U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff said publicly for the first time Wednesday that a White House deputy discussed three specific jobs that "might be available" if Romanoff dropped a primary challenge to a fellow Democrat, Sen. Michael Bennet.
Romanoff, responding to increased pressure from national media and Republicans attacking the Obama White House, released an e-mail sent to him Sept. 11, 2009, by administration deputy chief of staff Jim Messina describing two possible jobs with the U.S. Agency for International Development, affiliated with the State Department, and one with the U.S. Trade Development Agency.
In a phone call last September, just before Romanoff publicly announced a challenge for Bennet's seat, Messina "suggested three positions that might be available to me were I not pursuing the Senate race. He added that he could not guarantee my appointment to any of these positions. At no time was I promised a job, nor did I request Mr. Messina's assistance in obtaining one," Romanoff's statement said.
After getting the e-mail with the job descriptions, Romanoff said, "I left him a voice mail informing him that I would not change course. I have not spoken with Mr. Messina, nor have I discussed this matter with anyone else in the White House, since then."
....The Denver Post first wrote about Romanoff's job contacts with Messina in September 2009. Few national media outlets were interested in the story until Pennsylvania U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak made a similar accusation over his Democratic primary battle with Sen. Arlen Specter. Sestak said the White House offered him positions to avoid a primary fight with the favorite, Specter, but that he refused...
...The White House memo claimed there was no wrongdoing, but Republicans have tried to use the incidents to undercut Obama's claims of bringing anew ethical standard to Washington politics.
U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., renewed his call for an independent investigation to determine whether the job discussions with Sestak and Romanoff were legal.
"These incidents underscore the need for some independent agent, whether it is a special prosecutor or the FBI, to launch an investigation and determine once and for all the extent of the White House's efforts to manipulate elections, and if those actions resulted in the violations of any laws," Issa said.
Well, what is the law covering this. Not that B Hussein Obama or Eric Holder have read it or are concerned but here it is:
Sec. 600. Promise of employment or other benefit for political activity
Whoever, directly or indirectly, promises any employment, position, compensation, contract, appointment, or other benefit, provided for or made possible in whole or in part by any Act of Congress, or any special consideration in obtaining any such benefit, to any person as consideration, favor, or reward for any political activity or for the support of or opposition to any candidate or any political party in connection with any general or special election to any political office, or in connection with any primary election or political convention or caucus held to select candidates for any political office, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
AMENDMENTS
1994 - Pub. L. 103-322 substituted "fined under this title" for "fined not more than $10,000".
1976 - Pub. L. 94-453 substituted $10,000 for $1,000 maximum allowable fine.
1972 - Pub. L. 92-225 struck out "work," after "position,", inserted "contract, appointment," after "compensation," and "or any special consideration in obtaining any such benefit," after "Act of Congress,", and substituted "in connection with any general or special election to any political office, or in connection with any primary election or political convention or caucus held to select candidates for any political office" for "in any election".
Translation, you make an offer for anything to influence someone to get in or out of an election and you have committed a crime. Gee, I wonder if Woodworth and Bernstein will get off their asses and start investigative journalism and try and take down another president. I won't hold my breath!
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