In scandal-plagued Washington, lawmaker struggles to keep track of issues

Maryland Democratic Rep. Steny Hoyer (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

With the rumbling of so much scandal ripping through Washington this week—woeful stories about Benghazi, the DOJ subpoena of journalists' phone records and the IRS unfairly targeting conservative groups—it's hard to keep track of all the terrible.

Even lawmakers sometimes struggle

At Rep. Steny Hoyer's weekly meeting with reporters Tuesday, the Maryland Democrat was asked if he was concerned about the DOJ seizing phone records from Associated Press journalists working in the House press gallery in the capitol building.

Hoyer's answer was well-delivered: Articulate, clear, firm and precise.

One problem: He responded to the wrong scandal.

"The IRS activity was inappropriate, inconsistent with our policies and practices as a country, very concerning, needs to be reviewed carefully," Hoyer, one of the top-ranking House Democrats, said in response to a question from Fox News' Chad Pergram about the DOJ. "We need to ensure that this does not happen again and we need to find out how long it continued, when it was stopped. It is my understanding—there was a front-page story on this at the [Washington] Post—it's my understanding that [IRS official] Lois Lerner, who was apparently overseeing this, at some point in time found out about this and said..."

When Hoyer named Lerner, Pergram interrupted.

"We're talking about two things," Pergram, who apparently had not heard the first mention of the IRS, said from across the table, "You said Lois Lerner and the IRS."

Another reporter sitting closer to Hoyer, Public Radio International's Todd Zwillich, learned over and said softly, "He's talking about the AP story."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, excuse me," Hoyer said, pausing briefly. "Whatever happened, we need to find out why it happened. But clearly it should not have happened. I don't know enough about whether there was a warrant sought."

Boom. He nailed it!

But Hoyer wasn't finished.

"I don't know fully the rationalization or justification that was being used, but the president's statement that it was outrageous, that there was no place for it and that they have to be held fully accountable is a statement in which I agree," Hoyer went on to say.

The only problem is that Obama didn't comment about the DOJ story. And he certainly didn't call it "outrageous." In fact, the White House has declined to say much of anything about the DOJ investigation. Was he talking about the IRS story again? Yup.

Hoyer continued: "He then points out in another statement which with I agree: 'I can tell you that if you've got the IRS operating in anything less...'" Hoyer said, his voice trailing off. "Oh I keep going IRS. I'm really fired up on the IRS."

Hoyer regrouped, and returned back to his answer about the DOJ.

"I don't have the president's statement on that, but I'm sure the president's statement on that was very much like that regarding the IRS," he said. (It wasn't.) "Neither of the activities is justifiable, outside the ambit in the case of the AP of having a legal mechanism where an interception of communications would have been warranted or justified by a court."

Now for the home-stretch. Almost there!

"The House needs to look at this," Hoyer continued. "We need to find out exactly what happened and we need to make sure—that's why I'm confusing the two—that those folks who were involved in this are held accountable if in fact there was wrongdoing. Clearly we should not have either House lines, but particular the lines of the Fourth Estate—the press—subject to being intercepted without knowledge and without court oversight."

And with that, he moved on to other questions.

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Ex-Ill. lawmaker elected to succeed Jackson Jr.

CHICAGO (AP) — Former Illinois state Rep. Robin Kelly, whose campaign received a $2 million boost from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, easily captured Tuesday's special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

The win for the Matteson Democrat was widely expected as the Chicago-area district, which Jackson represented from 1995 until late last year, has been a Democratic stronghold for roughly six decades. Kelly emerged from a crowded field in the February primary by focusing heavily on anti-gun efforts and was helped by ads from Bloomberg's super PAC.

Kelly, 56, vowed to become a leader in the federal fight for gun control legislation and echoed the same promise after her win.

"I'll continue to speak about it in the district. I'll continue to be in touch with those who have lost their children. I'll speak out where I can in D.C.," she told The Associated Press before her victory speech to supporters in Matteson.

She easily won over Republican community activist Paul McKinley, three independent candidates and a Green Party candidate in the district that includes Chicago neighborhoods, suburbs and rural areas.

Her win also marked the end of an era for the voters that had supported Jackson at the polls with healthy majorities each election after he took office. Jackson, a Chicago Democrat, stepped down in November after a mysterious medical leave where full details were never disclosed to the public. He cited his health and also acknowledged that he was under federal investigation in his resignation letter.

Months later — as campaigning to replace him was ramping up — he pleaded guilty to charges that he misspent $750,000 in campaign funds on everything from toilet paper to furs.

Jackson was the third congressman in the district to leave under an ethical cloud and many voters said Tuesday that they were just ready for a change.

"It hurt my heart. I had him up here on a pedestal," said Robert Pierson, a Dolton resident who cast a ballot for Kelly on Tuesday. "I hope this time we are going to get it right."

Other voters said it was Kelly's attention to anti-gun efforts that made her an attractive candidate. Guns became the top issue during the campaign — particularly before the primary — and ads from Bloomberg's super PAC played up that Kelly supports an assault weapons ban. The television spots also targeted one of her primary opponents, former one-term U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson, who has received favorable ratings in the past from the National Rifle Association.

Some voters, and certainly Kelly's candidates, questioned the outside involvement in the race. There were allegations of Kelly colluding with Bloomberg. She later dismissed any notions of working with Bloomberg, which is prohibited.

However, some voters on Tuesday said they didn't mind Bloomberg's involvement, particularly on the issue of guns and violence. The election comes as Chicago has seen an uptick in murders.

"Mayor Bloomberg, he's for right," said 62-year-old suburban Chicago voter Ted Norwood, who cast a vote for Kelly. "He speaks for everybody."

After her primary win, Kelly received praise from Bloomberg and Vice President Joe Biden, and she recently received an endorsement from President Barack Obama, who noted her anti-gun efforts.

When Kelly heads to Washington she will face other challenges. She'll be taking over after Jackson, a nearly 17-year incumbent with a spot on the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

Despite Jackson's legal problems at the end of his career — he was under a House Ethics Committee investigation for ties to ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich — he brought home close to $1 billion in federal money to the district. He also had strong ties with community leaders and a family legacy. His was a former Chicago City Council member and he's the son of the civil rights leader, the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Kelly has said she's ready for the challenge and had already considered where to set up constituent offices in the district that overlaps with some of her old legislative district. Kelly served two terms as a representative in the Illinois House.

Voter turnout was low in several parts of the district. Tuesday's special election coincided with municipal elections — not including Chicago, which elected its mayor and City Council in 2011. Early estimates for city precincts were roughly 8 percent with an anticipated 12 percent by the end of the day. Election officials said turnout was higher than the 2009 special election to replace Rahm Emanuel, who left Congress to be President Obama's chief of staff. In that year, roughly 10 percent of city voters went to the polls.

Turnout was higher in the suburbs, particularly areas with contested municipal elections.

Jackson, who has stayed out of the public eye since his medical leave last summer, has not emerged publicly since his federal court hearing in February, where his wife Sandi Jackson also pleaded guilty. He faces up to 57 months — more than four years — in prison and a fine, under a plea deal with prosecutors.

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Contact Sophia Tareen at https://www.twitter.com/sophiatareen .

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