McHenry calls for investigation into CIA intelligence leaks (this time)

Still hasn't said a word about Scooter or the illegal Plame outing

ABC News is reporting that McHenry is leading a group of GOP congressmen all bent out of shape, calling for

an investigation into "the release of sensitive information" in a recent ABC News report on CIA covert activities against Iran.

In a carefully worded request, seven House GOP lawmakers led by Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., asked the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to "look into the releasing of sensitive information and its impact on the security of our nation, the performance of our government agencies, and the viability of our diplomatic relationships overseas."

Citing an ABC News story last month about a White House-authorized "non-lethal" operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran, the septet asserted, "We have an obligation to ensure the offenders are held accountable."

And I'm sure they were just as concerned over the release of Valerie Plame's identity as a covert CIA operative as retaliation for her husband's refuting of the administration's false intelligence that led us into the Iraq War.

I bet they were relieved when Vice President Cheney's Chief of Staff Scooter Libby was sentenced to 30 months in the hoosgow this week, too. They're such concerned folk, those oh-so-patriotic Republicans, all about protecting this country from the untimely release of information that would harm their political allies, I mean the public.

Pat says he's now free to vote his conscience?

Why now? Because he's in the minority

I kid you not. He calls the burden of being in the majority an anchor!

From Anglico at BlueNC:

I missed this story last week, an interesting analysis of how Republicans in the US House of Representatives are feeling "freedom" to vote their consciences now that they're no longer in the majority. Isn't that something? Grown men and women flat out admitting that they haven't been voting with personal integrity for the past six years because they're afraid of @$$holes like Tom Delay and Karl Rove. Disgustible.

Anyway, what does this have to do with North Carolina? Well, not surprisingly, one of the hypocritical Republicans the reporter interviewed is our own little Pat McHenry, who had this choice comment [in the Washington Post]:

"As a junior member, there is a certain amount of liberation in the minority. You have a greater freedom of action, not just in private but in public," said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., another floor warrior. "When you are in the majority, you have a line to toe, and that can be a heavy burden. It's more like an anchor than a line."

Weekend Update

In future weekends, this will be the time where we, the staff at PatGoByeBye, will post the happenings for each county. For today, simply enjoy this Bill Maher clip talking about Republicans and gay hypocrisy:



If you would like your county's events posted here please email us
with your posts. We already have info for Cleveland, Gaston, and Burke counties but I would love to hear from everyone else.