Rep. Darrell Issa Sacks Key Aide in E-Mail Flap

Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of a powerful House investigative panel, said Tuesday he fired one of his top aides after discovering that the communications specialist had been sharing reporters' e-mails with a New York Times writer.

Issa (R-Calif.) said it was clear that Deputy Communications Director Kurt Bardella shared "reporter e-mail correspondence with New York Times journalist Mark Leibovich for a book project." Bardella's dealings were limited and involved only e-mails shipped to him, Issa said. But the "actions were highly inappropriate, a basic breach of trust with the reporters it was his job to assist," the lawmaker said in a statement.

Leibovich, who is on leave from the Times, is writing a book about Washington's political culture. Bardella, 27, had been with Issa for two years and was overseeing an effort to generate publicity for the chairman and his House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which has subpoena power to carry out investigations. The panel is widely expected to haul in Obama administration officials as it launches inquiries, particularly involving reviews of federal regulations.

Sources told the Washington Post hundreds of e-mails are involved, but many of them concern only routine matters. The Post said Leibovich declined to comment -- and Bardella did not return phone and e-mail messages. But Leibovich told the Times Monday, "It's no secret that I've spent a fair amount of time with Kurt over the last few months. . . . Kurt's been very open. I have no idea what role he will play in the final product. He's part of an ensemble of characters."