An angry House Oversight Subcommittee blasted Attorney General Eric Holder’s representative Wednesday for coming terribly unprepared to testify at the committee hearing.
The angry attorney then proceeded to take his rage out on a Daily Caller News Foundation reporter, but more on that later.
The recipient of the tongue lashing? Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Blanco. During questioning from House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Blanco admitted that he had not even read the Inspector General report that was a key part of the subcommittee’s meeting.
Frustrated subcommittee chairman Jim Sensenbrenner said he was “absolutely shocked” that Blanco would come as the Department of Justice’s witness without having read the report.
“IG reports are designed to give the department an opportunity to clean up its own act rather than having congress give you a kick in the behind to do that,” Sensenbrenner said. “Now apparently, a kick is necessary.”
Blanco offered testimony as a witness regarding federal civil asset forfeiture, a process by which law enforcement can seize property it believes is associated with criminal activity.
After the rebuke, Blanco’s shoulders slumped and his demeanor took on a definite pout.
“You’re not familiar with the Inspector General report?” Goodlatte asked incredulously. “Don’t you think it would have been a good idea to read that before you came here?”
The report in question was on DEA Cold Consent Encounters and pointed out the serious difficulties people face in getting their property back once cops take it.
After the hearing, this Daily Caller News Foundation reporter asked Blanco to comment on the subcommittee’s scathing remarks. He declined, and then chased after the reporter angrily saying, “Were you recording me?! I didn’t give you permission to record me!”
Blanco continued to berate the reporter, “That’s illegal in this state!” he said.
TheDCNF would like to inform our readers that the District of Columbia is not, in fact, a state.
After more angry words and frustrated fidgeting, Blanco threatened to call the sergeant of arms.
Being good-natured people at TheDCNF, I decided to delete the recording even though it is not illegal in the district, mainly because Blanco said nothing of value during the interview.
The district’s recording law must be something else Blanco hasn’t read.
Civil asset forfeiture has drawn serious attention recently. Holder limited it earlier this year, a move that was criticized as only a drop in the bucket.
Meanwhile, Wyoming is on the verge of passing a reform bill that would essentially eliminate civil asset forfeiture in the state. (RELATED: Rand Paul Tries To Stop Cops From Stealing Your Stuff)
Follow Casey on Twitter and like him on Facebook
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.