Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., on Friday said Republicans on the House Ways and Means were engaging in a “witch hunt” by holding a hearing on AARP.

“This is nothing more than a political witch hunt to punish an organization that spoke out in favor of health reform,” Stark said. “An organization that could stand in the way of their goal to privatize Social Security and end Medicare and turn senior citizens over to the mercy of the private health insurance industry.”