House Oversight Dems Change Lock On Hearing Room Door After GOP Video

After GOP members of the House oversight committee shot footage for a "campaign style video" in the committee room, Democrats responded by changing the lock on a private door leading in from the Republican suite of offices.

Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) ordered the lock changed after complaining that Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) used an unauthorized camera inside the hearing room during a recess. Issa set the footage to "Hit the Road, Jack" and accused Democrats of avoiding a vote to authorize subpoenas in the Countrywide sweetheart mortgage program.

Republicans refused to take the video down from the GOP oversight web site despite repeated requests from Democrats. So the Democrats decided to change the door lock.

"There was a back door to the main hearing room from the Republican offices that had the lock on the inside, not the outside like all the other doors," a committee source e-mailed the Huffington Post. "Therefore the Republicans could walk into the hearing room anytime they wanted to without anyone knowing it.

"Since Rep. Issa has been shooting campaign-style videos in the hearing room (which, according to the House rules the Chairman has control over) we reversed the lock so that all the doors to the hearing room lock the same way. They continue to have full access to the room whenever there is committee business or they reserve the room for a meeting -- just like Democratic members -- but now they can no longer go in whenever they like and make campaign and partisan videos."

Watch the video:

Comments

[MSanford]

I don't understand why you all are defending the Democrats here. They, every single Democratic member on the committee, are blocking an investigation into corruption of congressional members. The "Friends of Angelo". Didn't any of you see Michael Moore's movie? I corruption OK, just because it was done by your "side"?

[larmarch5]

This would be better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo-OfQ3VQWw&feature=related

[spacecreep]

that was cute... a GOP video with minority music in the background­......the democrats should use the same video and song track showing how the republican are a group that exclude all minorities in their meeting and decisions.­..........­........th­e message from minorities and all sane US citizens..­" hit the road jack and don't come back no more"

[Fotios]

While I think this is a little bit childish on both sides, I actually agree with Republicans here. Democrats need to enforce ethics rules on their party so they have cover when they start sending Republicans to jail.

There is plenty of corruption on both sides of the isle - and it would be better if it looked like the Dems were the enforcers and Rethugs were partisan.

PS: I'm still waiting for Bush Administration officials to serve their jail time.

[den1953]

They could have just put grease on the Republican eye piece give them a black eye!

[Tennys Daughter]

Everytime I think the GOP has sunk as low as they could; they somehow manage to sink even LOWER! Okay . . . . just how LOW can you GO?

[admiralj]

Can you say LIMBO?

[laurenlv]

Are we ten years old?? Changing locks....r­eally....n­o really....­thats the solution?

[j mcdouglas]

Tell that to a rape victim or a spousal abuse victim, blondie.

[j mcdouglas]

Do you use Fox brand blonde hair dye?

You do realize it's produced by the Aryan Nation right?

[j mcdouglas]

And before you lie and tell us your hair color is natural, please excuse me while I preemptively laugh in your face.

[DASChicago]

You are too, too funny. Fox brand blonde-Hair Dye, Ahhhaaah!

[nick1936]

For once I agree with the REPUKS get that crook Senator Conrad who took the money and bought his beach house in delaware.

[jon86]

Probably not a great idea. Losing Conrad (however conservative a democrat he may be) would mean losing a seat from a very conservative state. I'm from ND, and if you saw some of the crazies that run against him.... ugh.

[motoGpifupleez]

Do the Republicans REALLY want to get into of a game of "hidden camera"?

[jennylynn]

Dems have always been cry babies. How embarrassing for them to do this childish stunt.

[RadCenter]

So using a room that the taxpayers have paid for as a movie set to make a campaign commercial is not a "childish stunt"?

The GOPers should be lucky they weren't locked out completely, as the Republicans did to the Democrats when they were in the majority.

[DASChicago]

It's the sneeky Bushites/cheney tactics. That's the reptilian way!

[widdles]

No - it was the Republicans who did a childish stunt.

[laurenlv]

It was not the republican­s...its not like congress had hidden cameras and went into an acorn office...i­t was twenty-something college kids....so if independent college kids = the entire republican party....t­hen yes...i suppose you are right.

[Aerows]

Sneaking into a meeting room and setting up a hidden camera was not childish? What did you expect them to do, leave it like that?

[oonamanoona]

What have you got to say about the Dems "sneaking" out the back door? That is not childish? Both parties are wrong here. Someone ought to make them sit on the floor in the hall to meet.

[mummblemouth]

What's more childish, having someone break into a room and secretly shoot video of you, or you changing the locks so the person can't violate your privacy?

[oonamanoona]

I think that one is a tie.

[ibsteve2u]

Huh. The Republicans are wasting their time pulling stunts like this to prove to me that they have no honor; I reached that conclusion when they told the American people that making the rich richer faster would benefit America's working people.

[armadillious2002]

It's the trickled on theory.

[Ron1951]

Attention Bill Maher: Please keep rep. Issa off your show. After this stunt he does not deserve the coverage your show gives to him.

[Scarborian]

"The devil makes work for idle hands". Perhaps their lobbyist puppeteers were on a lunch break when our representatives came up with this school boy prank.

It's become impossible to underestimate the caliber of our politicians.

[indiematrix]

This is something people REALLY need to pay attention to. I'm an American living in Europe and they are trying to do "mockumentary" stories using Americans to pose representatives under the guise of "entertain­ment."

It's just an underhanded jedi mind trick way of Retardicans trying to create misinformation and trick or fool votes instead of I don't... maybe actually doing something like WORK and things worthy enough to allow them to be VOTED back into office. Ya know, on the merits of their efforts verses the "f*ck work let's just try and distract, scare or lie to get back into office.

[Grannysue]

The Boils on the Butt of society trying to make videos for their campaigns oh well why not they don't do anything else except run for office and give away money to the wealthy!