Chicago Politics Rankle GOP Heavies
By ANDREW GREINER
Updated 1:50 PM CST, Tue, Aug 4, 2009
Some Republicans are not digging Chicago politics.
The ranking member of the Committee on Oversight & Government Reform, Darrell Issa, is taking issue with the invective-spouting, political superstar from Chicago known as Rahm Emanuel.
Issa is upset over a series of reports that the White House Chief of Staff has been orchestrating an effort to intimidate members Congress and Governors who speak poorly about the stimulus program.
“I and others have dared to bring these facts to the attention of President Obama, the Congress and the American people,” Issa wrote. “You’ve unfortunately reacted by once again resorting to the playbook of the Chicago political machine.”
Issa’s language can be tied directly to a Politico story that said Emanuel “launched a coordinated effort to jam” critics of the plan. The “jamming” amounted to Emanuel asking Cabinet members to write letters lambasting the naysayers.
Copies of the letters can be found here.
“At what point do you believe your practice of Chicago-style politics violates a public official’s right to speak out in favor of alternative policies,” Issa said. “The American people have a right to know what role you played in developing the threatening letters to Governor Brewer and whether you intend to continue to engage in these tactics in the future.”
Welcome to Chicago, Mr. Issa.
First Published: Aug 4, 2009 1:36 PM CST
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