[Oceander]

I would not be quite so dismissive of this letter. If you read this letter carefully, it constitutes a very heavy shot across the bow for the Obama (mal)administration.

First and foremost, it strongly indicates that the Obama (mal)administration tried to pull a thug move by "silencing" acting director Melson rather than trying to "buy" him off. That is, they got really scared, panicked, and decided to try and muzzle him and, most likely, tar and feather him in public and then push him out.

That this was their tactic is implied by the repeated statements that no federal officer can be prevented from speaking to Congress, and the repeated "encouragement" to the DOJ to be forthright and to refrain from taking any retaliatory action against Melson.

Also, Melson appears to have been savvy enough - probably with some instigation by Issa - to end-run the effort to neuter and isolate him by secretly talking to Issa first without the DOJ's prior knowledge.

Second, the fact that the letter says repeatedly that Melson's testimony is corroborated by other info. Issa's committee has learned from other sources is an indirect way of saying that Melson has some really goodies that he's either given them, or that he's given them the clues needed to find on their own.

Third, the statements about how it "appears" that DOJ was stonewalling the committee, molding and editing the information provided to the committee, and intentionally preventing some personnel from coming forward is a serious warning that there will likely be referrals for criminal prosecution unless the DOJ starts cooperating fully.

This is a pretty serious letter, and is akin to a move in chess that shifts things from the opening game to the middle game. As Holmes would have said, the game's afoot.

[joe fonebone]

Issa has been building a case. He has been slow and careful, blocking all the exits first, and then moving in...the exits are closed, the ducks are in a row, and the door is about to be kicked down..if this is done correctly, fubo will be impeached, and the charges so airtight that even the commies in the senate will have no choice but to convict(if they prize their careers more than the president)....grab a bud and a bowl of popcorn, it is about to begin

[paulcissa]

That’s a good assessment. I suspect the pace at which this is developing is quite well throttled to become a significant campaign issue in the fall.

[Travis McGee]

I agree. Well said. The game is indeed afoot.