TYT: Crazy Quote Discredits Republican Congressman

Hearing before the Committee On Oversight And Government Reform
February 6, 2007

“I might also, for the committee, put into perspective what $12 billion is. It certainly seems like a lot of money when you put it in hundred dollar bills and put it on forklifts and put into C–130’s, but I think when you look at a country of more than 15 million people and a period of 15 months, you are really talking about $600 per person per year. I think when the American people look at the volume of human beings that were without an economy as a result of the toppling of Saddam, I think they will more accurately look
at less than $1,000 per man, woman and child in that region would certainly be considered to be a measured amount to be spent.

No doubt there is fraud, abuse and waste. No doubt money ended up in somebody’s pocket. But I might note for all of us that as we looked over Katrina, done in our own country within our own boundaries under a system that we all see used time and time again, we were giving $2,000 debit cards that ended up buying color TVs at K-Mart.

Although I certainly look forward to the testimony and I have no doubt that there has been some waste, I also hope that we put this in perspective.” - Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA)