The hitmen of the left coming after Issa — Are they invincible?

Since Representative Darrell Issa became Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, he has become an obsession of the left.  This isn’t one of their happy obsessions (bankrupting the country or driving around in old Volvos) but one of  their angry ones (like when they’d camp outside GW’s ranch in Crawford, TX ). The left is giddy because it plans to devote an entire nonprofit to trashing Issa and running ads against him.  Mind you, he isn’t running for anything. The New Yorker recently did a hit piece on Issa, and the Chairman has not been toppled. In any event, some California liberals have retained Averell “Ace” Smith and Dan Newman of SCN Strategies, a San Francisco based consulting firm.

There have been fawning accounts of political hitman Averell “Ace” Smith’s consulting prowess and devastating opposition research. His credentials include multiple victories for Democrats in very blue California.  Also he worked with Rahm Emmanuel and Mayor Richard Daley in Chicago.  But does anyone ever doubt the outcome of an election in Chicago with a Daley in it? Smith was also a consultant for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 primary campaign, where they notched nice victories in Texas and California… but then Obama wiped the floor with Hillary Clinton and her consultant Smith in North Carolina, 56% to 42%. It should be pointed out that the floor wiping didn’t stop there.

As for Dan Newman, he represented the Yes on Prop 19 campaign, to legalize marijuana in California.  Newman might have some nice victories under his belt, but invincible he is not.  He couldn’t even sell legalized pot to Californians, of all people. I am liking Issa’s chances to come out of this OK.