A Felon in the White House?

[GMScud]

This stinks to high heaven. Has Rahm written all over it if you ask me:

Karl Rove: Joe Sestak's lying or he's protecting a felon in Barack Obama's White House | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times

Issa: Sestak scandal could be Obama's 'Watergate' - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room

[Monkeydad]

Summary (this is local news for me...been hearing about it since March):

Joe Sestak is the Democrat who just defeated Arlen Spector in the Senate primary in PA.

Sestak, without being asked, made the statement that the White House made an offer to him, that if he drops out of the race and lets Arlen Spector become the nominee and only contender in primary, he can have a job as Secretary of the Navy in exchange for dropping out.

The White House has never denied this, only said "they've looked into it and do not believe they did anything wrong", which is a joke.

Federal Code Section 18 USC 211 says you cannot accept anything of value in return for hiring somebody.

Federal code Section 18 USC 600 says that a federal official cannot promise employment, a job in the federal government, in return for a political act.


Also, The Constitution in Article II, Section 4:

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."



But wait, it is coming to light that the President also tried to "clear the field" in Colorado too last year with the same illegal tactic.

D.C. job alleged as attempt to deter Romanoff - The Denver Post

WASHINGTON — Not long after news leaked last month that Andrew Romanoff was determined to make a Democratic primary run against Sen. Michael Bennet, Romanoff received an unexpected communication from one of the most powerful men in Washington.

Jim Messina, President Barack Obama's deputy chief of staff and a storied fixer in the White House political shop, suggested a place for Romanoff might be found in the administration and offered specific suggestions, according to several sources who described the communication to The Denver Post.

Romanoff turned down the overture, which included mention of a job at USAID, the foreign aid agency, sources said.

Then, the day after Romanoff formally announced his Senate bid, Obama endorsed Bennet.

It is the kind of hardball tactics that have come to mark the White House's willingness to shape key races across the country, in this case trying to remove a threat to a vulnerable senator by presenting his opponent a choice of silver or lead.

This is common in Chicago politics, but won't be tolerated from the White House. I could see Rahm Emmanuel taking the axe for this, but it does have the potential to be very bad for President Obama who could lose his job and also Sestak, who faces the possibility of a $2,000 fine which is small...but up to a year in Federal prison.

I'm not at all shocked that this Administration would go against the Constitution, I'm a bit surprised it is being covered Nationally by the media who usually covers things up to protect him though.

Pat Toomey now has the momentum to defeat Sestak, who was leading by only 4 points in polls prior to this.

[joethiesmanfan]

What did Sestak do wrong?

[saden1]

Karl Rove? The guy that fired the US District Attorneys for political reasons is talking about felonies in the White House?

While we're at linking, perhaps a look at timelines would be helpful:

On March 27, 2009, the administration nominated Ray Mabus as secretary of the Navy. It wasn't until April 28 that Specter became a Democrat, and by Sestak's own recollection, he was literally being courted to run the day that news broke. On May 18, the Senate confirmed Mabus. And on May 29, Sestak entered the Senate race.

BTW, it is not illegal to offer someone a job in exchange for dropping out. This is done bazillions of times in politics. You're free to say no and I am free to offer you a jobs. I tell you....you guys are really grasping for straws.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by saden1

BTW, it is not illegal to offer someone a job in exchange for dropping out. This is done bazillions of times in politics. You're free to say no and I am free to offer you a jobs. I tell you....you guys are really grasping for straws.

Well now that that is cleared up by our resident federal law expert.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

Well now that that is cleared up by our resident federal law expert.

I'm no expert, but what are you going to get me on? Offering someone a job? Telling someone not to run? Bribery? I happened to look up federal bribery laws when the Blagojevich scandal broke out. Try looking things up sometimes, it's empowering.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by saden1

I'm no expert, but what are you going to get me on? Offering someone a job? Telling someone not to run? Bribery? I happened to look up federal bribery laws when the Blagojevich scandal broke out. Try looking things up sometimes, it's empowering.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by saden1

I'm no expert, but what are you going to get me on? Offering someone a job? Telling someone not to run? Bribery? I happened to look up federal bribery laws when the Blagojevich scandal broke out. Try looking things up sometimes, it's empowering.

I don't see what's so hard to understand about this as it relates to Sestak:

Federal code Section 18 USC 600 says that a federal official cannot promise employment, a job in the federal government, in return for a political act.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by GMScud

I don't see what's so hard to understand about this as it relates to Sestak:

Federal code Section 18 USC 600 says that a federal official cannot promise employment, a job in the federal government, in return for a political act.

You're talking to someone who ignored a LOT to put this man into office...I don't think you'll get through now. Besides, he recommends we should "try looking things up sometimes"...he has to know what he's talking about. Facts just get in his way because he KNOWS he is right. His mother told him so.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by GMScud

I don't see what's so hard to understand about this as it relates to Sestak:

Federal code Section 18 USC 600 says that a federal official cannot promise employment, a job in the federal government, in return for a political act.

I stand corrected, it is a federal offense...now the question is how do you get a conviction under this law?

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by saden1

Karl Rove? The guy that fired the US District Attorneys for political reasons is talking about felonies in the White House?

While we're at linking, perhaps a look at timelines would be helpful:




BTW, it is not illegal to offer someone a job in exchange for dropping out. This is done bazillions of times in politics. You're free to say no and I am free to offer you a jobs. I tell you....you guys are really grasping for straws.

Not really. Everything I've read points to this having legs. But I don't expect any concessions from someone who defends this administration tooth and nail at every turn.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by saden1

Karl Rove? The guy that fired the US District Attorneys for political reasons is talking about felonies in the White House?

While we're at linking, perhaps a look at timelines would be helpful:




BTW, it is not illegal to offer someone a job in exchange for dropping out. This is done bazillions of times in politics. You're free to say no and I am free to offer you a jobs. I tell you....you guys are really grasping for straws.

Hey genius, I just cited the specific locations of exactly that in the Federal Code...and Constitution.

About the firing of the DAs, it happens with EVERY Administration. Every President replaces people with those they prefer. President Clinton cleared out over 80 of them on a single day and never took flack for it...President Bush canned 4 or 5 and it was the apocalypse.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by Buster

Hey genius, I just cited the specific locations of exactly that in the Federal Code...and Constitution.

About the firing of the DAs, it happens with EVERY Administration. Every President replaces people with those they prefer. President Clinton cleared out over 80 of them on a single day and never took flack for it...President Bush canned 4 or 5 and it was the apocalypse.

Is the president obtaining anything of value? Asking someone not to run is of value? I don't think so.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by saden1

Is the president obtaining anything of value? Asking someone not to run is of value? I don't think so.

Asking someone not to run is fine but offering them a job not to run is not legal. Its nice how the Obama office is with holding the names when he ran on having an open whitehouse. I guess thats just another promise that he has broken.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by firstdown

Asking someone not to run is fine but offering them a job not to run is not legal. Its nice how the Obama office is with holding the names when he ran on having an open whitehouse. I guess thats just another promise that he has broken.

You don't say "Hay firstdown, don't run, I'll give you a job." You say "Hay firstdown, you know Specter is running...are you planning on running? I have a job that's a better fit for you if you're interested."