Twenty-six House Democrats joined the Republicans in a vote calling for Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special counsel to investigate the IRS targeting conservative nonprofit groups.
The vote shows that many in the president's own party disagree that the issue is a "phony scandal" pushed by Republicans solely for partisan reasons. The Democrats who voted that further investigation is needed come from some of the bluest States in the country, according to the Wall Street Journal.
And no, these Democrats aren't all lonely moderates representing conservative districts in deep-red states. Among the Democrats backing a special prosecutor are Representatives from California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and New York.
In January law enforcement sources revealed to this newspaper that the Federal Bureau of Investigation did not plan to file any criminal charges in the case. In February the President proclaimed on Fox News that there was "not even a smidgen of corruption." But 13 percent of House Democrats say the case deserves further investigation.
Among those Democrats voting for the appointment of a special counsel was Rep. Brad Schneider, who represents the 10th District of Illinois, just north of Mr. Obama's Chicago hometown.
Far to the west of Chicago is the Illinois 17th District represented by Democratic Rep. Cheri Bustos. Ms. Bustos and GOP Rep. Aaron Schock together represent all of the areas in and around Peoria, long seen as a barometer of mainstream American opinion. On Wednesday both lawmakers voted for further investigation of the IRS targeting of Mr. Obama's ideological opponents.
Here are all the Democrats who want to further investigate the IRS:
- Rep. Ron Barber (D.-Ariz.)
- Rep. John Barrow (D.-Ga.)
- Rep. Ami Bera (D.-Calif.)
- Rep. Julia Brownley (D.-Calif.)
- Rep. Cheri Bustos (D.-Ill.)
- Rep. Suzan DelBene (D.-Wash.)
- Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D.-Conn.)
- Rep. Bill Foster (D.-Ill.)
- Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D.-Hawaii)
- Rep. Joe Garcia (D.-Fla)
- Rep. Ann Kuster (D.-N.H.)
- Rep. Dan Lipinski (D.-Ill.)
- Rep. Dave Loebsack (D.-Iowa)
- Rep. Dan Maffei (D.-N.Y.)
- Rep. Jim Matheson (D.-Utah)
- Rep. Mike McIntyre (D.-N.C.)
- Rep. Patrick Murphy (D.-Fla.)
- Rep. Bill Owens (D.-N.Y.)
- Rep. Gary Peters (D.-Calif.)
- Rep. Collin Peterson (D.-Minn.)
- Rep. Nick Rahall (D.-W.Va.)
- Rep. Raul Ruiz (D.-Calif.)
- Rep. Brad Schneider (D.-Ill.)
- Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D.-Ariz.)
- Rep. Niki Tsongas (D.-Mass.)
- Rep. Tim Walz (D.-Minn.)