Exclusive: Issa Secured Nearly $1 Million In Earmarks Potentially Benefiting Real Estate That He Own

[kpete]

Source: Think Progress

Exclusive: Issa Secured Nearly $1 Million In Earmarks Potentially Benefiting Real Estate That He Owns

As Roll Call reported earlier this month, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) has a history of blending his personal business interests with his work as a member of Congress. Companies owned by the Issa family, including a firm called DEI (an acronym for Issa’s initials), set up websites to channel users to Issa’s official congressional campaign website. After Roll Call made an ethical inquiry to Issa, he changed the website.

ThinkProgress has discovered more troubling evidence that Issa may have blended his work as a lawmaker with his own business empire. After founding a successful car alarm company, Issa invested his fortune in a sprawling network of real estate companies with holdings throughout his district. One of Issa’s most valuable properties, a medical office building at 2067 West Vista Way in Vista, California, is called the Vista Medical Center, and was purchased in 2008 for $16.6 million. Described as “a long-term investment,” the property was bought by a company called Viper LLC, a business entity operated by Issa’s family that Issa has up to a $25 million dollar stake in.

Around the same time, Issa made the Vista Medical Center purchase, the congressman began requesting millions of dollars worth of earmarks to widen and improve the highway adjacent to the building. In 2008, he requested $2 million to expand West Vista Way, the road in front of his “long-term investment,” but only received $245,000 from the government. The next year, Issa made another earmark request for improving the West Vista Way highway next to his building. He earmarked another $570,000, bringing his total to $815,000, to add parking lots, widen the road, add bus stops, improve the sewer system, and other utility work. A map showing the location of Issa’s property, and the road, is below:

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/2011/03/30/issa-earmark-property/

[opihimoimoi]

1. HOLY BATSHIT....,its happened...we gonna see the rat squirm now...KnR

[Kablooie]

57. He's. Republican so he's not subject to any law but his own.

Just watch, the congress will do nothing to him.

[Tripod]

68. Now that is funny, :)

[opihimoimoi]

70. He is a Projectionist....always pointing guilt away from himself...

[livetohike]

2. As a former resident of Issa's CD, this makes me smile

This may be the corruption that finally sinks him. Thanks for posting this :hi:.

[BonnieJW]

20. I'm betting nothing happens to him.

I'm betting it won't even make the evening news.

[2banon]

29. sadly, I agree.. n/t

[SoapBox]

42. DITTO! There will not be a word...

...this guy is a supreme dirt bag...crooked and criminal.

And yes...will Diane Sawyer be talking about this? Never.

She didn't even go to Wisconsin or talk about Wisconsin...why would she talk about this skeeze ball.

[madmax]

75. I'm with you

But, we will hear about the birth certificate, I'm sure.

[xchrom]

3. recommend

[Autumn]

4. I would like to hear our Democratic leaders

from the President on down screaming about this.

[defendandprotect]

36. hmmm... would be nice to see Dem Party simply as concerned about GOP voting computers

as the public is --

Don't think they've ever mentioned them -- At least one Dem has told Hartmann that

it's a taboo subject for Democrats -- they don't want Democratic voters to think

our elections aren't legit -- they'd stop coming out to vote!!!


:evilgrin:

[Scuba]

44. And I hear.... silence. n/t

[TxVietVet]

52. The silence from the Democrats is deafening. ;-)

[rhett o rick]

56. No the silence from the Democrats speaks volumes. nm

[No Elephants]

5. Rangel wept.

[tanyev]

6. Maybe he'll investigate that after he's done with his Obama wish list.

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who will become chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee when the 112th Congress is sworn in Wednesday, told The Washington Post he plans to lead six major investigations in the first three months of the year. That will call for a grueling schedule, since congressional investigations often take months to bear fruit.

On Issa’s list:

• WikiLeaks' release of classified diplomatic cables
• Recalls at the Food and Drug Administration
• The role of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the foreclosure crisis
• The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission's failure to identify the origins of the meltdown
• Alleged corruption in Afghanistan

"I've always been fond of the saying that when it comes to oversight and reform, the federal government does two things well: nothing and overreact," Issa told reporters Monday. "Too often, a problem is allowed to fester until it reaches a crisis point . . . and the American people are left asking the question: What went wrong and why?"


Careful--it's Newsmax.
http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/issa-obama-investigations-post/2011/01/04/id/381829

[TxVietVet]

53. I'll bet he's not going to do any oversight on his actions.

The rat bastard kochroach.

[WingDinger]

7. At one time, the whole shebang was Issa's gonna attack Obama into the ground.

[wordpix]

65. that was before Issa was revealed to be a crook & now he's a congressional crook

a congressional professional crook

[liberal N proud]

8. I bet that is not on the budget chopping block

[OneAngryDemocrat]

9. House Ethics Committee precedents

House precedents dictate that Members abstain from voting on matters in which a Member has “a direct personal or pecuniary interest in the event of such question.” (Member Voting and Other Official Activities on Matters of Personal Interest from the House Ethics Committee website: (http://ethics.house.gov/Subjects/Topics.aspx?Section=157))

[Tippy]

10. K&R......Will he be investigating himself?...Good Catch

Probaly won't find a thing he did wrong

[closeupready]

11. Of course. Self-interest is their M.O.

Isn't it?

[Historic NY]

12. All those public works projects........sure hope he used union.....

labor and paid prevailing wages, with the taxpayers dimes.

[Kermitt Gribble]

13. Not to downplay this dirtbag's crimes, but

how many others in congress are guilty of this, as well? They all spend millions to win election to a job that pays less than $200,000 per year.

[2banon]

28. yep..

too bad ThinkProgress isn't looking in to all of them, but then again, that's like taking on a behemoth project.

[DavidDvorkin]

14. Fox News will be right on this

Or maybe CNN.

[Kingofalldems]

15. Special Prosecutor needed immediately

We need one on retainer to keep tabs on the repubs.

[defendandprotect]

16. Remember when California was a liberal state -- what happened?

And they're not RECALLING Issa?

Wow -- one of the biggest crooks in Congress!!

[savalez]

17. Jeez give the story at least a day to circulate.

[KamaAina]

18. His district is conservative

as, to some extent, is San Diego generally, though it has grown more purplish of late.

[hunter]

21. The Republican areas tend to be extreme.

They are always jumping at the opportunity to "pull themselves up by their own bootstraps" (more commonly called "stealing, corruption, embezzlement, and Federal subsidies") and are always on the lookout for blue helmeted UN troops who will take away their guns, abort their babies, and confiscate their property.

[2banon]

25. San Diego Has Always been Conservative, Nearly all of SoCal has been

Conservative. San Diego & Orange Counties on the Coast (Where John Birch Society was hatched and breed) San Clemente was once the home of Richard Nixon.. Oceanside is the community next Camp Pendleton, ... and all areas east is staunchly conservative. and it doesn't end there, sorry to say.

[defendandprotect]

34. But California was once a feriociously liberal state -- what happened??

Hate to be repetitive -- but was this all Reagan --

gather you are not all voting on GOP voting computers?

Is this conservative because of the industries in these areas?

And, Issa has long been a crook -- so guessing that his district is happy with him!!

[2banon]

62. Reagan Was Governor when I moved here..

I had no idea who he was, until then. What shocked me then, (1970) was the Police State nature of Southern California (San Deigo, Orange and Los Angeles Counties).. I moved up north and it felt/seemed like a completely different country, much less a different State. But by North I mean North of San Francisco Bay area. Later I discovered that the areas of Northern California that could be remotely considered as "Liberal" would be SF, Marin, Sonoma, Mendocino and Humboldt Counties.. All areas of the Coastal Redwood regeions. But head inland 40 - 50 miles or so and you're in Conservative/Libertarian/Evangelical country. milage may vary..

[defendandprotect]

72. Thanks for the reply -- very interesting -- sadly so -- !!

[No Elephants]

78. Los Angeles and San Fransisco are liberal, tho probably not as liberal as

they one were, thanks to Dems moving right.

A few other spots are Dem, as 2banon posted. Rest of the state is Republican.

That's why Republians keep pushing to apportion electoral votes. If that happens, it may be a long time before we see a Dem President again.

Again, if people's only choice is Pub or Pub Lite.....

[No Elephants]

77. Don't know if a federal Rep can be recalled.

[valerief]

19. And he'll get away with this and more. nt

[louis-t]

22. I hope the value of that property sinks.

Love to see him lose about $10 million.

[LynneSin]

23. Perhaps Issa needs to stop the bullshit oversight meetings and focus on his own oversight

asshole

[LaPera]

24. Republican Issa is as slimy as they come - Issa's whole life is filled with lies & slimy deals...

[Iliyah]

27. OK here in Cali

the sane parts that is, we already know about Issa. He is a pure piece of work - asshole. Please Issa, keep make good use of your witch hurt subpenas. Your true ugly colors will come out for the rest of the world to see you for what you are.

[BlueJac]

26. We must keep looking forward......

nothing will be done with the friends of lobbyists.

[vanlassie]

30. Issa's an Asshat

[JohnWxy]

31. OKAY, TIME TO HANG THIS MUTHER FUCKING GRAND INQUISITOR BY HIS BALLS!!!!

THERE BETTER BE A FUCKING ETHICS VIOLATION INQUIRY ABOUT THIS MORAL DEGENERATE (OH, HE'S A REPUBLICAN SO THAT IS REDUNDANT...BUT I STILL FEEL IT BEARS REPEATING).


RECOMMENDED!!

[forty6]

50. +1000 (or should I say plus 2, since he has 2?)

This scum should be forced to resign and give up any pension, reimburse the feds for his earmark, PLUS interest at 10%

[Name removed]

55. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[quakerboy]

76. Even a real investigation would only have one result

He is protected from any real fall out of this. So any investigation of his actions would only that he would have to become more active in his attacks on Obama, to divert attention from his misdeeds.

[Enthusiast]

32. Ethics are for the lesser people. nt

[Initech]

33. The party of crooks, liars and thieves is at it again!

[Blue_Tires]

35. I'm glad this secret the media don't want to acknowlege is coming to light

What nobody ever mentions with these 'big gummitt' hating, defenders of liberty is that despite all the rhetoric over wasteful spending, they love burning taxpayer dollars for their little pet projects or industries more than ANYONE...

It's only the money that goes to people outside of their little circle that they get outraged over...

[Zambero]

37. He is the wealthiest member of Congress

Numero uno out of 535. Under those circumstances one might think (or expect) that Issa could "afford" to be honest. Apparently not.

[FlyByNight]

38. Frankly, what took him so long?

Not surprised.

[DemoTex]

39. Obama "one of the most corrupt presidents in modern times."

Thus spake the hood Issa to the drug-addled draft-evader Limbaugh.

:rofl:

[stevedeshazer]

54. It's amazing, isn't it?

Hypocrisy squared.

[still_one]

40. and? will the MSM give this story much air time? I don't think so. Will the Democrats exploit it?

seeing how Kaine ran the midterm elections it doesn't look good

However, when issa and his ilk start slamming the administration that will get coverage, and as usual the Democrats won't even defend themseleves

[HankyDubs]

41. it cracks me up that this snake

owns a company called "Viper LLC."

At least he isn't stealing cars anymore.

[guruoo]

43. Issa's company: common electronic brands to avoid...

http://www.directed.com/

Auto security and accessories:
Viper, Python, Clifford, Avital,XpressKit, Ready Remote, AutoCommand,
Astroflex, AstroStart, Automate
http://www.directed.com/Products/Security/Default.aspx

Car audio: Orion
http://www.directed.com/Products/MobileAudio/Default.aspx

[glinda]

45. K & R n/t

[Zoeisright]

46. So why isn't he being removed from office?

Fucking repuke.

[democracy1st]

47. Yes Yes Yes!

[Yavin4]

48. Issa, A Proud Member of I.G.M.F.Y.I.Y.D.H.Y.

I Got Mine Fuck You If You Dont Have Yours

[KansDem]

49. Hypocrites...fucking hypocrites...

I have an intense distaste for Republicans...

[TxVietVet]

51. That rotten kochroach issa maybe finally has done himself in.

Not after lining his pockets WITH OUR MONEY. Our being us taxpayers. Something that rat bastard probably doesn't do. Pay taxes. The guy is a champion hypocritical a$$hole. I hope his competitors in his district start firing him up. The rat bastard deserves to be destroyed. He's a crook. He's gotten off too many times.

[Swede Atlanta]

58. Nothing will happen...move on

The Repukkkes are all about criticizing any non-millionaire American for getting any benefit under our system. They reserve the right, however, to milk the system for their own benefit because they are of course the ones that create jobs. But we know that to be an illusory claim as the only jobs they create are the ones in India, China and other developing countries. They would be aghast at having to create a good-paying job here in American with a decent retirement program, benefits and some sense of security. It isn't what they are about. It is all about them....they are the "me", "me", "me" demons.

[alp227]

59. i've long known issa was a crook...he better resign over this

if Chris Lee and Mark Souder could resign over sex scandals

[drm604]

60. K&R

Hopefully Rachel will talk about this in the near future.

[louslobbs]

61. Typical Newt GinGrinch type of Republicon....pot meet kettle what a bunch of pigs, actually

dirty, filthy, rotten, stinking, pigs. And my humble apology to all actual pigs
Lou

[liberal life]

63. they act like they don't even know what conflict of interest means

and tomorrow he will complain about the debt and the need to cut off entitlements.


http://fucorporatemedia.com/

[shanti]

64. nail the mf'er

he's as dirty as they come :mad:

[Tripod]

66. k&r

[L. Coyote]

67. Sure beats stealing cars for a living

[avaistheone1]

69. Pure and simple - Issa is a CROOK!!

K&R

[opihimoimoi]

71. Book um Dano".....I hope to see him in orange

[cascadiance]

73. Is it a surprise that a former car thief and arsonist would do something like this? Hell no!

(as Boner would say...)

Too bad that Carol Lam isn't still the U.S. Attorney for that area. Would have been nice revenge for her to have on Issa to put him behind bars after he was one of the bastards that got her fired by Bush earlier... Have him share a cell with his old congress critter neighbor Duke Cunningham!



(flowers I and some folk at Progressive Post down there helped give her on her last day on Valentine's Day after she got those indictments of Brent Wilkes, etc. out).

[deacon]

74. Talk about the fox guarding the hen house sheeeesh. n/t

[sarcasmo]

79. He should be in prison.