Posted on 05/29/2010 10:51:46 AM PDT by maggief
WASHINGTON — When the White House enlisted former President Bill Clinton to see if Representative Joe Sestak would accept a presidential appointment to drop out of a Senate race, there is no question it was committing politics. But was it committing a crime?
The dispute surrounding the White House effort to nudge Mr. Sestak out of the Pennsylvania Democratic primary has once again cast a harsh light on the murky boundaries that govern American political life. When does ordinary horse-trading cross a line? When does behavior that may violate sensibilities actually violate federal law?
The law does ban promising any position to influence an election and Republican lawmakers have called for a special prosecutor or the F.B.I. to investigate whether Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, or his colleagues made an illegal quid pro quo proposal. So far, the Justice Department has rebuffed such calls and, as of a few days ago, officials said neither the department nor the Office of Special Counsel, which looks at politicking by federal employees, was investigating.
The White House and independent Democratic lawyers have scoffed at the notion that anything illegal happened and accused the Republicans of trying to criminalize politics. Even former Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey, appointed by President George W. Bush, said on Fox News on Friday that it was “highly questionable if there’s any crime” and that a prosecution “really is a stretch.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
There are no journalist anymore. Sad the founders wasted an Amendment on such unworthy creatures as the losers that inhabit "The Press".
The question is, how many other white house contacts were make with Sestak? The Clinton contact may be a Red Herring to throw us off track so as not to pursue the other contacts. As to whether or not a crime was committed we need some testimony under oath.
When have no many rushed to defend what is clearly against the law?
Murkey??? Pretty clear it seems. More Lamestream spin.
The statute says appointment.
Doesn’t matter if paid or unpaid.
So this letter and statements surrounding it from the White House is an admission that a crime took place.
Where’s the Spercial Prosecutor?
You betcha! The problem is that the NYT has no moral compass anymore. THAT is why it is no longer a great newspaper.
They should run an experiment, shock the world, stand up for America, stand up for the US Constitution (not just the First Amendment when it suits them.) Perhaps if they were to be an American newspaper again more Americans would want to read it.
Like the Scorpion, it's not in their nature.
“When have no many rushed to defend what is clearly against the law?”
Well, it’s the first time we’ve had a flap-eared half-black socialist in charge, so it’s a really special situation.
Murky? You bet. Especially with the NY Slimes emitting ink like a squid to obscure the simple, felony job bribe that so obviously took place.
such lines are only considered to be “murky” when they entangle commies and democrats.
the very same rules applied to republicans and conservatives would be black and white.
many of the politically inattentive novices who showed up in the last election are making notes.
we’ll see the results by november. obama is on such a roll ~ bp, sestak, healthcare and the economy ~ that i could actually see him getting rolled under the bus by the time elections come around.
his entire time in office has been an absolut nightmare. the press can sing it all they want, but only the hardcore left and the harcore stupid cling to barry-o.
i can’t wait to see him get his can booted out of office. hopefully the gop can come up with a conservative candidate.
“Where’s the Spercial Prosecutor?”
hasn’t been purchased yet.
they all loved that fitzgerald guy so much.
they ought to sign him up to look into it.
They had to bring in Clinton to try an sell their gigantic lie, since he’s the king of gigantic, impossible lies. The Clintons regularly told lies that wouldn’t fool a small child, and the MSN “believed” them, so Obama’s stooges thought they could try it again. Using Clinton has the added benefit of throwing some of the blame on Willie when the lie collapses under its own weight.
Special Prosecutor?
Ha
It is still stunning to me that evn most of the elected and former High ranking Repubs say there is nothing to this but politics as usual.
Thank goodness for Issa and even Newt.
I get the sense that most repubs would like to see this story go away.
No one wants to be the star reporter/investigator on Sestakgate. What a shock!
I don’t see how committing a felony is murky. Let’s see, bribing a Congressman is a felony - hmmmm. Attempting to bribe a Congressman is a felony. Business as usual:
See John Murtha curse like a sailor and take a bribe from an FBI agent:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pujo8mCQZcw
part 2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ogmu4AbBExA&NR=1
part 3:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhTZD3K6QpQ&NR=1
part 4:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYgf7wEnl9U&NR=1
John Murtha, “When I make a f*in deal...”
“When does ordinary horse-trading cross a line? When does behavior that may violate sensibilities actually violate federal law?”
When? Well NATURALLY when it’s done by a REPUBLICAN!!!
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