Quote Of The Morning

Eric Lach of TPM quotes Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI), ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee, on Rep. Darrell Issa's (R-Hunger) cutting off of Rep. Elijah Cummings's (D-MD) mic in a House Oversight Committee meeting which Issa chaired:

That can't be a protocol of this institution. When I saw Darrell Issa in action yesterday, I thought back of all my years here, and I think he has brought this to an unbearable crescendo. It has to stop.

Indeed it does have to stop...

Just watch as every musician, pro or amateur, in the room cringes in pain at the sheer ignorance of a construct such as "brought this to an unbearable crescendo." Yes, everyone knows what he meant, but things do not "come to a crescendo"; ask your child's music teacher. (While you're at it, ask him or her to dinner...)

(H/T Mustang Bobby.)

Senate Intel Committee Quashes Staffer's Interview On Oversight Process

We all know that when you enter the military, you check your fundamental rights at the door. But who knew the same was true for employees of the U.S. Senate. Brian Beutler of TPM:

The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has taken the unusual step of actively blocking a former committee aide from talking to TPM about congressional oversight of the intelligence community. At issue isn’t classified sources and methods of intelligence gathering but general information about how the committee functions — and how it should function. The committee’s refusal to allow former general counsel Vicki Divoll to disclose unclassified information to a reporter was the first and only time it has sought to block her from making public comments, based on her experience as one of its most senior aides, since she left Capitol Hill in 2003.

...

Please note Ms. Divoll is prohibited from talking even about unclassified information.

The rest of the article does not reflect any better on the Committee. I suppose that's what one expects when the Senate has a committee focused on a topic it doesn't have any of. "Oh, the times, they are a-changin'..."