BET Wire: Capitol Hill Showdowns and Throwdowns

Issa disses Rep. Elijah Cummings at House hearing.

In Case You Missed It - Republicans leave President Obama scratching his head; Ben Carson kind of blames the spread of measles on immigrants; one lawmaker thinks it's OK if your food service worker doesn't wash his hands after a bathroom break — and more. — Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick)

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In Case You Missed It - Rep. Darrell Issa disses Rep. Elijah Cummings at a committee hearing; the Senate blocks President Obama's pick to head the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division; Sarah Palin says mom-jeans-wearing President Obama is no match for bear-wrestling Vladimir Putin – and more.  –  Joyce Jones (@BETpolitichick)(Photo: BET)

Oh No He Didn't! - After former IRS official Lois Lerner pleaded the fifth at a government oversight hearing, the panel's chairman, Rep. Darrell Issa, ended the session before ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings could make a statement. "I am a member of the Congress of the United States of America! I am tired of this," Cummings said as Issa cut off his microphone. "You cannot just have a one-sided investigation. There is absolutely something wrong with that, and it is absolutely un-American.” (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Oh No He Didn't! - After former IRS official Lois Lerner pleaded the fifth at a government oversight hearing, the panel's chairman, Rep. Darrell Issa, ended the session before ranking Democrat Elijah Cummings could make a statement. "I am a member of the Congress of the United States of America! I am tired of this," Cummings said as Issa cut off his microphone. "You cannot just have a one-sided investigation. There is absolutely something wrong with that, and it is absolutely un-American.” (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Slander! - “The fact is Mr. Cummings came to make a point of his objections to the process we have been going through. He was actually slandering me at the moment that the mics did go off by claiming that this had not been a real investigation," Issa told reporters after the hearing. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Slander! - “The fact is Mr. Cummings came to make a point of his objections to the process we have been going through. He was actually slandering me at the moment that the mics did go off by claiming that this had not been a real investigation," Issa told reporters after the hearing. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Apologies - After a new cycle dominated by Issa's treatment of Cummings that also threatened to derail his IRS investigation, the controversial California lawmaker issued an apology. “This evening, Chairman Issa telephoned me and apologized for his conduct, and I accepted his apology,” Cummings said in a statement, adding that his “sincere hope is that as we move forward, we will respect the opinions of all members of the committee" and "seek resolution rather than unnecessary conflict.” (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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Apologies - After a new cycle dominated by Issa's treatment of Cummings that also threatened to derail his IRS investigation, the controversial California lawmaker issued an apology. “This evening, Chairman Issa telephoned me and apologized for his conduct, and I accepted his apology,” Cummings said in a statement, adding that his “sincere hope is that as we move forward, we will respect the opinions of all members of the committee" and "seek resolution rather than unnecessary conflict.” (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Senate Blocks Debo Adegbile - By a vote of 47 to 52, the Senate failed on March 5 to move forward the nomination of Debo Adegbile for the top spot at the Department of Justice's Civil Rights division. Seven Democrats sided with the Republicans in opposition. Obama called the vote a "travesty." (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP Photo, File)

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Senate Blocks Debo Adegbile - By a vote of 47 to 52, the Senate failed on March 5 to move forward the nomination of Debo Adegbile for the top spot at the Department of Justice's Civil Rights division. Seven Democrats sided with the Republicans in opposition. Obama called the vote a "travesty." (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP Photo, File)

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A Double Standard? - "This filibuster shows a hypocritical double standard. During the course of their long careers, both John Roberts and Debo Adegbile each performed a vital constitutional service by representing an unpopular client on death row. Roberts is now Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, but opponents of the Adegbile nomination twisted reality and resorted to some of the dirtiest attacks I’ve seen in my professional career," said Wade Henderson, head of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. (Photos from Left: Evan Vucci/AP Photo, File, Steve Petteway/U.S. Supreme Court /Landov)

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A Double Standard? - "This filibuster shows a hypocritical double standard. During the course of their long careers, both John Roberts and Debo Adegbile each performed a vital constitutional service by representing an unpopular client on death row. Roberts is now Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, but opponents of the Adegbile nomination twisted reality and resorted to some of the dirtiest attacks I’ve seen in my professional career," said Wade Henderson, head of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. (Photos from Left: Evan Vucci/AP Photo, File, Steve Petteway/U.S. Supreme Court /Landov)

Or What Goes Around? - Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-South Carolina), who voted against Adegbile, said the vote had nothing to do with race. “When someone has a history of helping cop-killers, this is what happens,” Graham told the Los Angeles Times.(Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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Or What Goes Around? - Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-South Carolina), who voted against Adegbile, said the vote had nothing to do with race. “When someone has a history of helping cop-killers, this is what happens,” Graham told the Los Angeles Times.(Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Told Ya So! - Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is in heaven. Suddenly, her prediction in 2008 that Russia would one day invade the Ukraine isn't so strange or far-fetched, she gloated in a Facebook post. Then in a Fox News appearance, she said Obama is known for mom jeans while Russian President Vladmir Putin wrestles bears. (Photo: Pete Marovich/Getty Images)

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Told Ya So! - Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is in heaven. Suddenly, her prediction in 2008 that Russia would one day invade the Ukraine isn't so strange or far-fetched, she gloated in a Facebook post. Then in a Fox News appearance, she said Obama is known for mom jeans while Russian President Vladmir Putin wrestles bears. (Photo: Pete Marovich/Getty Images)

See Ya Later, Alligator! - In a change of schedule, the House has adjourned until after the midterm elections. It canceled a scheduled Sept. 19 workday and their Sept. 29 return for one week. It's off to the races! (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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50th Time's the Charm? - The Republican-led House took its 50th vote to change Obamacare on a bill that would delay the individual mandate for one year. "Maybe when you hit your 50th repeal vote, you will win a prize. Maybe if you buy 50 repeal votes, you get one free," Obama joked at a Feb. 28 DNC event. On March 5, Obama announced an additional two-year reprieve for people who want to keep the insurance they had before the law went into full effect last October. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Still In the Running - Kesha Rogers, an alcolyte of the conspiracy theorist Lyndon LaRouche, won 21.7 percent of support in her race to become the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in Texas. Because none of the candidates secured a majority of the votes in the March 4 primary, Rogers will face off against Dallas dentist David Alameel in a May 27 run-off.(Photo: Kesha Rogers.com)

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Still In the Running - Kesha Rogers, an alcolyte of the conspiracy theorist Lyndon LaRouche, won 21.7 percent of support in her race to become the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in Texas. Because none of the candidates secured a majority of the votes in the March 4 primary, Rogers will face off against Dallas dentist David Alameel in a May 27 run-off.(Photo: Kesha Rogers.com)