ISSA PISSES OFF WEINER

"It's a violation of congressional protocol to punch a colleague in the nose, and never in my 10 years in Congress have I ever felt the desire to do it as much as I did today," said Brooklyn/Queens Representative Anthony Weiner after he heard California Representative Darrell Issa speak out against federal funding to help sick first responders from 9/11.

Issa suggested that aid for ailing first responders in New York City is a local problem, a matter for the city and state but not the federal government to handle. "It simply was an aircraft, residue of two aircraft, and residue from the materials used to build this building," he said.

So much for the out-of-state origins of the hijacked flights, the location of federal offices in the World Trade Center complex, the related attack on the Pentagon, and the linking of the hijackers to a globally recognized terrorist conspiracy against the United States of America—not the city or state of New York.

From The New York Post:

"I have to ask why . . . the firefighters who went there and everyone in the City of New York needs to come to the federal government," Rep. Darrell Issa, a Republican, said during a House subcommittee hearing.

"How much money has the federal government put out post-9/11, including the buckets of $10 and $20 billion we just threw at the State and the City of New York versus how much has been paid out by the City and the State of New York?" Issa asked.

"It's very simple: I can't vote for additional money for New York if I can't see why it would be appropriate to do this every single time a similar situation happens, which quite frankly includes any urban terrorist. It doesn't have to be somebody from al Qaeda. It can be someone who decides that they don't like animal testing at one of our pharmaceutical facilities."

Issa represents one of the most Republican districts in California. It is an area that could elect just about anyone Republican—and Issa is a prime example. According to his current Wikipedia biography:

In 1971, Issa allegedly stole a Dodge sedan from an Army post near Pittsburgh. The allegation was made by a retired Army sergeant, and published in a 1998 newspaper article. Issa denied the allegation. No charges were filed.

In 1972, Issa and his brother allegedly stole a red Maserati sports car from a car dealership in Cleveland. He and his brother were indicted for car theft, but the case was dropped.

Also in 1972, Issa was convicted in Michigan for possession of an unregistered gun. He received three months probation and paid a $204 fine....

This is the best that SoCal can come up with?

Thanks to Gothamist for the lead. You can keep track of Issa via Wonkette.