Darrell Issa's Having Quite the Week, Huh?

You know, I think there's a persuasive case to be made that whether Rep. Issa is trying to legitimately get to the bottom of a handful of scandals, or is actually just keeping ginned-up controversies alive by fake-investigating them--he kinda sucks at it. I know, he is keeping them alive in the minds of the conservative faithful, but even the patient and forgiving Fox News had to lose patience with the transparent hyping of Benghazi claims that didn't pan out in the real world.

A similar thing should take place regarding over the disappointing display that happened recently  where House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair Darrell Issa was moved to cut the mike of Rep. Elijah Cummings, accusing him of "slander" when, in Cummings' view, he was offering advice. And, much as it matches my obvious vices, I nonetheless think that was probably what he was doing--trying to offer advice. 

Lois Lerner's having taken the fifth is constitutionally valid but inconvenient. It might save all kinds of time to cut to the chase--the likely reason for pleading the fifth is self-protection, so give her all the protection she needs and see what comes out. That's the proffer that was about to be suggested. Now, is it "slander" try and move a hearing along instead of wasting taxpayer dollars and congressmembers' time? It isn't slander to point out that Issa's handling of this particular case has excluded Democrats.  It isn't even slander to suppose that Issa is not following the most direct procedure for getting at the truth. Yes, he's dragging it out for the benefit of the type of people who think there's a "there" there. 

But it's just too damn obvious to the Democratic side. I mean, cutting the mic and hollering "slander"? Especially over the IRS official who alerted the public's attention to the targeting by the tax-exempt division of IRS of political groups, and has now decided to stop talking? Is Issa the one who really doesn't want this over with?  That shouldn't sit well with the GOP side either: if someone allows that there might have been something "off" about the IRS procedure--why not do whatever was necessary without being punitive (like charging Lerner with contempt) to get at the truth?  It just all looks like ham-fisted theater. He's not doing the GOP any favors by coming up empty again and again, either.