Democrats tap top Obama lawyer to counter Darrell Issa

House Democrats are hiring a top attorney from President Barack Obama’s National Security Council to help lead their charge against Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa.

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), the top Democrat on the committee, has tapped David Rapallo, an experienced congressional investigator, to be the Democratic staff director for the oversight panel, which will be the center of attention for a wide range of investigations when Republicans take control of the House.

It’s a job familiar to the University of California-trained attorney: He spent 11 years as a minority subcommittee director, later serving as Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman’s chief investigative counsel on the oversight committee. Rapallo was also general counsel on the Energy and Commerce Committee.

“With this committee set to face many serious challenges in the next Congress, I am confident that David’s vast experience in oversight and investigations will be pivotal to our success. I am proud to announce David’s appointment today and [to] welcome him back to the committee,” Cummings said in a statement.

The hiring of Rapallo shows that Democrats are serious about countering Issa’s aggressive oversight agenda and want experienced investigators on hand to deal with the Republican majority.

But the new focus on oversight and investigations is extending well beyond the Capitol. On K Street, lobbying shops are also moving quickly to inject new talent into their ranks to guide corporations and clients through the investigation process.

For example, Chicago-based SNR Denton announced that outgoing Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.) will join its white-collar and government investigations practice as a partner. Several K Street sources said lobbying firms are scurrying to hire top D.C. hands to position themselves as key resources for oversight and investigations.

And this all comes as Issa’s staff is working behind the scenes to carefully assemble an investigation schedule, which is set to include probes into everything from the Food and Drug Administration to corruption in Afghanistan.

The action on all these fronts in the days before the 112th Congress opens shows that oversight has suddenly become a hot topic in Washington, and it’s forcing the White House, House Democrats and the influence industry to take notice.

Republicans have begun to lay out their hearing schedule, which will include investigations into how regulation affects job creation; inquiries into Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the foreclosure crisis; and an examination of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission’s failure to come to agreement on the cause of the crisis. Issa also wants to investigate WikiLeaks disclosures.

(source:politico.com)