Outrageous abuse of power by Grassley and staffer on Finance Committee

[Are_grits_groceries]

From "The Washington Note:

<snip>
But I want to raise another issue that is not about policy -- and is about abuse of power and pushing the investigatory part of "advice and consent" in presidential nominations to outrageous levels.

According to multiple sources, there is a staffer on the minority side of the Finance Committee who is going to absurd levels investigating the financial backgrounds of Obama administration nominees who fall under the jurisdiction of the committee.

Why is Max Baucus not confronting ranking Member Senator Chuck Grassley and this particular staffer with a direct confrontation about the absurdities and abuse that are now leaking out of the Committee?

Baucus is Chairman. He has real power. Is he using it? Is he afraid of Grassley and this staffer for some reason?

What I have learned is that a senior Obama administration official who has been languishing for some time in the Committee process -- and who this country really does need in his/her job because of the consequential portfolio that needs management now -- has had to put up with some of the most abusive and invasive investigations into financial matters of which I have ever heard.

This Committee staffer, in one example, wanted to see if the reporting of a "home office" on tax forms was legitimate. On the respective nominees, tax forms -- a square footage and percentage of house allocated to the office were designated. So, the staffer actually sent someone to the nominee's home to "measure" whether the square footage reporting was accurate or not. That's right. . .they went out to "measure" the house.

But wait, it gets better.

Then the staffer challenged the "valuation" of the home -- and the nominee showed the Committee staff the local government valuation and assessment of the home -- which is a legal record.

The staffer subjectively asserted that the valuation was too high -- and thus the deduction thus too high -- and ordered that a new valuation of the home be done.

What in the hell is this? They disregarded official government valuations of a house?
<snip>

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/

Baucus needs to go. He's not acting like a member of the Democratic Party in any manner.

[FrenchieCat]

1. OMFG!

I'm an accountant, and that's some crazy ass shit you saying that is being done!

No wonder Obama can't fill the positions required....

Yep....Bogus Baucus has got to go!

[Are_grits_groceries]

2. If they came to measure my house,

I would seriously have to consider whether to dropkick them across the street or allow it to get the job.

[FrenchieCat]

3. Well, the part that I couldn't deal with is the Property Tax assessment of the value

being rejected. That's crazy!

[Are_grits_groceries]

4. That too!

However, the actual act of somebody showing up with a tape measure would tempt me. That is an "in your face" power play.
I think my hair would catch on fire I would be so pissed.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Way worse than even the biggest IRS asshole....

[Are_grits_groceries]

6. Word!

And I thought the IRS had the "Asshole Award" locked up.

[dgibby]

7. Somebody's ass needs to be in a big fat sling,

and they can start with Baucus and work their way through GrASSly to the staffer, who, if he/she, had shown up at my house, would have to have good health insurance. Having a tape measure removed from one's ass has to be expensive. Entertaining, but expensive.

[Are_grits_groceries]

8. Why are they putting up with that shit?

People are getting rolled everywhere. I'll bet there is a "minority" staffer on every committee looking into what they can about appointees.

[dgibby]

9. Could you, for one minute, imagine one of the old-time Dems

putting up with this shit? LBJ would have invited them to his ranch for BBQ (as the main course, naturally)! Jeebus!

[Are_grits_groceries]

11. They would only try it once. nt

[drm604]

10. This sounds like obstructionism, plain and simple.

They're doing everything they can to slow down the nomination.

[Are_grits_groceries]

12. They call it bipartisanship. nt

[Lagomorph]

13. Like Eddie Murphy said...

"How would you like me to have the IRS come down here and crawl up your ass with a fucking microscope?"

[global1]

14. I Think Somebody Needs To Investigate This Staffer And His Deductions........

sounds to me like he knows all the angles and probably has used them. Maybe someone should dredge up some dirt on this guy.