Lindsey Graham: 'No Evidence' White House Directed IRS To Target Conservatives

[onehandle]

Source: Huffington Post

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Monday became the latest Republican to reject Darrell Issa's comments that White House press secretary Jay Carney is a "paid liar" in relation to the IRS controversy. But Graham went further than his Republican colleagues, saying there's no evidence that the White House ordered the tax agency to target conservative groups.

During an interview with "Kilmeade and Friends" on Fox News Radio, Graham said Issa, a California Republican, was a key player in investigating the matter as the chairman of the House Oversight Committee. But, he conceded, "you can go too far" with personal allegations.

"Let's not make it personal. Jay Carney is not the issue here. He's the spokesman for the White House," Graham told host Brian Kilmeade, adding that it "never helps" to resort to personal name-calling.

On Sunday, Issa accused the White House of ordering the IRS to target conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status in 2012, even though a 48-page report by the IRS Inspector General and testimony from multiple IRS officials cleared the White House of any involvement. Issa has nonetheless insisted IRS agents were being "ordered from Washington." He specifically directed his criticism at Carney, who has maintained the administration played no role in the targeting and only learned of the matter once an investigation was complete.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/03/lindsey-graham-irs_n_3379066.html

[busterbrown]

1. Well that certainly changes my opinion Of Lindsey...

Yea, right!!!

[markpkessinger]

2. Graham may be an asshole . . .

. . . but he is not stupid (at least not politically speaking, that is). He knows that if his party doesn't stop hurling the over-the-top, evidence-free allegations, it will ultimately bite the Republicans in the ass.

[AAO]

18. Stupid may instigate debate. Asshole, not so much.

[markpkessinger]

21. That's why I qualified "stupid" with "politically speaking" . . .

. . . and otherwise refrained from commenting on his overall stupidity.

[cstanleytech]

8. Exactly. Before I change my opinion on Lindsey he and the GOP leadership are going to have to

deal with Issa for these unfounded accusations like issuing an official senate censure.

[frylock]

27. lindsey is just upset that issa has taken the spotlight off of BENGHAZI!!1

[struggle4progress]

31. He's up for re-election next year, so he's putting on his moderate centrist make-up

[leftynyc]

33. I thought I had read

he was expecting a teabagger to challenge him in the primary and was leaning further right as a result? I would imagine in a state like SC it's hard to satisfy his hard right flank and then try to run as a normal person in the general. May his twisting himself into a pretzel be painful.

[Thinkingabout]

3. Perhaps, just perhaps Bob Dole saying they need to close the door at the GOP may provide

Needed courage to other Republicans to get back to the old GOP. All the facts are pointing to a dying party torn apart by the radical wing. It is good to hear the old Lindsay speaking.

[kitt6]

4. No. Let Mad Darrell finish

off the repugs. I'd say.

[riderinthestorm]

5. Lindsey Graham is similarly unhinged about Susan Rice and Benghazi.

Its absolutely incredible that Graham doesn't see the similarities between himself and Benghazi, and Issa with the IRS episode.

[freshwest]

16. Yeah, just what I was thinking. Or, what's Lindsey hiding he doesn't want outted?

Not Grand Theft Auto, arson and hit and run by leaving the scene of an accident.

But something. They better get ready to play CYA before they open their lying mouths again.

[Flashmann]

6. Hey Darrell!!!!

If flat out lunatics are saying you're full of shit,there are some simple dots you might try to connect...

[Lint Head]

7. Lindsey Graham is an opportunist and a liar. A stopped clock is right twice a day.

He knows the GOP is on the ropes. He is losing so much support in S.C. that he will do anything to stay in office. He should not run just like Bat Shit Bachman

[monmouth3]

9. Issa is stealing Lindsey's face time..n/t

[zonkers]

10. Daryl Issa is a slimy con man and car thief. Fuck him and his witch hunt.

[maidensandiego]

11. So Unprofessional !!!!

He's just a Bitter....Evil....and I hate to say RACIST.....Thief !!!!! Who even LISTENS....to this man anymore ???? He should be made to APOLOGIZE ! No if , ands, or BUTTHEADS, about it .

[Iliyah]

12. WHOA WHAT??? LOL

I guess Ms. Lindsey is still focus on BENGHAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.

I think Issa is making the GOPers look even crazier if that can be done.

[ReRe]

13. I can't stand Lindsey (closet) Graham...

... but maybe he read the rules and regs for starting non-profits. If they don't stop this IRS thing now, they will end up nipping themselves in the butt forever by turning winger churches into Corporations, instead of the non-profits they declare themselves to be. The pulpit is one of their main sources of free advertisement for the GOP. and that advertisement is non-stop, not just at election time. The whole IRS scandal is that the IRS HAS NOT BEEN enforcing the rules and regs for non-profits. I know of what I speak. I have been involved in starting orgs of the non-profit type.

[hopemountain]

15. yes! exactly!

"the IRS HAS NOT BEEN enforcing the rules and regs for non-profits."

[ReRe]

20. Really!

I wondered when one of those fools was going to wake up over there a back out of the whole IRS thing. Actually, I wish they would go right on. Because in the end, there bass would be grass, and laws would be enforced. But if they stop now, the IRS will go on NOT enforcing the law as per non-profits. Non-profits like KKKarl Rove's bunch, and all of the Koch brother non-profit Bircher think tanks, and on and on and on. We could balance the budget and have money left over for infrastructure, new schools,
and jobs jobs jobs.

[The Wizard]

14. Graham is one of the gargoyle

House managers who voted to impeach Clinton on specious charges. That resulted in a net loss of Republican House seats in the next election. We've heard enough of their bullshit. Feigned indigence, hissy fits, tantrums and playing the victim has just about run its course with normal Americans. Graham may be catching on. Issa on the other hand......
We're normal, they're not.

[jimlup]

17. I tend to listen to CBS News Radio

Just because I like News updates. But whomever edits CBS radio news must be a Republican Obama hater. They went with:

"IRS Scandal May be Expanding" as their lead story and they spent like 3 minutes of a 4 minute news snippet on it based solely on Issa's comments on the Sunday talk shows. I know that mainstream news is biased but this was beyond that.

That's not reporting CBS - that's Republican propaganda...

Thanks for your link.

[Rain Mcloud]

19. There is plenty of evidence that the WH targeted groups,WTF?

No wonder they are losing their ass,they can't remember what they were doing yesterday must be Oldtimers Syndrome:
[link:http://preview.tinyurl.com/Hostile-Democrats|

[BlueStater]

22. A rare moment of honesty from Lindsey Graham.

He's still a dick, though.

[Half-Century Man]

23. I wonder..

If you make an insipid reactionary near-fascist right wing follower of a hate based form of christianity rethink his support of your position, wouldn't that be considered a "clue"?

[sheshe2]

24. They are making our Country a laughing stock~

We have a member of the GOP, a known criminal, making unfounded accusations against this administration.

Hearing after hearing, these witch hunts, all paid for by we the taxpayers continue. You Darrell, have made us a laughing stock to the world. Good job asshole.

Stand tall America, against the fools that wish our Great Nation to flounder and fail.

It's time to take them down!

[Tom Ripley]

25. Even a stopped clock kept in a closet is right twice a day

[ThoughtCriminal]

26. Even in 1954, the Senate had the guts to censure Joe McCarthy

I'm not sure how far over the line Issa would have to go before today's Senate would have the spine to do that.

[AlbertCat]

28. Translation:

"Sh!t.... this one ain't working either!"

[Skittles]

32. CORRECT

it's pretty bad when a conservative whore like him is putting the brakes on your bullshit

[AlbertCat]

29. That old philosophical question:

If Darrell Issa tries to make the president fall in Washington, even if everyone's around to hear it, does it make a sound?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

30. Ooohh...they Teabaggers will make him pay for this!!

[burnodo]

36. I doubt that

they'll just ignore it and believe in the conspiracy

[liberal N proud]

34. Only because the public has not bought the propaganda.

Otherwise, he would be all over it!

[Vietnameravet]

35. How true!

[blkmusclmachine]

37. .

.