Dana Milbank of the Washington Post has today’s gut-punch article, “Let the Games Begin,” in which he compiles the ways that Republican Congressmen Steve King and Darrell Issa used parliamentary tactics to derail a Judiciary Committee hearing on torture architect (and “fucking stupidest guy on the planet,” according to General Tommy Franks) Doug Feith.

Milbank writes:

For months, if not years, congressional Democrats had craved the chance to pounce on Doug Feith, the former No. 3 at the Pentagon and the brains behind the Iraq WMD claims, torture policy and other great adventures.

Yesterday, House Democrats finally had their quarry, wearing a tie almost as orange as a detainee’s jumpsuit, compelled by subpoena to appear before the Judiciary Committee. And then — an ambush! Republicans on the committee created a diversion, and Feith escaped unscathed.

Mere seconds after the subcommittee chairman, Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), gaveled the start of the hearing with the usual words — “without objection, the chair is authorized to declare a recess” — Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) raised his voice.

“Objection! Objection, Mr. Chairman,” the backbencher called out.

Nadler was puzzled. “The gentleman wants us to sit here through votes?

“I object to granting unanimous consent to the chair,” King maintained.

Nadler was forced to order a voice vote, then a roll-call vote. By the time Feith had spoken his first words, the hearing was nearly an hour old. King and his colleagues went on to declare dozens of objections, parliamentary inquires and points of order, raising concerns about a T-shirt worn by an audience member, a sign spotted in the crowd, and the need for bathroom and lunch breaks for witnesses. Three and a half hours later, Feith had become but an asterisk at what was supposed to be his hanging.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, this is not. But hey, it’s just torture, right?