America RV and park with all the other German and Austrian speaking tourists camping in similar vehicles. Give the Kid a couple of brats and play "Land abstechen"* with him using a butter knife. Make fun of the funny American beer, and you'll blend right in.
Don't give your right names.Bodo, Sepp, and Fritzi.

*LUN

[Porchlight]

That is awesome, Frau! I always thought mumbley peg was the game where you flip the knife around your fingers.

Might be willing to give the Kid a small but real pocketknife so he can learn the real thing.