Your Tax Dollars at Work (Henry Cisneros Edition)

From today's Wash Post comes this blast of '90s nostalgia (wasn't that a time?):

The Senate agreed yesterday to cut off money to the decade-long investigation of former housing and urban development secretary Henry G. Cisneros, which has cost nearly $21 million….

Cisneros admitted in 1999 that, when being considered for a Cabinet job, he lied to the FBI about how much he paid a former mistress. Cisneros, housing secretary from 1993 to 1996, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was fined $10,000.

President Bill Clinton pardoned Cisneros in January 2001.

Whole thing here.

Comments

[aj]

So what is the deal really?

Is it a final nail in the Independant Counsel craze of the 90's coffin? I guess it is not entirely wrong to cut off a 21 million dollar investigation of one person, where if there was something indictable, it would have already happened.

Or is there truly some Hillary 08 strategy/cover-up here? I guess I aint buying it yet, wonder what OxyRush will say about it today?

[phocion]

Is it a final nail in the Independant Counsel craze of the 90's coffin?

I think we can look forward to independent counsels or kangaroo court congressional sessions whenever we have gridlock or a power shift from one party to the other. Oh well, I guess it beats passing laws.

[Adam]

The WSJ editorial this morning took the position that it isn't an investigation of Cisneros anymore, and that it was some extraordinary funny-business at the IRS. They also note that there is a 400-page report that's been nearly complete since last August, and the only function ending funding now would serve is to ensure the report doesn't get out. They point out that Cisneros's attorneys have filed 190 motions and appeals.

Their theory, corroborated by an unnamed source, is that Cisneros was a "savior of the Democratic party in Texas" and that when the IRS field office started investigating him, the Washington DC IRS offices pulled the case to headquarters. Source: "Never in the history of the IRS has a case been pulled out of the regional office and taken directly to Washington."

They go on to allege some more coverup, and then note that it might have some bearing on Hillary's '08 palatability, given that her husband pardoned Cisneros on his way out of office.

Worth noting: "This is the first time the IRS has been investigated with grand jury subpoena power, and it is likely to be revealing. Abuse of taxing power is about as serious as corruption can get in our country."

As much as I like to see congress stop spending money, I'd prefer it if they'd continue spending it to keep politicians honest and cut it in areas like, say, medicare prescription drug benefits.