[joinedafterattack]

The communications director for the National Endowment for the Arts is no longer in his job amid a flap over suggestions he suggested artists work to further President Obama's legislative agenda.

A conservative artist writing on the site Big Hollywood first complained that the official, later identified as Yosi Sargent, had been on a conference call with artists aimed at furthering President Obama's legislative agenda -- a bit of a no-no for the agency, which does its best to stay apolitical.

The agency, for now, is keeping it utterly cryptic: Sargent is "currently an employee," said spokeswoman Sally Gifford, who said she couldn't comment on whether he is communications director. She also read a statement defending the conference call:

On August tenth, the National Endowment for the Arts participated in a call with arts organizations to inform them of the president's call to national service. The White House office of public engagement also participated in the call, which provided information on how the Corporation for National and Community Service can assist groups interested in sponsoring service projects or having their members volunteer on other projects. This call was not a means to promote any legislative agenda and any suggestions to that end are simply false. The NEA regularly does outreach to various organizations to inform of the work we are doing and the resources available to them.

Huffington Post's Ryan Grim reported that Sergant had been "asked to resign," and played it as another scalp -- like Van Jones' -- for Glenn Beck.

UPDATE: Senator John Cornyn had also pressed the White House on the issue in a letter Tuesday.

In truth, Sergant and Jones have something else in common: Both are outsiders from Washington's careful culture and Sergant, who had worked with the artist Shepherd Fairey and organized the Obama campaign's artist arm. Though the details aren't entirely clear, the NEA would typically steer clear of pushing the White House's legislative agenda.

[joinedafterattack]

This guy was a PR guy at the NEA. The real question is Who Directed Him To Do This?

[org.whodat]

Nothing like trying to steal the work of other people.

[Dog]

Beat you to it....and he didnt resign....they’ve reassigned him.

[NavVet]

So how’s that boycott working out?

[Bahbah]

There is an update on this at NRO. He has merely been reassigned within the NEA.

[Scythian]

Add another Czar notch on Becks microphone ... 2 down, 30 some odd to go ...

[HanneyBean]

Obama: “I sense a disturbance in the force...”

Flunkie: “That would be Glenn Beck, master”

[org.whodat]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/watercooler/2009/sep/01/official-dishonesty-national-endowment-arts/

[Hodar]

..with the artist Shepherd Fairey ...

My nominee for worst name ever. You think you got teased as a kid? Can you imagine what this guy went though?

[Kartographer]

Glenn Beck must apologize! (sarc)

[Man50D]

Beck hasn’t won anything. Does anyone actually believe Van Jones or Yosi Sargent are just going to dry up and blow away? Does anyone actually believe the next people to fill these slots won’t also have socialists views? We need to keep track of those forced out and keep hammmering away at those people or positions meant to further socialism.

[TheThinker]

The smell of fear and appearance of impropriety and guilt are overpowering in this administration.

[Freedom2specul8]

Ping!

[Freedom2specul8]

Ping!

[Freedom2specul8]

I don’t know why I didn’t ping all of you at once.

[drubyfive]

The headline at Politico is “NEA in politics flap.” I thought you have to keep the original headline.

[eeevil conservative]

This is NOT Glenn’s War, or battle...

This is a War for Freedom. If Freedom dies here in America, it will be forever stripped from the earth.

Even Beck will tell you that if you count these things as personal wins for him, then you don’t get it....

I admire your enthusiasm, and share it...but we have to stay focused on the real issue... it is not about attacking Obama- it is about saving our Republic....Obama is just the latest puppet on front stage— but the corruption and evil runs deep and has for at least 3 if not 4 decades.

Glenn has the resources to get this info out, and the support of many of us to hold his standing in media. Glenn is much like our Founding Fathers in the way that he is fearless of what consequences may come his way- but he is wholly dedicated to the cause of Freedom, and he wants our focus and our commitment to be the same.

If there is anyway to honor Glenn’s courage, and his integrity- it is to join him in boldness.

We may have woken up, some of us have even bothered to get off the couch....But the real work we haven’t even begun to do. It will take more than Tea Parties, even though they are the key to unity and voice- but individual work is still needed.

btw— I hear this guy didn’t resign at all- he was just moved to a diff position, and as I understand it, he did his dirty deed at the behest of the First Lady....

[Puppage]

GLENN BECK WINS AGAIN! NEA Communications Director Resigns

Is that the BIG news Beck said he'd tell everyone about yesterday? The one that would knock healthcare off the news?

If it is......I sure don't see it as such.

[Nachum]

The list, ping

[Bernard Marx]

The resignation is routine PR eyewash. One of their operatives just got caught doing what they do all the time. Breitbart actually tipped Beck to this. The only way to stop NEA from being politically subversive is to abolish it.