Politico: Tea Party Protest Jeopardized 'Bipartisan Approach' of IRS Investigation

Politico’s coverage of the Tea Party protesters in Washington, DC Wednesday was not so much about the rally itself but how it affected the “bipartisan approach” to the House investigation into the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups.

Author Kesley Snell worries that Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI), one of those invited by radio host Glenn Beck to address the protest, would “upend the bipartisan approach” to the IRS probe.

Snell argues it might destroy “bipartisanship” because fellow Ways and Mean Committee member, Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI) was unhappy that Camp would attend such a rally at all.

She says that Levin sent Politico an email chastising Camp for his attendance. “I am disappointed that Chairman Camp is scheduled to participate in the Glenn Beck rally. We launched together a needed bipartisan investigation and it should not veer from that,” Levin told the publication.

For his part, Camp told Politico he attended the rally to give the Tea Partiers an update on the House investigation.

“I think the more the public knows about what has happened here the better off we are. Part of what we want to make sure is that people are free to speak out,” Camp said.