No matter how bad you think the Republicans are, they can always surprise you by being even worse. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) is the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has jurisdiction over regulatory affairs, including of the financial services sector of the economy. He has actually hired a former Goldman Sachs vice-president to work on his staff. That, by itself, would be worrisome. But the man is actually working under an assumed name. When he worked at Goldman Sachs he was known as Peter Simonyi. But, as he was leaving Goldman Sachs in 2009, he adopted his mother’s maiden name. Why would someone do that? Why would a grown man change his name?
Initially, he went to work for the law/lobbying firm Brickfield Burchette Ritts & Stone, but as soon as the Republicans retook the House, he was hired to work on Darrell Issa’s staff. In that capacity, Peter Simonyi, now known as Peter Haller, began lobbying against new financial regulations concerning collateral requirements for firms who trade in derivatives. One of those firms is Goldman Sachs.
So, in a nutshell, after helping to blow up the global economy and cause mass joblessness and home loss, Goldman Sachs sent a vice-president under an assumed name to work as a lowly congressional staffer on a committee that has oversight of the departments that regulate Goldman Sachs.
Don’t tell me that you thought they could be this unethical.
It’s the Ron Mexico of Goldman Sachs!
That’s weird. What’s the backstory?
Actually Booman, I have a very active imagination. I did think they could be this unethical.
I’m just surprised that being a staffer for a Congressman apparently pays so much he left his job with the lobbying firm. I am sure that he isn’t collecting pay from anybody else. That would truly be unethical.
Uh, it’s Darrel Issa. He’s one of the most corrupt members of Congress. Nothing surprises me when it comes to him. His entire fortune was built upon the fact that he himself stole cars.
Issa is not my congressman but he is from my county. He really is that bad.
What surprises me – especially with Issa involved – isn’t the ethics. It’s that they went to this much trouble. Usually they just pick up the phone and get what they want.
Good point.
Why the CIA-type stuff? Why not just hire some VP’s nephew or something?
And how much of a pay-cut did this guy get?
This is what the e-Verify system is supposed to be stopping.
Isn’t there something illegal about someone working under an assumed name. Does this guy need a security clearance? Is there something actionable that a hot-shot DA could be investigating?
From the sound of Think Progress’s reporting, he legally changed his name.
Yes, claiming that it was honoring his Transylvanian heritage.
No word yet on whether he ever comes out during the daytime, or shows a reflection in a mirror, but no doubt that being a creepy bloodsucker is a big plus when working for the Goldman Sachs.
This is like organized crime level stuff.
Say what you will about Taibbi’s tone and willingness to play fast and loose with the facts sometimes, but did he ever hit gold with the Vampire Squid.
When it comes to Darrell Issa nothing surprises.
Tom Coburn:
He went on to say that government programs such as Medicare are primarily responsible for rapidly rising health-care costs, and that Medicare has made the medical system worse.
“You can’t tell me the system is better now than it was before Medicare,” he said.
and then goes on:
Responding to a man in Langley who asked if Obama “wants to destroy America,” Coburn said the president is “very bright” and loves his country but has a political philosophy that is “goofy and wrong.”
Obama’s “intent is not to destroy, his intent is to create dependency because it worked so well for him,” he said.
“As an African-American male,” Coburn said, Obama received “tremendous advantage from a lot of these programs.”
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=336&articleid=20110818_16_A14_CUTLIN497125
I will say it again
ISSA IS A CROOK
a straight up, ass should be in JAIL crook.
Not just his ass, R. His entire body.
Remember Gannon the reporter who was also Guckert the male prostitute. Some things never change.
While I don’t like Issa at all, this story actually isn’t as bad as it looks. According to a later news story the name change was done by both him and his sister to fulfill a promise both had made to their grandfather to take their mother’s last name. He did it after he left Goldman and hasn’t been secretive about it, both names are on various websites, etc.