House GOP livid White House memos leaked to The New Yorker

House Republicans are furious at the White House after being scooped by The New Yorker.

Leaders on the Energy and Commerce panel wrote to President Obama's current and former chiefs of staff this week demanding that the administration turn over internal documents detailing its negotiations with industry groups during the healthcare reform debate. 

Republicans have been asking the White House to turn over such internal memos for more than two years and are miffed that political reporter Ryan Lizza was able to obtain some of them for an article titled "The Obama memos."

"These materials reference both the policies and decisions utilized in the health care reform process, and this is substantive information our oversight duties require us to review," the letter says. "Furthermore, it is outrageous that despite our multiple efforts to obtain information about the negotiations and deals entered into by the White House, Congress has only been provided with material previously made publicly available, while the administration selectively provides such information to The New Yorker," the letter says.

Lizza does not say in his article how he got the memos.

The letter was signed by Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Health subcommittee Chairman Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), Health subcommittee Vice Chairman Michael Burgess (R-Texas) and Oversight and Investigations subcommittee Chairman Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.).

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