A Windbag Investigator Fires His Spokesman

Darrell Issa has been quick to let everyone in Washington, especially lobbyists for big business, know that he now has subpoena power. He's made sure to leverage his new found power as the House's "chief investigator" (also read, chairman of the House Oversight Panel) into lots and lots of time on TV. So guess who's whining about the media's relations with his office now?

Issa fired his spokesman today for forwarding private correspondence between himself and reporters to a New York Times reporter who is working on a book about DC's political culture. The spokesman, Kurt Bardella, apparently is pretty colorful himself, and was working on the book with the reporter. Apparently, Issa wasn't approving of this side venture, and decided to cut his losses.

In the grand scheme of the harm Issa will do as chairman, this is little to nothing. The spokesman almost certainly violated agreements with the Congressman, as well as the trust of reporters. I'm much more concerned about the fact that Issa is taking his cues on what to hold hearings for from corporations and their lobbyists. Still, no harm in Congressman Waxman rubbing some salt in the wounds from this embarrassment. We'll all appreciate the laugh we're getting at this corporate lapdog later.