Is Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) gearing up be the Democratic answer to Republican Oversight Committee Chairman-in-waiting Darrell Issa?
Kucinich wouldn’t tell TPM if he planned to make a run for ranking member as he dashed out of a Democratic House caucus meeting on Tuesday. His spokesman did not return phone calls. But a senior House Democrat told Politico that Kucinich was in the running.
Current House Oversight Committee Chairman Ed Towns (D-NY) is also in the running for the ranking member position and is “seeking the support of his colleagues to become ranking member of the Oversight Committee,” spokeswoman Jenny Thalheimer Rosenberg told TPM.
“In the past months, Mr. Issa has spent a great deal of time discussing his agenda if he assumes the role of chairman,” Rosenberg said in a statement. “He has threatened an agenda that could include hundreds of politically-motivated hearings, investigations and subpoenas.”
“If he chooses to follow through with this plan, he would clearly be signaling a declaration of war on the current Administration rather than using the powers of the chairmanship to look out for the legitimate interests of the American people,” Rosenberg added.
Issa “will meet strong resistance” from both Towns and committee Democrats if he chooses to pursue a politically motivated agenda, Rosenberg said.
Here was Kucinich’s appearance on MSNBC this week which fueled speculation he’s looking to be ranking member:
Ryan J. Reilly
Ryan J. Reilly is a D.C.-based reporter for TPM. Prior to joining TPM, he worked for a news website covering the Justice Department and was a researcher for Bloomberg News. His email address is ryan(at)talkingpointsmemo.com.
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