Trey Gowdy Owns Commissioner Koskinen, Again

[TemplarKormac]

In classic Gowdy style, Trey Gowdy caught Koskinen in a lie about the hard drives being recycled. For the next five minutes, Gowdy proceeded to educate Koskinen on the finer points of bureaucracy and inform him that his confidence in others had been misplaced. Now, for your enjoyment, I present to you Trey Gowdy at his finest (I transcripted the exchange, which will be provided below the video).

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1w5s0WwjFc"]Trey Gowdy vs Irs Commissioner John Koskinen 7/23/14 Irs Hearing - YouTube[/ame]

Gowdy: It's good to see you again, Commissioner. I want to read a quote to you from June of 2014, and I want you to tell me who said it, okay?

Koskinen: Okay.

Gowdy: (Reads from statement) "We confirmed the backup tapes from 2011 no longer existed because they have been recycled pursuant to the IRS normal policy." Do you know who said that?

Koskinen: Sounds like me.

Gowdy: It is you.

Gowdy: Can you tell us who 'we' is in that quote?

Koskinen: Uh, the 'we' is the IRS, I tend to take responsibility for the agency and talk about it, I was advised when the uh, draft report was (inaudible) to me; people had talked to everyone in the agency to ensure that in the course of our several months of 'looking' for uh, backup tapes--(Gowdy interrupts)

Gowdy: So--so 'we' is the royal we? Just speaking on behalf of the IRS? How about the word 'confirmed'? What does the word 'confirmed' mean to you?

Koskinen: Uh--(Gowdy interrupts again)

Gowdy: Can you 'confirm' the backup tapes no longer exist?

Koskinen: Confirmed that when I read that I asked the question, I was told by the--

Gowdy: By whom?

Koskinen: Uh, I don't remember, we had four or five people who were working on the report. Uh, and uh, and was told; and I gather in Mr. Cain's testimony that that was accurate as of June 13.

Gowdy: What does the word 'confirmed' mean to you?

Koskinen: Uh, 'confirmed' means that somebody went back and looked and made sure that in fact all--any backup tapes that had existed had been recycled--(Gowdy interrupts)

Gowdy: Are you still 'confirmed'?

Koskinen: At this point, I have no basis for not (emphasis added) being concerned. I do understand the IG advised me that they were looking at tapes, I have not been advised as to whether any of those tapes--

Gowdy: Well 'confirmed' is a pretty strong word, Commissioner. Are you still 'confirmed' that no backup tapes exist?

Koskinen: (Is silent for a few seconds, becomes exasperated) Well at this point, I know the IG is looking at and hasn't found anything so as far as I know--

Gowdy: I'm glad you mentioned the IG, because (corrects himself) and I find this confounding. I find it vexing that once the IG is involved, nobody else can do anything. That is not supported by the law! Can there be a criminal investigation while there's an IG investigation?

Koskinen: There can be all sorts of investigations, what I was talking about--

Gowdy: Right, and there can be an congressional investigation while there is an ongoing IG investigation, also, correct?

Koskinen: Um, of course.

Gowdy: And there can be an IRS investigation? If there were sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace; are you telling this committee that you would wait until the IG investigated it before you would stop some insidious practice?

Koskinen: Uh, we would take whatever action was necessary, but it is--

Gowdy: Precisely! You would not wait until an IG concluded his or her investigation!

Koskinen: Uh, can I answer that question?

Gowdy: Sure!

Koskinen: Uh, our policy and I uh (misspeaks) had been my understanding when I chaired the Council of Inspector General across the government, that if the IG starts an investigation, uh, the agency will not themselves run a competing investigation to try to get there first, basically the IG advises us what the investigations are. When they advise us about those investigations, we allow them to proceed.

Gowdy: Let me tell you--let me give you possibly an alternative view, commissioner, which is that people cite ongoing IG investigations when it suits them to not cooperate, and they don't cite ongoing IG investigations when it doesn't suit them. That--

Koskinen: That's not my policy--(Gowdy interrupts)

Gowdy: Well you can surely understand how a cynic might view it that way, right? Because there's nothing about an ongoing IG investigation that would keep you from doing your job. Just like there's nothing about an ongoing IG investigation that keeps the Department of Justice from a criminal investigation, or a committee of Congress from a congressional investigation. There's nothing talismanic about an IG investigation!

Koskinen: In this particular case, as a general matter my policy has always been that if the IG is doing an investigation wherever I am, we won't interfere with that investigation; we want it to be independent--

Gowdy: Look, look-- words have consequences Mr. Koskinen! Nobody's asking you to interfere! You can have a dual investigation without interfering, can't you?

Koskinen: Uh, I think it's very difficult.

Gowdy: (Bemused) So, you are saying that if there was an allegation of sexual harassment or racial discrimination within the IRS, you would not look into that until the IG had completed his or her investigation?

Koskinen: I--

Gowdy: Is that what you're telling me?

Koskinen: I-I am not telling you that. I am telling you that as a general matter that's not what the IG would be investigating, as a general matter those claims would come to personnel, they would be immediately investigated by our legal department--

Gowdy: The IG doesn't have criminal jurisdiction, the IG doesn't have jurisdiction over legislative policy, the IG doesn't have jurisdiction over appropriations. All three of those are very important areas. So those should be ongoing even while an IG is doing his or her investigation.

Koskinen: Actually, the IG does do criminal investigations--

Gowdy: No sir, they refer to a--an entity that actually has the power to indict, which does not include the IG.

Koskinen: Uh, they actually, my understanding, like our criminal investigation--

Gowdy: You should go back. It might be the same people who gave you the understanding that you were 'confirmed' that the tapes don't exist, so my advice is to be very careful who you take your advice from. I'm gonna say this in conclusion, Mr. Koskinen: I really could not believe the colloquy you have with one of our colleagues about the morale at the IRS. I-I--it takes a lot to stun me, but that stunned me. Here's a piece of advice I would give: if the folks like Lois Lerner and others would have spent more time working on the backlog, worked more time working on their caseload, and less time time targeting groups; and less time trying to overturn Supreme Court decisions they didn't agree with--maybe morale would be better and maybe their backlogs would be lessened.

(Unknown speaker) Would the gentleman yield?

Gowdy: I'd be thrilled to.

 

[JoeB131]

Okay, dude, but you see, the IRS "Scandal" is just like all the other fake scandals-

Not going anywhere.

Hey, what ever happened to "Fast and Furious"?

Or Obama's Birth Certificate?

YOu know, here's a novel idea. Instead of flittering about from scandal to scandal, how about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better if we ever make the mistake of putting you into power again?

 

[TemplarKormac]

Okay, dude, but you see, the IRS "Scandal" is just like all the other fake scandals-

Not going anywhere.

Hey, what ever happened to "Fast and Furious"?

Or Obama's Birth Certificate?

YOu know, here's a novel idea. Instead of flittering about from scandal to scandal, how about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better if we ever make the mistake of putting you into power again?

Right, so, what of you actually addressing my point? Your sarcasm makes you look foolish.

What happened to Fast and Furious? Obama rushed to Holder's rescue.

People who think Obama was born in Kenya are idiots. I'm sure people would have caught that the moment he tried to run for president, Joe.

You know, instead of trying to hijack my threads, instead of defending the current administration, you could open your eyes to the reality you so often dismiss. You could stop voting to put people in power who have no respect for the rule of law or the constitutional freedoms of others. How about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better by not allowing such corrupt men to take root in the highest echelons of our government?

And no, my job has nothing to do with it. So can it.

Understand?

 

[deltex1]

Trey is da man.

 

[boedicca]

I totally <3 Trey. He's my Geek Crush.

 

[JoeB131]

Okay, dude, but you see, the IRS "Scandal" is just like all the other fake scandals-

Not going anywhere.

Hey, what ever happened to "Fast and Furious"?

Or Obama's Birth Certificate?

YOu know, here's a novel idea. Instead of flittering about from scandal to scandal, how about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better if we ever make the mistake of putting you into power again?

Right, so, what of you actually addressing my point? Your sarcasm makes you look foolish.

What happened to Fast and Furious? Obama rushed to Holder's rescue.

People who think Obama was born in Kenya are idiots. I'm sure people would have caught that the moment he tried to run for president, Joe.

You know, instead of trying to hijack my threads, instead of defending the current administration, you could open your eyes to the reality you so often dismiss. You could stop voting to put people in power who have no respect for the rule of law or the constitutional freedoms of others. How about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better by not allowing such corrupt men take root in the highest echelons of our government?

And no, my job has nothing to do with it. So can it.

Understand?

I'm sorry, guy, was there a point here. OTher than when you testify in front of congress, they can badger you by asking you the same question 20 times, and if you are a civil servant, you have to nod and say, "Yes, Congressman, we sure a bunch of dummies. Thanks for pointing that out".



Here's my problem, guy.

The IRS telling the Tea Party to actually get their documentation in order doesn't really impinge on my freedoms all that much. It really doesn't. It shows how messed up our campaign finance laws and tax code are, maybe.

Bush lying into a war and expending a trillion dollars and 5000 lives. yeah, that's probably an impingment.

Granny Teabag can't get her big bag of money from the Koch Brothers... meh, not so much.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Okay, dude, but you see, the IRS "Scandal" is just like all the other fake scandals-

Not going anywhere.

Hey, what ever happened to "Fast and Furious"?

Or Obama's Birth Certificate?

YOu know, here's a novel idea. Instead of flittering about from scandal to scandal, how about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better if we ever make the mistake of putting you into power again?

Right, so, what of you actually addressing my point? Your sarcasm makes you look foolish.

What happened to Fast and Furious? Obama rushed to Holder's rescue.

People who think Obama was born in Kenya are idiots. I'm sure people would have caught that the moment he tried to run for president, Joe.

You know, instead of trying to hijack my threads, instead of defending the current administration, you could open your eyes to the reality you so often dismiss. You could stop voting to put people in power who have no respect for the rule of law or the constitutional freedoms of others. How about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better by not allowing such corrupt men take root in the highest echelons of our government?

And no, my job has nothing to do with it. So can it.

Understand?

I'm sorry, guy, was there a point here. OTher than when you testify in front of congress, they can badger you by asking you the same question 20 times, and if you are a civil servent, you have to nod and say, "Yes, Congressman, we sure a bunch of dummies. Thanks for pointing that out".

http://www.purecostumes.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/SM21513_full_1.jpg

Joe.

 

[JoeB131]

Yes, I didn't get the link I wanted. I corrected it.

Now back to the point. SO the IRS apparently doesn't keep internal e-mails on file. Neither do most companies. I don't have an e-mail in my work computer that dates any earlier than 2013.

 

[NoTeaPartyPleez]

Okay, dude, but you see, the IRS "Scandal" is just like all the other fake scandals-

Not going anywhere.

Hey, what ever happened to "Fast and Furious"?

Or Obama's Birth Certificate?

YOu know, here's a novel idea. Instead of flittering about from scandal to scandal, how about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better if we ever make the mistake of putting you into power again?

SPOT ON. High 5. These nattering nabobs of negativity are missing out on some great opportunities, no?

And whatever happened to Buh-buh-Benghazi?

Poor Templar Kotex, caught up in the swirl of cheap Republican pandering and scary things under his bed.

 

[depotoo]

Okay, dude, but you see, the IRS "Scandal" is just like all the other fake scandals-

Not going anywhere.

Hey, what ever happened to "Fast and Furious"?

Or Obama's Birth Certificate?

YOu know, here's a novel idea. Instead of flittering about from scandal to scandal, how about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better if we ever make the mistake of putting you into power again?

Right, so, what of you actually addressing my point? Your sarcasm makes you look foolish.

What happened to Fast and Furious? Obama rushed to Holder's rescue.

People who think Obama was born in Kenya are idiots. I'm sure people would have caught that the moment he tried to run for president, Joe.

You know, instead of trying to hijack my threads, instead of defending the current administration, you could open your eyes to the reality you so often dismiss. You could stop voting to put people in power who have no respect for the rule of law or the constitutional freedoms of others. How about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better by not allowing such corrupt men take root in the highest echelons of our government?

And no, my job has nothing to do with it. So can it.

Understand?

That's all the naysayers have, Templar.

I saw most of the hearing today and that was great.

 

[NoTeaPartyPleez]

I totally <3 Trey. He's my Geek Crush.

Did you have a crush on Darrell Issa before he made an azz of himself wasting your tax dollars, too?

 

[TemplarKormac]

Yes, I didn't get the link I wanted. I corrected it.

Now back to the point. SO the IRS apparently doesn't keep internal e-mails on file. Neither do most companies. I don't have an e-mail in my work computer that dates any earlier than 2013.

IRS has ?no excuses? for latest twist in email saga, says IT expert | Fox News

 

[NoTeaPartyPleez]

Anybody else see that this is a whole lot about looking like they are doing SOMETHING so they can continue to do nothing?

In the meantime, the righties are entertained by the kabuki drama queens.

 

[JoeB131]

Okay, dude, but you see, the IRS "Scandal" is just like all the other fake scandals-

Not going anywhere.

Hey, what ever happened to "Fast and Furious"?

Or Obama's Birth Certificate?

YOu know, here's a novel idea. Instead of flittering about from scandal to scandal, how about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better if we ever make the mistake of putting you into power again?

SPOT ON. High 5. These nattering nabobs of negativity are missing out on some great opportunities, no?

And whatever happened to Buh-buh-Benghazi?

Poor Templar Kotex, caught up in the swirl of cheap Republican pandering and scary things under his bed.

This is a great example of how the Tail Wags the Dog.

Fox News and Talk Radio insist these things are a big deal. And politicians hold these hearings, which have all the drama of professional wrestling, and all the significance. Meanwhile, legislation doesn't get passed, problems don't get addressed, but man, we totally raked that IRS guy over the coals. Because no one likes the IRS.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Anybody else see that this is a whole lot about looking like they are doing SOMETHING so they can continue to do nothing?

In the meantime, the righties are entertained by the kabuki drama queens.

And you think typing in boldface makes you sound important.

 

[Lakhota]

Trey Gowdy looks like a Hitler youth.

Republican can't figure out why government shutdown shut down government parks

 

[TemplarKormac]

Okay, dude, but you see, the IRS "Scandal" is just like all the other fake scandals-

Not going anywhere.

Hey, what ever happened to "Fast and Furious"?

Or Obama's Birth Certificate?

YOu know, here's a novel idea. Instead of flittering about from scandal to scandal, how about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better if we ever make the mistake of putting you into power again?

SPOT ON. High 5. These nattering nabobs of negativity are missing out on some great opportunities, no?

And whatever happened to Buh-buh-Benghazi?

Poor Templar Kotex, caught up in the swirl of cheap Republican pandering and scary things under his bed.

This is a great example of how the Tail Wags the Dog.

Fox News and Talk Radio insist these things are a big deal. And politicians hold these hearings, which have all the drama of professional wrestling, and all the significance. Meanwhile, legislation doesn't get passed, problems don't get addressed, but man, we totally raked that IRS guy over the coals. Because no one likes the IRS.

Actually, you insist on them not being a big deal. If it were a Republican administration Joe, you would be cheering and wailing. "Off with their heads!" Meanwhile legislation gets blocked by Harry Reid, problems keep cropping up due to Obama's own incompetence, but man, it's always Bush's fault. Because everyone loves government.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Trey Gowdy looks like a Hitler youth.

Republican can't figure out why government shutdown shut down government parks

Yep, you're mad.

 

[JoeB131]

Yes, I didn't get the link I wanted. I corrected it.

Now back to the point. SO the IRS apparently doesn't keep internal e-mails on file. Neither do most companies. I don't have an e-mail in my work computer that dates any earlier than 2013.

IRS has ?no excuses? for latest twist in email saga, says IT expert | Fox News

Here's the problem with that theory. When it comes to IT, the government is about 10 years behind where the private sector is.

YOu know, the problem with conspiracy theories is that no matter how many times you prove it was a weather balloon, the nuts will STILL insist it was a flying saucer.

 

[Missouri_Mike]

Okay, dude, but you see, the IRS "Scandal" is just like all the other fake scandals-

Not going anywhere.

Hey, what ever happened to "Fast and Furious"?

Or Obama's Birth Certificate?

YOu know, here's a novel idea. Instead of flittering about from scandal to scandal, how about giving us some ideas about how you'll make our lives better if we ever make the mistake of putting you into power again?

Wow, so ignore our criminal doings. Has nothing to do with the failure you see happening around you. You already made the mistake of putting these asshole democrats in power. And now you want the GOP to do what? Prove they are less criminal or more criminal? You already admitted you vote for criminal activity willingly but think voting different could be a mistake? How is it in your opinion a mistake to not vote for criminals?