Speaking at the Netroots Nation conference, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., seemed terribly concerned about a Republican "witch hunt" if the GOP takes the majority in the House. "By 'witch hunt,'" notes Byron York, "Franken is referring to what Republicans call 'oversight.'"
I asked [House Oversight and Government Reform ranking member Darrell] Issa's staff for a list of the issues on which Issa has spent the most time in the 18 months Obama has been in office. First is mortgage giant Countrywide's favoritism in granting sweetheart loans to lawmakers, congressional staffers and executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Second is the Securities and Exchange Commission's civil case against Goldman Sachs. Third is the Obama administration's response to the Gulf oil spill. Fourth is the administration's handling of the Home Affordable Modification Program, which is supposed to help struggling mortgage holders keep their homes. And fifth is the Treasury Department's management of TARP money for the so-called "hardest hit" housing markets.
Would any of those investigations qualify as witch hunts intended to bring Obama down? Unlikely, especially since many Democrats agree that such programs should be carefully watched.
Then what are Dems worried about?
