House Democratic leaders have flat out rejected John Boehner’s offer to be props on his special Benghazi committee. After meeting, Democrats called the offer a slap in the face.
After House Democrats rejected Boehner’s proposal, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) spoke to the media, “I consider it a slap in the face. It is actually worse than the current situation that we have in Oversight and Government Reform [Committee]. It’s a step backwards…It basically left the door open for abuse, the same kind of abuse as we saw in Oversight and Government Reform…I’m hopeful that the conversations will continue, but right now, what he has sent is extremely … disappointing.”
In order for this select committee to have even a whiff of credibility, House Republicans need Democrats to be a party of this panel. If there are no Democrats, no one will pay any attention to this investigation. The problem is that Republicans are proposing rules that turn the Democrats into props.
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The Oversight and Government reform committee that Rep. Cummings was referring to is the pit of partisan witchhunt, waste, and abuse that is chaired by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA). For Cummings to suggest that the panel that Boehner has set up will be worse that what Issa is doing is really saying something.
House Democrats aren’t going participate in a sham that is designed to embarrass the president before this year’s midterm elections. Democrats don’t want to be part of any panel where Republicans hold a 7-5 majority, and under the rules, hold all the power.
The offer that Republicans made confirms the idea that they don’t want to hold a serious investigation. Boehner and company are only interested in a publicity stunt. They are wasting taxpayer money by exploring conspiracy theories in a desperate attempt to hurt the president.
Democrats aren’t going to play along, and their lack of participation will expose this stunt for the shameless political ploy that it really is.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
