Hopefully Paul Ryan enjoyed basking in the glow of his speakership swearing in, cuz it's over. Democrats promptly submitted their first request Thursday in the form of a letter from Rep. Louise Slaughter of New York, reports Jennifer Bendery:
"While your predecessor assumed the speakership with promises of restoring the House 'as a place where the people’s will is done,' he leaves Congress saddled with two partisan committees that waste the taxpayer’s money and distract from the true business of running the country," Slaughter wrote. "You now have the chance for a fresh start."
The Benghazi committee has spent nearly $5 million investigating the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, despite seven previous congressional investigations into the incident finding no wrongdoing by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. [...]
"Dismantling this committee should be the easiest decision of your speakership, and would send a clear signal that the House is setting aside political distractions and getting back to work on behalf of the American people," Slaughter said.
She also skewered the Planned Parenthood committee as a partisan boondoggle designed to vilify the organization, which enjoys broad Democratic support.
Let's just say we're not convinced that Ryan's speakership will be much different from Boehner's, since he has already capitulated to the House crazies on immigration. Boehner did exactly the same at the outset of the year, which led to that crazy Homeland Security showdown.
Oh, and Senate Republicans plan to usher in glad tidings during the Holiday season with votes on repealing Obamacare and defunding Planned Parenthood. Because the more things change in the GOP-led Congress, the more they stay the same.