Georgia congressman leads attack on Obama's 'czars'

By Bob Keefe

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Led by U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston of Savannah and emboldened by complaints from conservatives, U.S. House Republicans are attacking President Barack Obama’s use of senior advisers — commonly called “czars” — who help guide his administration’s policies.

Kingston in July introduced legislation that would stop paying any presidential adviser appointed without the consent of the Senate, which Kingston and others say may be required by the Constitution.

On Wednesday, Kingston and other House Republicans announced they had filed new legislation that would require the president to certify the qualifications and responsibilities of any czar he appoints.

Still other Republicans said they had sent letters to Obama demanding detailed information on his advisory appointees.

“We believe the president has the right to pick his own team, but we believe also in the Constitution and the Senate’s right to vet principal officers of an administration,” Kingston said at a news conference.

White House spokeswoman Gannet Tseggai said Obama isn’t doing anything different than any other president since Richard Nixon.

“While some may now be applying new labels or engaging in revisionist history, the reality is that every president dating back to Nixon had similar positions in their administrations,” she said.

By some counts, the Obama administration has between 32 and 50 czars who advise on everything from the government’s role in the auto industry to improving cybersecurity.

The actual number of czars varies depending on how they’re counted. Some were approved by the Senate, for instance. Others took positions carried over from previous administrations.

By some counts, President George W. Bush had as many as 47 czars, including czars for faith issues, bioethics, banking bailouts and drug policy.

But congressional Republicans argue that Obama has greatly expanded the roles of his czars and given them powers that skirt the Constitution.

U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, an Athens Republican, went as far as to say Obama’s czars are threatening America’s freedom.

“During my [August] town hall meetings I heard over and over again about the American public’s fears of these czars,” Broun said. “They are taking away freedom, they’re doing things that are unconstitutional.”

Under the Constitution, the Senate must approve the appointment of ambassadors, judges and “all other officers of the United States whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for.”

But the Constitution also says that “the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the president alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.”

Either way, Obama’s czars have clearly rankled conservatives. At a massive rally Saturday in Washington, many conservative protesters charged that Obama’s use of czars indicates he supports socialism — or at the very least is trying to circumvent the Constitution and the public.

Like Broun, California Republican Rep. Dan Lungren said he was inundated by questions about Obama’s czars at recent town hall meetings.

“This year’s season of dancing with the czars,” Lungren said, “should be canceled.”