Issa targets Hillary: Big mistake

Don't miss the story in The Hill "Issa closes in on Clinton" about Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) aiming at his biggest target yet, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The story is correct. The Issa strategy will backfire. It will prove to be a disaster. House Republicans, whose brand is not exactly soaring with voters, are making a huge mistake using congressional hearings as a partisan weapon to exploit a national tragedy to attack one of the most admired and respected public servants in the nation.

There is now an independent and nonpartisan investigation of exactly what happened in Libya. A partisan witch-hunt by Republicans using taxpayer money against Secretary Clinton, as a partisan weapon in the closing days of an election, to exploit a tragedy to score political points is exactly what the American people believe has gone wrong with Washington, and is exactly why the Republican brand is in such disrepute with many voters.

Many independent voters will be offended. Many female voters will be offended. Many voters tired of their taxpayer money being wasted for political shenanigans will be offended.

There are reasons that the secretary of State is one of the most respected and admired public figures in the nation, and the world.

There are reasons that the brand of partisan Republicans is in such low public esteem.

There are reasons that many women and political independents will be deeply offended by these partisan Republican tactics.

There are reasons that Americans believe their taxpayer money should be used to create jobs for workers and not to create jobs for political mudslingers and partisan Republican congressional staff playing election-year politics.

I will have more to say about this. For now:

Hillary Clinton is a great leader and exceptional secretary of State and Rep. Issa would be well-advised to find a different "biggest target yet.”

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